Sam Allardyce appointed Leeds United boss as Javi Gracia sacked | Football News
7 min read
Sam Allardyce has been appointed Leeds boss until the end of the season after the club sacked head coach Javi Gracia following just two-and-a-half months in charge.
Former England manager Allardyce, who has been out of work since leaving West Brom in May 2021, makes a shock return to football to try and save Leeds from Premier League relegation with only four games of the season remaining.
The 68-year-old faces a daunting run-in that includes a visit to leaders Manchester City, live on Sky Sports, then home games against Newcastle and Tottenham as well as a trip to West Ham.
Saturday 6th May 2:00pm
Kick off 3:00pm
« I know it [Leeds] is in a lot of trouble, » Allardyce told talkSPORT. « I have seen a lot of trouble before and – I could have done a little bit more time, but four games – hopefully we can make a difference and keep this fabulous club in the Premier League. »
Allardyce added: « [I was] shocked [to get the opportunity], I never thought at this stage of the season there would be jobs offered.
« When the phone popped up with a name that I knew pretty well, I knew who it was straight away, so it took me about two seconds to say yes. »
Allardyce, who previously rescued Sunderland and Crystal Palace from potential relegation, becomes the club’s fourth head coach of the season and will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 4pm.
Gracia leaves the club after just 12 games in charge. Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia and Juan Solla have also departed.
A club statement reads: « Allardyce has managed over 500 Premier League games in a managerial career stretching 29 years and he brings a wealth of knowledge in fighting for survival, having guided a number of his previous clubs to safety.
« Allardyce will be assisted by former MK Dons, Charlton Athletic and Oxford United manager Karl Robinson. »
Robbie Keane is also expected to join Allardyce’s backroom team. Sammy Lee is unable to join Allardyce’s backroom team because he is on jury service.
Gracia has released a statement following his departure.
« I’m grateful for this opportunity and proud of the team, both players and coaching staff. That’s how I would like to summarise my time at Leeds United. I would have preferred a different moment, but the circumstances have changed.
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« We arrived on a short three-month contract. And we did it because we believed in this team. We considered our chances and had confidence. And we know it is possible. We are not talking about miracles, but about the efficient result of a well done work and a process of improvement.
« The team is out of the relegation zone and with a good chance of achieving the objective. It has been a very intense period for many reasons. A busy schedule, injuries and a young but skilled team. However, we managed to position ourselves better than our rivals and this is shown by the results.
« Compared to our direct rivals and since we were hired, we are the team with the most points – eleven in total – compared to our main competitors. I am confident that the team will achieve its objective. »
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Gracia was appointed as Jesse Marsch’s successor in February on a « flexible contract », but four defeats in their last five games have left Leeds above the Premier League relegation zone only on goal difference.
Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth ended a terrible April for Gracia and Leeds as they also lost successive home games to Crystal Palace and Liverpool 5-1 and 6-1 respectively. They conceded 23 goals in April, a new Premier League record for goals against in a month.
On Sunday night, fans’ group the Leeds United Supporters Advisory Board issued a vote of no confidence in both the club’s board and head coach Gracia.
Victor Orta has left the role as director of football at Leeds amid a troubled season
Before Gracia’s sacking, Leeds announced director of football Orta had left the club by mutual consent.
The Spaniard took up the post at Elland Road in the summer of 2017 and helped the club make their long-awaited return to the Premier League three years later.
But things have gone awry of late and embattled Leeds confirmed Orta’s departure.
Carra: Allardyce a decent appointment for Leeds
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Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher feels former Bolton, Blackburn and West Ham manager Allardyce is a sensible appointment for Leeds.
He told Monday Night Football: « I don’t think Sam Allardyce has ever come in this late. He’s normally come in with a January transfer window to bring his own players in and have time to change it.
« But I think it would be a decent appointment. Whether the crowd get behind it, I’m not so sure. I don’t know how Leeds supporters would react to Sam Allardyce.
« But in terms of trying to make them more solid and better defensively, there’s probably no one better out there. »
With daunting fixtures remaining, starting with a trip to leaders Manchester City on Saturday, Carragher believes a late change of manager could be their only chance of getting the results they need to stay up.
« They’ve got to try to create some sort of feel-good factor in the home games they’ve got, to bring some kind of energy and a performance to get them over the line, so I would not be surprised at all if they made that change, » he said.
« The only thing I believe the board and hierarchy will be thinking is, ‘Can we make Elland Road a fortress in these last couple of games at home?’
« I think that’s the only thing they can do. Bring someone in where it becomes a tough game for the teams going there, where there’s an atmosphere, there’s an energy, because right now that has vanished completely. »
Big Sam’s blueprint for survival
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Sam Allardyce has a track record of keeping teams in the top flight against the odds and has experienced relegation from the top tier only once, with West Brom in 2021, during 17 campaigns in the division.
Speaking on Monday Night Football nearly six years ago, Allardyce revealed his very own blueprint to keep clubs up – comprising seven key components for success.
Typically, there is a focus on defence, with clean sheets and careful possession in the defending half, as well as direct attacking play – such as playing upfield quickly and capitalising on knock-downs.
Using this blueprint, Allardyce helped Bolton secure top-flight safety after promotion in 2001/02 and avoided the drop once again the following campaign before securing a surprise eighth-placed finish in 2003/04.
Stints at Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham followed – implementing his survival blueprint at Rovers after replacing Paul Ince with the club sat 19th and ending the campaign in 15th.
He accepted another firefighting role at Sunderland in October 2015, with the club positioned 19th in the standings – but he guided the club to safety with a 17th-placed finish, two points clear of the drop.
Sam Allardyce has overseen an upturn at several clubs
Allardyce replaced Roy Hodgson as England manager in the summer of 2016 but oversaw only one match before leaving the role by mutual consent following a newspaper sting – taking charge of a beleaguered Crystal Palace three months later. Again, Allardyce achieved top-flight safety on the penultimate day of the season.
He announced his retirement from club management at the end of that campaign but reversed the decision to replace Ronald Koeman at Everton in November 2017 – taking charge with the Toffees sat 13th, and ending the campaign with an eighth-placed finish.
Leeds United’s remaining fixtures
Saturday: Man City (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Newcastle (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 21: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 1.30pm
May 28: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
