‘Absolutely’: 69-year-old manager claims he’d have done much better at Leeds than Javi Gracia has

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Sam Allardyce has claimed that he’d have done a much better job than Javi Gracia at Leeds.

Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, Allardyce was asked about Leeds after they sacked Jesse Marsch and hired Gracia.

A few weeks ago, Allardyce stated that he would be able to sort Leeds out if they came in for him, and that’s a view that he stands by after the Whites conceded 17 goals in their last four games.

The ex-Bolton boss says that he’d have had no problem sorting Leeds out, stating that their defence would be much better under his tutelage.

Allardyce would’ve done a better job

The manager spoke about the situation at Leeds.

“Leeds we’ve spoken about them in the past when they got rid of Jesse Marsch, they’ve conceded 17 goals in four games, do you think you would have done a better job?” Allardyce was asked

“Absolutely.I’d have had no problem looking at the Leeds situation. I have certain ways of working and one way I have which everyone sees as a negative that is the best positive of all is stopping goals from going in. The players are suffering from a lack of confidence. It doesn’t matter how good you are as a coach, unless you put those results right, and it starts with a 0-0, confidence is built,” Allardyce said

Hard to argue

While Allardyce is blowing his own trumpet here, it’s fair to say that he’s right about the job he could do at Leeds.

Indeed, while Allardyce may not play the prettiest football, it is efficient and it’s fair to assume that he wouldn’t have conceded so many goals in such a short space of time if he was put in the Elland Road dugout.

As Roy Hodgson has shown at Crystal Palace, these old-school managers still have something to offer at this level, and perhaps Leeds should’ve brought Allardyce in rather than Gracia.