Football writer for @TheAthleticFC. Sign up to the newsletter for free here: nytimes.com/athletic/newslet…
Leeds
- Tweets 114,396
- Following 806
- Followers 240,978
- Likes 4
Pinned Tweet
🇦🇷 Out now…
‘And It Was Beautiful’ - The story of Leeds United in the Marcelo Bielsa Era, available in paperback with new epilogue.
Published by @orionbooks and @SevenDialsBooks.
Follow the link to order: geni.us/AndItWasBeautiful
90
108
935
If you cried at Bolton, if you got soaked at Histon, if you got humiliated at Hereford, if you felt broken after Derby last season.
This is why you put yourself through it. This is why you stuck it out. Bury it all.
438
3,166
17,379
Morning all. For medical reasons I’m about the step away from all this for a while. Easier to explain in an article than in tweets. Leeds coverage @TheAthleticUK will be unaffected. Keep living the dream 🇦🇷
theathletic.com/2543645/2021…
3,630
370
11,750
R9 had it right. Cristiano Ronaldo can do remarkable things but Lionel Messi does things virtually no-one else can. There’s a difference
66
1,173
11,593
Bielsa on the attack on Jack Grealish yesterday: "The person who does the thing we saw yesterday expresses a series of frustrations which are not necessarily linked to football. Because the more satisfied you are with your personal life, the less you need to do this kind of act."
177
1,646
8,830
Just dropping in briefly to say surgery went well and 91 staples later, I’m on the mend. Can’t thank everyone enough for the good wishes and support I’ve had over the past month. God bless you and the staff at the LGI.
597
151
7,856
The Bielsa years will go down as a magic, exceptional era at Leeds despite the struggles this season. The strongest connection between a club and a fanbase you'll ever see.
Football being what it is, nothing's immune from results. But it was the ride you didn't want to get off.
802
970
7,446
So many hands involved in promotion - Radrizzani, Bielsa, Orta, Kinnear, backroom team, crowds and, not least, a squad who took the crack of Bielsa's whip and ran with it. This will stand out as a unique period of the club's history.
100
550
7,362
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL
183
1,056
7,243
After 18 seasons home and away, this is me checking out of Leeds United.
It's been barry™️. And the pleasure's been all mine.
As a final piece, I wrote about what all that time and all those games taught me about LUFC.
Never change.
nytimes.com/athletic/5542160…
1,706
566
7,129
897,610
Meslier from Lorient to Leeds on a permanent will be done today. Three year deal. Fee in the region of £5m. #lufc
216
375
6,996
After 15 years at the YEP, I'm leaving the paper next week. Thirteen years home and away with Leeds United, which has been some adventure. They say you get less for murder but you get less for winning the lottery too. I'm grateful for all of it.
1,508
386
6,549
This won’t be the last acknowledgement of him but Bielsa is getting a street named after him by Trinity in Leeds.
‘Marcelo Bielsa Way’
96
932
6,472
Leeds United confirm that Gaetano Berardi has signed a new contract to the end of the 2020-21 season. Much of that will cover his rehab after ACL surgery - a nice move for a player who deserved support after committing at the end of last season. #lufc
210
347
6,498
Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa are the same as each other. Despite any the flaws and idiosyncrasies, when it's good it's exquisite. And you wouldn't swap it for anything.
73
693
6,351
After 39 months, the curse is broken. Get it right up you, London. #lufc
100
683
6,235
Breaking - Leeds United confirm that Marcelo Bielsa's contract as head coach has been extended to the end of next season. #lufc
295
944
6,024
The scene outside Mateusz Klich’s home in Tarnow, Poland. Banner was sent to the family by Polish Leeds fans last year. Worth the wait.
28
555
5,828
This is why Bielsa gets the kudos he does. Restructuring his team, coming here and playing like this. The coaches coach. #lufc
95
343
5,609
Bielsa thanks us for our patience, tells us he's stupid for doing all this analysis, opens the door and walks out (of the room, not the club). We're done. #lufc
268
899
5,522
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAL
56
500
5,596
DONE DEAL - Leeds United complete the signing of Spain international Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad. Four-year deal. Fee around £18m. #lufc
77
342
5,521
Now going through every Derby formation and showing who plays where most often and how is changes. He knows how many minutes each player has played in each position. You sort of wonder if even Lampard knows this much about Derby.
