Leeds United man explains harsh reality of life under Marcelo Bielsa in humbling training tale

Leeds United’s Sam Greenwood arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2020, initially as part of the Under-23 group.

Greenwood admits he was attracted to the prospect of representing Leeds United by the draw of revered head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

However, in Episode Three of new Amazon Prime Video documentary series ‘Academy Dreams: Leeds United’, the 20-year-old details an encounter with the Argentine shortly after arriving at Thorp Arch.

“A month in I think I got shouted over [to first-team training] to do some drills,” he says.

"Obviously, the drills are complicated and I still didn't understand them properly because I’d come from Arsenal, it was a totally different different way of playing football,” Greenwood tells the camera with a smile.

“I did some drills with them and I was just messing them up every time. Obviously, there was a language barrier and stuff. I kept messing them up.

"We were doing crossing, so you have to get them spot on every time. I've put my first ball down, to cross it and I’ve mis-kicked it, put another one down, and I mis-kick that one.

"And he [Bielsa] just goes, ‘Go! Back to the 23s,’” Greenwood says with a grin.

The ex-Arsenal forward also reveals he injured his meniscus – an issue which required surgery – during his full debut against West Ham United in the FA Cup last season, but didn’t dare tell head coach Bielsa due to the number of injuries the squad had already faced.

Greenwood was substituted at half-time in that fixture, unable to play any further part, and shortly thereafter underwent knee surgery.