Smith steps in to aid former Leeds United manager Bielsa

ANGELA Smith had a mysterious international break request that ended with her spending an entertaining evening as a translator for Marcelo Bielsa.

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The former squash international rarely misses a Stoke City game as a reporter but she still finds the time to make regular visits to Asia as a coach and consultant, particularly amid preparations for squash to make its Olympics debut in 2028.

That led to her being in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, recently and taking a call out of the blue that asked if she had been keeping up her Spanish.

“I was asked if I could translate 25 questions,” said Smith, who had lived in Barcelona for three years as a touring professional.

“I had wondered what it was all about and had my theories but they wouldn’t tell me anymore. Then one of the questions in particular pricked by interest seeing as it was about the position that Kalvin Phillips was asked to play against Stoke.