'He was really angry' - Kemar Roofe reveals how Marcelo Bielsa reacted to his Leeds United exit
Kemar Roofe has claimed Marcelo Bielsa was “really angry” about his move from Leeds United to Anderlecht.
The forward had been at Elland Road for two years when Bielsa was installed as Leeds boss ahead of the 2018/19 season.
He may not have been signed during Bielsa’s reign but proved to be a perfect fit for the Argentine’s system.
Roofe helped Leeds reach the play-offs in Bielsa’s first campaign but by the time the start of his second came around, the marksman had made a £7m move to Belgium.
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Marcelo Bielsa’s anger
In an interview with The Athletic, Roofe has detailed how Bielsa’s anger provided the validation he did not get from their professional and relatively distant relationship.
He said: “I didn’t really get much from him (generally). It was mainly Kalvin Phillips who got the most from him. For me, the fact that he kept playing me, starting me every week, was enough validation. If he didn’t start you, there was a reason why.
“When I left Leeds, I went and saw Bielsa, to [explain] the scenario of what was going on with myself, the owner and Anderlecht, to give him an update because I’m not sure if he knew. He wasn’t happy I was leaving at all.
“He was really angry with it. Again, that’s a bit of validation that he thought I was a good player.”
Kemar Roofe in Marcelo Bielsa’s system
Bielsa was not know for having particularly close bonds with his players but Roofe thrived under his tutelage.
A short stint at Anderlecht and a goal-laden Rangers spell followed his Leeds exit before injuries started to wreak havoc. Now 33, Roofe is a free agent following brief spells at Derby County and Walsall.
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He said: “The Bielsa way of playing was perfect for me, especially one up top. I had the freedom to run wherever I wanted to run.
“I had the rest of the team backing up with the runs. I remember playing a game, I think it was QPR at home, and one of the centre-backs was asking me ‘just stop running, please, you’re running too much’.
“When I heard that, I was like, ‘yeah, we’ve got you here. They can’t handle us’.”