‘Didn’t you also feel’ - Graham Smyth explains the two reasons behind key Leeds United exit - YEP 4/5/23

Leeds United will be hoping Sam Allardyce can keep them in the Premier League with four games left to play

Harry Mail

Victor Orta’s departure was the result of the board at Leeds United disagreeing over the direction they wanted to take with the remainder of this season. The Whites are currently only above the relegation zone on goal difference after their loss away at AFC Bournemouth last time out.

The club ultimately ended up sacking Javi Gracia following their recent run of form and have brought in the experienced Sam Allardyce in a last-ditch attempt to avoid slipping into the Championship. They have some tricky fixtures coming up against Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.

The latter two games especially will be seen as winnable by Leeds though and the hope is that their new manager can first and foremost tighten them up at the back. Orta wanted to stick with Gracia though and believed the Spaniard would get results, with Graham Smyth saying: “My understanding is that on Monday there was a difference of opinion between the board who thought Javi Gracia had to go and they needed to bring in someone like Sam Allardyce, and Victor Orta who felt that wasn’t the way to go and that Gracia was worth sticking with and that he could probably get the results they needed.

“I think Gracia thought that as well. I think he’s made that clear in his statements. Orta was on the other side of it from the board and yes, that probably played a big part (in his exit), but didn’t you also feel on Sunday with fans chanting his name, protesting his position at almost every recent game, that his position was becoming largely untenable.

“This summer was the time for him to get off the bus anyway because when the fans aren’t having you, you just become divisive and particularly if there is going to be a new owner this summer, you don’t want to be getting off on the wrong foot with the fans. You don’t want legacy issues that bring negativity.

“Unfortunately, the fans were no longer having Victor Orta so I think that departure was an inevitable one that was simply hastened by this difference of opinion over what they should do next.”

Leeds are back in action this weekend away at Manchester City as Allardyce prepares for his first match at the helm. Pep Guardiola’s side are currently top of the table above Arsenal and beat West Ham 3-0 last time out.