Big blow: Phil Hay reveals yet another Leeds United setback, fans will be gutted - opinion

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has revealed that yet another key figure behind the scenes has followed Marcelo Bielsa in exiting Leeds United…

Bielsa of course was relieved of his managerial duties following the disappointing 4-0 defeat to Spurs at the weekend, and the club swiftly moved to appointing his successor in Jesse Marsch.

Naturally, that has seen a number of Bielsa’s staff also follow suit in leaving, and it appears that a man who has been instrumental in implementing Bielsa-ball at Elland Road is also set for a departure.

Replying to a fan query on Twitter about whether fitness coach, Benoit Delaval, would also be leaving, Hay simply said: “He is, yes”.

One of the most admired aspects of Bielsa’s reign at Elland Road was of course the high-intensity pressing that the Argentine built up, taking the Whites from the Championship and into the Premier League.

The Yorkshire club’s first season back in the top-flight was an unqualified success, and Bielsa-ball was a huge part of that – the graphic below from The Athletic’s Peter Rutzler back in May of last year really pinpointed the way in which Leeds ran harder than anyone else.

Leeds run further, faster and harder than everyone else. And the margin is staggering. Analysis with @Worville #lufc

➡️https://t.co/wuj61QdgIb pic.twitter.com/tRa814cd95

— Peter Rutzler (@peterrutzler) May 21, 2021

A big part of that, other than Bielsa, was Delaval.

The Frenchman, who was on the books at Ligue 1 side Lille before accepting his role as fitness coach with the Whites back in the summer of 2018, came in for some special praise from Bielsa himself for the way in which he has transformed things behind the scenes at Elland Road.

He said: “I want to give recognition to Benoit Delaval, who