New Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce has been surprised by what he sees as a ‘positive’ attitude off the pitch at the Premier League strugglers.
Perhaps he was expecting a bit more misery? A training ground full of faces longer than Eeyore with a sore throat and a bad back.
Leeds, after all, were hammered 4-1 by relegation rivals AFC Bournemouth last time out. They broke a Premier League record when conceding 23 goals in April alone. And their final four games sees them take on Newcastle United, West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and, on Saturday, a Manchester City side featuring a demonic, Balrog-sized 50-goal striker.
Allardyce became Leeds’ fourth head coach of 2023/24 alone on Tuesday. And the former England, Sunderland, West Ham and Everton boss has been taken aback by the spirit in the Elland Road camp.
Sam Allardyce takes over as Leeds United manager
“I’ve seen quite a positive attitude,” Allardyce tells Leeds Live at his introductory press conference.
“I would’ve expected them to be a bit more miserable than what they were. First impressions are that they are desperate to do better. (The players) of course need a bit of support and guidance.
“Technically and tactically we’ve not got into that much. Generally, as a new manager you expect a bit more from the players than before. You come in and they think, I need to impress my manager to keep playing.”
Time will tell what changes Allardyce plans to make following predecessor Javi Gracia’s short-lived stint. Do not be surprised to see the 68-year-old field a flat-back four between now and the end of May. Gracia’s three-man backline ripped to shreds at the Vitality Stadium.
Allardyce may also opt to introduce some added experience in the shape of Adam Forshaw and Joel Robles; the veteran goalkeeper he worked with at Everton in 2017/18. Current number one Ilan Meslier committed two more high-profile errors at Bournemouth.
Leeds’ fourth manager this season
“I’ve had a meeting with the players. We’ve had our training session and our communication on how they see it. What we’ve seen and what we’ve heard to come together to make it better,” Allardyce adds.
“That’s a positive day. There’s been as much positivity off the pitch as there has been on the training ground by asking players what they think will help us get better.”
“I never thought, at this stage of the season (I would be offered a job). I thought there would be no jobs offered at all.
“Of course, when the phone popped up with a name that I knew pretty well, then I knew who it was pretty straight away.
“It took me about two seconds to say yes.”
Director of football Victor Orta also paid with his job following that Bournemouth hammering.
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