Sam Allardyce’s first words as Leeds United manager as ex-Newcastle and Everton boss reveals shock phone call - YEP 3/5/23

Sam Allardyce has joined Leeds United for their final four games of the Premier League season as he seeks to guide the club to safety

Ben McKenna

Sam Allardyce hopes four games will be enough time to save Leeds United’s season as he revealed his shock at being offered the chance to manage at Elland Road.

The Whites parted company with Javi Gracia on Wednesday morning and immediately confirmed Allardyce as his replacement.

The former England boss has been out of work since leaving West Brom at the end of the 2020-21 season. He departed after the Baggies were relegated from the Premier League.

That was the first time in a long managerial career he had been relegated as he previously guided the likes of Everton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace to safety.

In an interview with talkSPORT, Allardyce revealed his excitement about taking over at Leeds.

“I’m stood here in my office overlooking the training ground, the fabulous facilities here at Leeds, excited to be involved again,” he told talkSPORT.

“Obviously there’s a tingle that runs through your veins when you take over a football club.

“I know it’s in a lot of trouble. I’ve seen a lot of trouble before and hopefully – 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 will be joined by Karl Robinson at Leeds, with reports Robbie Keane is also set to be part of his coaching staff. With just four games remaining, the ex-Bolton Wanderers boss admitted he was ‘shocked’ to be offered an opportunity so late in the season.

He continued: “[I was] shocked, I never thought at this, 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.

“Karl Robinson [joins]. And hopefully following will be another member of staff, maybe a bit more. We don’t know yet, but certainly Karl at this moment in time.”

Leeds face arguably the toughest run-in of any of the sides battling relegation. Allardyce’s first game in charge will be at Man City on Saturday with his first home fixture against top-four contenders Newcastle United.

The Whites finish the season against West Ham and Tottenham. Leeds have conceded the most goals in the Premier League this term and one of Allardyce’s first jobs will be to tighten up the defence.

“I think that obviously they’re very difficult games, Man City, Newcastle, West Ham and Spurs,” he continued.

“You can all point out where the easiest fixture might be and of course, there are no easy fixtures in the Premier League, but we can only go and do what we can try and achieve.

“That certainly, from my point of view, means to see the lads stopping the goals going in.

“I think we’ve conceded 28 goals in the last 10 or 12 games, and the first thing that we’re going to have to do is to stop that if we’re gonna get out of trouble, because it means that we’re needing to score two and three goals every game to try and win it and if we’re left to do that, that would be nearly an impossible task.

“I’m doing all I can with the staff who are most important in the support they’re going to give to try and get the players out of trouble.”

Leeds are outside the bottom three on goal difference, as they sit level on points with Leicester City and Nottingham Forest, with Everton a point behind in 19th. Southampton are six points from safety at the foot of the table.