193
1,388
5,363
Great story. Bielsa says he showed Guardiola his analysis after Bilbao lost to Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final. "Guardiola had a look at it and he told me 'you know more about Barcelona than me'. But it was useless information because they scored three goals." #lufc
40
1,500
5,213
A win at the Etihad in any circumstances would have been fantastic. To win like that...well, that's something very special for Bielsa and his squad. What a season. What a three years. #lufc
66
484
5,242
Bingo - Leeds United complete the signing of Raphinha from Rennes on a four-year contract. £17m plus add-ons. That ends the international window. #lufc
143
443
5,300
I get that players have careers and decisions to make etc (and I get that there were failures elsewhere in the club too) - but christ, the squad who got Leeds relegated aren’t exactly digging in to redeem the failure. Let’s not pretend otherwise
433
538
5,257
544,685
My last day at the YEP. So I wrote a piece on football writing, covering Leeds United and, more importantly, Leeds itself:
yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s…
715
681
5,186
🚨 Excl - Talks over the past 24 hrs have sealed a deal between Andrea Radrizzani and 49ers Enterprises for the sale of Leeds United.
Announcement expected tonight. Takeover needs EFL approval. But Leeds finally headed for new ownership.
@TheAthleticFC
theathletic.com/4592423/2023…
268
738
5,179
1,968,117
Valencia confirm that an agreement is in place with Leeds for Rodrigo. Fee finalised this evening. Medical still to take place and personal terms to be finalised. Expect quick progress tomorrow. #lufc
175
527
5,225
Leeds United yet to say anything about Cuisance but our understanding is that the deal is off. No more details at the moment but won't be happening. #lufc
292
404
5,034
Douglas was a popular player at Leeds. Victor Orta has written an open letter to him. This part stood out:
109
396
5,190
No point blaming that on Spygate. Mullered from start to finish by one of the best performances we've seen under Bielsa. Clarke fantastic, Forshaw never played better for Leeds. Bueno. #lufc
236
954
5,087
Hoying down at Thorp Arch earlier, absolutely horrible. Drive out and Bielsa is on his own starting a long trek home to Wetherby, no coat and just a tracksuit top on with his hood up, getting soaked. “Would you like a lift??” “No thank you, I like this.” Such a one-off.
190
894
4,985
Rodrigo would be some start to life as a Premier League club. A big first hit in the market. Leeds seem as surprised as anyone that it's fallen into place but the club and Bielsa have sold the move. Sources in Spain anticipating a medical tomorrow. #lufc
211
485
5,013
If I had to pick out one performance tonight, I think I'd go Ayling for his job on Mane. #lufc
192
109
5,002
Kalvin Phillips agrees new five-year contract with Leeds United. Expected to sign tomorrow.
Story here:
theathletic.co.uk/1193255/20…
258
614
4,962
There are nights when you really, really need it and this was one of those. Sensational fightback. Top of the league. Game on. #lufc
84
415
5,002
Five wins on the bounce. No goals conceded. Leeds going top with a seven-point gap to third place. Don't say it.....#lufc
246
545
4,930
Leeds United have renamed Elland Road’s East Stand as The Jack Charlton Stand. Charlton, the club’s record appearance-maker, died earlier this year at the age of 85.
51
222
4,885
Raphinha's in the away end. If that penalty was his last act for Leeds then God speed. #lufc
52
173
4,912
Sources close to Augustin say he’s happy with what’s being offered by Leeds United and that Monaco will agree to terminate his loan from Leipzig. All the right noises. @TheAthleticUK #LUFC
332
526
4,895
Great story with Dan James. His partner gave birth to a baby boy at lunchtime today. Spent a few hours at the hospital and then took a helicopter down to London to play tonight. Explains the very warm welcome he got from Cooper et al.
46
253
4,910
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL
65
469
4,832
Leeds should stand very firm on Raphinha. No need to compromise on value, no need to do Barcelona any favours, no reason to let anyone else control the situation. The club would have been exposed had they gone down but they're not exposed now.
