Jamie Carragher says Sam Allardyce may be a ‘decent appointment’ for Leeds after Javi Gracia sacking

Jamie Carragher has claimed that Sam Allardyce is ‘quite a job’ for Leeds United as he prepares to take charge of the club on Wednesday.

The Peacocks have failed to win their last five appearances and suffered a huge 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, with some fans losing confidence in the club’s board and manager after the game.

It was a costly defeat that kept Leeds in the relegation battle with the club sitting 17th in the table, level with Nottingham Forest who sit top of the bottom three.

Despite a 1-1 draw against Leicester, Leeds have suffered some big defeats of late, including a 5-1 hammer blow at Elland Road by Crystal Palace and another 6-1 defeat at home to Liverpool.

And on Tuesday morning, the board decided to shake things up with the dismissal of football director Victor Orta.

Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports Allardyce would be a ‘decent appointment’ for Leeds

Gracia’s side fell to a dismal 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth in their final game this weekend

And as Mail Sport explained on Monday, Javi Gracia has now been suspended as manager and Allardyce has replaced him.

Speaking on Monday Night Football about Allardyce, Carragher suggested it could be a good move for Leeds.

“There are reports tonight that Javi Gracia may be on his way to leave Leeds United and that Sam Allardyce is leading the way as a front-runner,” David Jones said on Sky Sports, before asking the former Liverpool defender: “What do you think? ?’

Carragher replied: ‘Well, Sean Dyche is a similar sort of manager and he’s come in at Everton to do that job of making them better defensively.

“We know that Sam Allardyce has done that work in the past.

“I don’t think he’s ever come in that late, I think he usually comes in [and] he has had a transfer window in January.

“He can bring in his own players and has that time to change it. But I think it’s probably quite a deal, whether the public will be behind that, I’m not so sure.

“I don’t know how Leeds supporters would react to Allardyce. But in terms of trying to make them sturdier, more defensive, there’s probably no one better.”

The 68-year-old is one of the most experienced coaches in the sport, holding management and coaching positions at 13 different clubs throughout his career.

The Englishman is known for his work helping multiple clubs, including Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland, avoid the drop.

His last appointment was at West Brom when he took over from Slavan Bilic, who was sacked after the Baggies fell to 19th place and managed just seven points from 13 games in December 2020.

But he left the club at the end of the 2020-21 season after failing to keep West Brom afloat and embroiled in a battle of words with Mikhail Antonio after the West Ham striker suggested he always plays long ball.

Allardyce has helped several teams avoid the fall in the past and could do the same at Leeds

The Peacocks suffered a harrowing 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth this weekend, leaving them just above the drop zone on goal difference

Gracia got the shoe while owner Andrea Radrizzani wants to shake up his outfit

Carragher, meanwhile, believed Allardyce could help improve Leeds’ defense as the Peacocks have now conceded 18 goals in their last five games.

It is a worrying sight for Leeds, who have won just three of their 11 league games since Gracia took over in February.

The Spain manager, who previously coached Al-Sadd, Valencia and Qatar’s Watford, declined to answer questions about his job after the Peacocks suffered a harrowing loss to Bournemouth.

Leeds fans vented their frustration on the players and Gracia said after the game: ‘We’ve talked about that in the last games. It’s hard for them, hard for us with the situation we live in.

“At the moment I think they would rather see their team play better and win games than listen to me.”