Leeds United boss Sam Allardyce: I'm 'as good' as Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta
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Published 03/05/2023 at 16:52 GMT
Sam Allardyce has returned to the Premier League and management after joining Leeds United as their new manager for the next four games, the last of the current Premier League season. At a press conference to discuss his arrival, the former England manager claimed that managers such as Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp are no more talented than he is.
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New Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce believes he is “just as good” as Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
The 68-year-old had been out of management for almost two years before returning to football to replace Javi Gracia at Leeds to become their third manager of the season.
The Yorkshire side are fighting for survival in the Premier League and Allardyce is seen as something of a firefighter for clubs threatened by relegation.
Reports suggest that Allardyce could be in line for a bonus of £2m if he manages to keep the club up at the end of the season.
Leeds sit in 17th, above the relegation zone on goal difference alone, and have not won in five. Their next game is against Manchester City on Saturday, and Allardyce is far from cowed about the challenge ahead.
At his first press conference as Leeds boss, he said: "I might be 68 and look old and antiquated but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta. It's all there with me. They do what they do and I do what I do.
"In terms of knowledge, I am not saying I'm better than them but I'm certainly as good as they are.
"I just wish sometimes you can get the opportunity that you can show it, but that’s never going to happen for me now apart from keeping Leeds up.”
Discussing his return, he said: "It was a shock because this time of the season and there are many managers who had changed hands, the most in the history of the Premier League, I thought it was all over for this season.
"It was only a couple of minutes before I said yes. Because of the situation, I had to rush through the process quickly so I could be here for at least a reasonable lead into Manchester City.
"I've had a lot of response from many people saying congratulations. A few said I must be mad but I enjoy the game so much.
"To try and save this club and keep it in the Premier League is a big responsibility but one I want to take because of who Leeds are."
Former Everton and England boss Allardyce said keeping Leeds up could be his "biggest challenge" because of the fixtures.
After Man City, Leeds play Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham.
"We start with an easy one on Saturday," said Allardyce. "It can't get any easier than Manchester City away, can it?
"It is a big challenge that the players have to take on, that I have to take on, and we'll go to Manchester City and do our best to get a result.
"It's probably my biggest challenge because of the shortness of games that are left and the difficulty of those fixtures."
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