![]() Gracia collected 10 points from his first six games in charge but a terrible run of results last month sent Leeds into a downward spiral. "I just wish that sometimes you can get the opportunity that you can show it but that's never going to happen for me now apart from keep Leeds up and if I stayed at Leeds this club was big enough to build a team that was going to challenge those boys eventually. I'm not saying I'm better than them, but certainly as good as they are. In terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I'm up there with them. "It's all there with me and I share it with them. Not (Manchester City boss) Pep, not (Liverpool manager) Klopp, not (Arsenal's Mikel) Arteta. "I might be 68 and look old, but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. 'Old and antiquated' "Far too many people think that I am old and antiquated, which is so far from the truth," he said. The Englishman, relegated from the top flight for the first time in his 30-year managerial career at West Brom, firmly stated his credentials. ![]() Can't get any easier than Manchester City away, can it?" A trip to West Ham and an Elland Road encounter with European hopefuls Tottenham round out the season.Īllardyce admitted the fixtures were tough, joking: "We start with an easy one on Saturday. Leeds travels to title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting third-placed Newcastle. He told his first press conference as manager that taking the job was probably his "biggest challenge" due to the short timescale. Īllardyce is reported to have agreed a basic salary of £500,000 ($625,000) for his four games in charge, with a £2.5 million bonus if he can keep Leeds up. He said it was a "shock" to get the call from Leeds but he had no hesitation in agreeing to join the club, who returned to the top flight in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa. The former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England boss has been out of work since the end of the 2020-21 season after failing to save West Brom from top-flight relegation. The Spaniard was dismissed with four games to go after just 10 weeks in charge, with the club outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.Īllardyce, 68, is Leeds' third permanent manager of a turbulent season - Gracia replaced Jesse Marsch in February, while director of football Victor Orta left Elland Road by mutual consent on Tuesday. Sam Allardyce insisted Wednesday that he is "as good as" Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as he plots to keep Leeds in the Premier League following the sacking of Javi Gracia.
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