277
217
4,747
A lovely move - Leeds United to name the South Stand at Elland Road after Norman Hunter. #lufc
60
351
4,736
My god. What a season. By the skin of their teeth but you know what - they needed to pull something out the bag today and they have. Ayling's sacked his crutches off and is getting stuck in. Everyone in front of the away end. After everything that's gone on, glorious. #lufc
60
312
4,689
Right up there with the best performances this season. Made Wednesday look clueless. A three-point advantage over Sheffield United with four games to go. You'd have taken that. My god, you'd have taken that. #lufc
134
547
4,459
To cap an incredibly weird saga, reports in France say Bamba Dieng has failed his medical at Nice. #lufc
380
351
4,431
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL
101
579
4,434
Rodrigo at £27m is what you'd hope for if you spent £27m. Klich at £1.5m is like the morning I saw someone walk into Penicuik rugby club, turn on the puggy, stick in a quid and win £200 with his third spin.
102
284
4,419
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAL
91
435
4,473
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAL
75
494
4,345
Cooper terrific, Klich much closer to his best. Raphinha a box of tricks but the key point about him is that he seems to turn up game after game. Looking outstanding and consistently so. #lufc
99
102
4,291
🚨 Leeds United set to confirm appointment of Daniel Farke as head coach in the next 24 hrs.
Terms agreed, allowing him to fly in this evening. Due to be finalised even if takeover isn’t sealed first, with training set to start Wednesday.
@TheAthleticFC
theathletic.com/4663292/2023…
307
523
4,294
997,703
Leeds United have opened talks with Kalvin Phillips over a new contract. Offer made to him would place Phillips amongst the club’s higher earners. Current deal runs to 2021. #lufc
414
510
4,237
🚨 Leeds United complete the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea City. Four-year contract, undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £12m.
Deal number five of the summer. And by a distance, the statement signing so far.
Story @TheAthleticFC
theathletic.com/live-blogs/t…
236
376
4,293
315,575
Been waiting for a win like that all season - where you come to a team like this and turn them over. More life in Leeds than West Ham today and they never let that go. Mega. #lufc
82
134
4,242
Bielsa on Forshaw: "I seriously had doubts that he could achieve what he has achieved. This is a message for those who doubted. It's a prize for his perseverance. He spent two years without playing. He never gave up." #lufc
63
233
4,203
Twenty-four hours which, I think, would make you very proud of the city of Leeds if Leeds was your city.
83
750
4,215
A statement win, easily the best of Marsch's reign to date and feels a bit like a watershed moment - the new era at Leeds properly embraced. Chelsea battered. #lufc
57
243
4,167
This day 12 months ago. You’ll never have another experience quite like it. The years preceding it, the way it was delivered, the coach who delivered it. Pure magic.
59
326
4,209
Farke: "I’m quite pragmatic. If someone doesn’t want to be with us, he goes out of the dressing room and won’t train with us. I only want people who are fully focused and committed. I’m not begging or praying ‘please, please play for us.’ This club is too big.” #lufc
199
394
4,143
461,052
Confirmed by Bielsa - Nketiah is going back to Arsenal. #lufc
161
669
3,969
Santa from 30 yards...
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL
Merry Christmas everyone 🎄
117
289
4,062
Jesse Marsch sacked as Leeds United manager. Decision taken following yesterday's defeat to Nottingham Forest. Departs after less than a year in charge. @TheAthleticFC
399
501
4,073
1,253,826
To say that was Forshaw's first 90 in a league game for 25 months, quite the performance. #lufc
104
113
3,993
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL
59
339
4,001
Would just add my tuppence-worth to everything else written on here. LUFC are a tough club to captain but Cooper was perfect for the role, especially in the promotion year. A lovely fella too - sent me a video message on the morning of my op. Leeds have been lucky to have him.
52
109
3,986
169,435
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAL
61
363
3,907
Firpo’s best game yet, at both ends of the pitch. Substitutions were good ones and Gelhardt’s got that thing going where every time he touches the ball, the crowd buzzes. Forshaw in the thick of it again. Decent. #lufc
62
67
3,927
The season desperately needed something like this week - something a bit magical. Sometimes you just need football to run for you. Here it is. #lufc
107
193
3,900
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAL
76
440
3,945
All the Leeds players donning Mateus Klich shirts. Klich in tears applauding the crowd and they're applauding him. This is it for him. #lufc
197
212
3,960
456,755