Sam Allardyce follows his first training session after being confirmed as Leeds’ new manager following the sacking of Javi Gracia… with his four-game spell starting in title chase over Man City
- Sam Allardyce’s appointment as Leeds manager was confirmed on Wednesday
- The Yorkshire club confirmed that Allardyce would replace the outgoing Javi Gracia
- Allardyce will be responsible for the last four matches of the club threatened with relegation
Sam Allardyce has been testing his new players after being officially revealed as Leeds United boss.
Allardyce replaced Javi Gracia on Wednesday morning and the 68-year-old took charge of the last four games of the season.
The former England coach quickly got to work with the players at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training ground.
Allardyce has four games to maintain the Yorkshire club’s status in the Premier League.
He will look to lift a Leeds side who have currently gone five games without a win, with the Whites having lost four of those games.
Sam Allardyce has completed his first training as new Leeds United manager
Leeds confirmed on Wednesday morning that Allardyce had replaced Javi Gracia as manager
Leeds languish in 17th place and the only goal difference keeps them out of the relegation zone.
Allardyce had admitted he had been surprised by the call to take charge at Leeds.
“I was shocked,” he said talkSPORT before his appointment is confirmed. “I never imagined at this stage of the season… that there would be no jobs.
“The phone popped up with a name I knew pretty well, I knew what it was, and it took me two seconds to say yes.”
When announcing Allardyce as Gracia’s replacement, Leeds pointed to his expertise in helping teams avoid relegation.
“Allardyce has played more than 500 Premier League games in a managerial career spanning 29 years and he brings a wealth of knowledge in fighting for survival, having taken several of his previous clubs to safety,” said a statement from Leeds.
“Over the past decade, he has successfully helped Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Everton avoid relegation from the Premier League in short spells.”
Allardyce will be given £500,000 to take charge for the last four games of the season and will net a bonus of more than £2.5 million if he manages to maintain their top flight status.
Karl Robinson will serve as Allardyce’s assistant manager until the end of the season
Gracia left the club after a two-and-a-half-month spell in charge following poor form
The new Leeds boss has just three days to prepare his side for a daunting journey to the Etihad to take on Manchester City in a title fight.
A tough run includes hosting a Newcastle United team on their way to the Champions League, for matches against West Ham and Tottenham.
Allardyce will be assisted by former MK Dons and Oxford manager Karl Robinson, while ex-Leeds striker Robbie Keane is expected to join the coaching staff.
Allardyce will have to lift a demoralized and divided group of players as Mail Sport has learned there is division in the dressing room at Elland Road.
There are tensions between Leeds’ younger and more experienced players, with a number of youngsters believing the team is suffering from a lack of leadership from the club’s senior professionals.