Craig Scott

Sat 15 February 2020 13:00, UK

Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith is baffled by Marcelo Bielsa’s admission that Leeds United do not employ a sports psychologist.

Plenty of clubs have a member of their backroom staff who deals with the mental aspect of being a footballer but speaking in a press conference this week, Bielsa spoke out to say he does not feel as though Leeds need one.

“There are a lot of opinions around our team that we need psychological support. I think the opposite,” said the Leeds boss, as quoted by the Yorkshire Post.

“It’s not that I ignore the psychology. When someone is in a bad moment we need to try to block this unsafe feeling and try to give him confidence to help him.”

Bielsa clearly feels as though he and those who are at the club already can provide the support that players need to help restore confidence – but former Leeds Women attacker Smith disagrees.

“I was really surprised when I heard Leeds United do not employ a sports psychologist,” she said on the Yorkshire Post website.

“Their form is faltering and a big part of that has to be psychological.

“December’s Cardiff City game seems to have been the turning point. They were absolutely dominant that day, only to draw 3-3 in a game they were leading 3-0. That is when I think they needed a sports psychologist to tell them it was a blip and give them confidence they could turn it around.”

Smith makes a point.

Leeds have been in a rut since that 3-3 draw against Cardiff and maybe the help of a psychologist would have made a lot of difference in trying to restore confidence.

If there is just a small chance that something like that would work – then why not try it?

Bielsa clearly sticks to his own methods and does not let others’ opinions sway him from the way he manages his team, but it is fair for fans and pundits to question why there is no sports psychologist at Elland Road when they are quite common elsewhere.

In other Leeds United news, this huge weakness could be exposed by Bristol City.