New Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce has told talkSPORT he was shocked to get the call, but took no time at all to say ‘yes’.
Leeds are yet to publicly confirm Allardyce’s appointment as their new manager and Javi Gracia’s sacking, but the former England boss spoke to Jim White from the club’s training ground on Wednesday morning.
Allardyce has been out of management since 2021, but said it was an instant decision to take the job.
“I’m stood here in my office overlooking the training ground, the fabulous facilities here at Leeds, excited to be involved again,” he said.
“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.”
Asked what he thought of the opportunity, Allardyce added: “[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.”
Discussing the run-in, Allardyce added: “I think that obviously they’re very difficult games, Man City, Newcastle, West Ham and Spurs.
“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.”
Source link: https://talksport.com/football/1413438/sam-allardyce-shocked-become-leeds-manager/
