Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa gets lost in translation but it's hope he's selling, not smoke

The man many Leeds fans call God revealed that he is ‘rejected’ in his native land Argentina, where he is accused of ‘selling smoke’ – using meaningless words and arguments – when he goes into detail on his footballing philosophy.

The expression ‘smoke seller’ is included in the Royal Spanish Academy’s digital dictionary and has been described as a person who boasts knowledge, talents, experiences or riches that he cannot verify.

Perhaps Bielsa’s past experience of that phrase, the stigma attached to it and the shame he says he feels when he has to go into detail to explain himself, knowing the accusation that will come his way unless he wins every game, is one reason why he’s so keen to frequently point out that his opinions can be verified by data or by a journalists’ own eyes.

But as fascinating and touching as it was listening to Bielsa’s experience of footballing persecution, it was uncalled for, in the literal sense. He was answering the wrong question.

Leeds United’s head coach had already been asked and answered as to why he was keeping faith with recently error-stricken goalkeeper Kiko Casilla earlier in the press conference.