Leeds fan’s ‘spygate’ Marcelo Bielsa tattoo helps him deal with depression
Danny Binks says the tattoo reminds him of things that ‘saved his life’.
A Leeds United fan has got a tattoo commemorating the club’s manager Marcelo Bielsa and the “spygate” scandal.
Danny Binks said the cartoon of Bielsa peering over a hedge with binoculars, tattooed on to his right forearm, helps him deal with depression.
“I got the tattoo purely based on the point that the image makes me happy,” the 23-year-old from Pudsey told the Press Association. “The idea with the tattoos is they now cover over scars from self harm from a recent battle with depression.”
Eleven Championship clubs have complained to the English Football League about the Argentine manager, who admitted having Leeds’ Championship opponents watched in training this season, having had a member of his staff caught in the act by Derby County.
“It’s an amusing satire of the situation,” Mr Binks said of the cartoon. “Spygate has been blown out of all proportion as many pundits have said this is nothing new.
“(It) has only strengthened my belief in Bielsa. He is the best manager we’ve had since Howard Wilkinson, in my opinion.”
Bielsa called journalists to a presentation last Wednesday following the allegations, illustrating his in-depth analysis in the hope of showing his research is so thorough that he gained no advantage from watching Derby train.
“Now when I look at my arm I only see a game that rescued me from the dark depths and a manager that’s brought more excitement to my Leeds United-supporting life than I can ever remember, and those will allow me to rethink any actions I may have been thinking of doing,” he said.
“In a way football in general, Football Manager and Leeds United have saved my life.
“All my friends and family think it’s an interesting tattoo. They support my decision to battle depression in this way.”
