Leeds boss Bielsa branded 'a bit autistic' by ex-France stars

Marcelo Bielsa has been labelled 'a bit autistic' by two former France players that were familiar with his work at Marseille.

Frank Leboeuf and Christophe Dugarry have slammed the Leeds manager for his behaviour during his spell with the Ligue 1 club between 2014 and 2015.

Leeds have been top of the Championship table for the majority of the season, with many backing Bielsa to lead the Yorkshire club to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years.

But the Argentine's first campaign in England has not been short of controversy, with the 63-year-old coming in for criticism when it emerged he was sending spies to watch Leeds' opponents train earlier this season.

Leboeuf, who played for Marseille between 2001 and 2003, says he has no respect for Bielsa and claims the Leeds boss once totally ignored one of his players in a lift during his time in charge of the French outfit.

"He's somebody I don't like. I don't like his life philosophy. I don't like how he manages a group and for me he's shown nothing," the Frenchman told RMC Sport.

"To take the lift in the morning with your captain, to not say hello and to not even look at him, there's a bit of a problem."

Dugarry was also critical of Bielsa and went as far as to say that some of his behaviour was 'a bit autistic'.

"It's the way he treats people, journalists, it's a bit autistic, isn't it?"

The pair also went on to suggest that Bielsa's staff have no respect for him and continued to hit out at the Argentine for his conduct.

Leeds are currently sat in second place in the Championship having been leapfrogged by Norwich City after they were beaten by the Canaries at Elland Road on Saturday.