Ex-Bolton and Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce on taking Leeds United job
Sam Allardyce says he was “shocked” to be offered the Leeds job – but insists it was an easy decision to make.
The former Wanderers boss will take charge at Elland Road for the final four games of the Premier League season.
Leeds currently sits 17th in the table – only above the drop zone on goal difference following their 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth over the weekend.
Big Sam admits the club is in “a lot of trouble” but hopes to “make a difference” along with assistant Karl Robinson.
“I’m here overlooking the training ground and the fabulous facilities here at Leeds and I’m excited to be involved,” he told talkSPORT. “A tingle runs through your veins when you take over at a football club.
“I know it’s in a lot of trouble, I’ve seen a lot of trouble before. I could’ve done with more time, but we’ve got four games and hopefully, we can make a difference and keep this fabulous club in the Premier League.”
He added: “At this stage of the season, I thought there would be no jobs. The phone popped up with a name that I knew pretty well, I knew what it was and it took me two seconds to say yes.”
Big Sam’s first game in charge will be against Manchester City this weekend and they also have Newcastle and Tottenham to face before the end of the season.
“They are obviously very difficult games,” he continued. “We can all point out where the easiest fixture might be, but of course, there are no easy fixtures in the Premier League.
“We can only do what we can try and achieve, from my point of view, that is stopping the goals from going in.
“We’ve conceded 28 goals in the last 10 or 12 games and that has to stop if we’re going to get out of trouble. We’re needing to score two or three goals every game to win.
“If we’re left to do that, that will be nearly almost an impossible task. I’m doing all I can with the staff to try and get the players out of trouble.”
Big Sam had been out of management for nearly two years since leaving West Brom after the conclusion of the 2020/21 campaign.
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He Just Needs – Ex-AC Milan Man Tells Rossoneri Not To Sell Leeds United And West Ham Target
Former AC Milan star Graziano Mannari has insisted that he is in favor of the Rossoneri keeping hold of Leeds United and West Ham-linked striker Divock Origi.
The Serie A giants snapped up the forward on a free transfer last summer after he left Liverpool but his first season in Italy has been a struggle.
Only eight of his 24 appearances in Serie A this term came in the starting eleven and he has found the back of the net just twice.
He last scored in January and there are suggestions that he could find a route back to the Premier League in the summer.
Leeds, West Ham, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace are said to be interested in him but Mannari insisted that AC Milan should persist with the Belgian next season as well.
Given how different Serie A is from the Premier League, the former Rossoneri man feels Origi just needs some more game time to grow as a player in the AC Milan shirt.
He told the Italian outlet Milannews.it: “I would also keep Origi.
“Against Monza, in the first half of the season [October last year], he made two great goals [scored one and assisted another].
“He just needs to develop and get the right amount of minutes.
“The Premier League is not like Serie A.”
Origi signed a four-year deal when he joined AC Milan last summer and has not indicated a willingness to leave yet.
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