Jamie Carragher says Sam Allardyce may be 'decent' option for Leeds
‘In terms of making them more solid there’s probably no one better’: Jamie Carragher says Sam Allardyce could be a ‘decent appointment’ for Leeds, as he is backed as a ‘frontrunner’ to take over if Javi Gracia is sacked
- Jamie Carragher says Sam Allardyce may be a ‘decent appointment’ for Leeds
- It comes as Mail Sport believes Allardyce could be brought in for Javi Gracia
- Leeds have slumped to 17th in the table after their 4-1 loss to Bournemouth
Jamie Carragher has claimed that Sam Allardyce is ‘a decent appointment’ for Leeds United, as rumours circulate over Javi Gracia’s future at the club.
The Peacocks have failed to win in their last five outings, suffering a huge 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, with some fans issuing a vote of no confidence in the club’s board and manager following the game.
It was a costly defeat that kept Leeds in the relegation fight with the club sitting 17th in the table, level on points with Nottingham Forest who sit at the top of the bottom three.
Despite a 1-1 draw to Leicester, Gracia’s side have suffered some big defeats of late, including a 5-1 hammering at Elland Road by Crystal Palace and another 6-1 loss at home to Liverpool.
SportsMail understands that Leeds could be on the verge of replacing the Spaniard with Sam Allardyce and when the news broke on Monday Night Football earlier this evening, Carragher suggested it could be a good move for Leeds.
Sam Allardyce is being backed as the ‘frontrunner’ to take over from Javi Gracia if he is sacked
Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports that he thought Allardyce would be a ‘decent appointment’ for Leeds
Gracia’s side slumped to a dismal 4-1 defeat by Bournemouth at the weekend and are in serious danger of being relegated this season as they sit 17th in the table
‘There are reports tonight that Javi Gracia is potentially on his way out of Leeds United and leading the way as a frontrunner is Sam Allardyce,’ David Jones said on Sky Sports, before asking the former Liverpool defender: ‘What do you make of that?’
Carragher responded: ‘Well, Sean Dyche is a similar sort of manager and he’s came in at Everton to do that job of making them better defensively.
‘We know in the past Sam Allardyce has done that job before.
‘I don’t think he’s ever come this late, I think he’s normally come in [and] he’s had a January transfer window.
‘He can bring his own players in and have that time to change it. But I think it’s probably a decent appointment, whether the crowd will get 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 more solid, better defensively, there’s probably no one better out there.’
The 68-year-old is one of the most experienced coaches in the game having held managerial and coaching positions at 13 different clubs throughout his career.
The Englishman is renowned for his work helping multiple clubs including Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland avoid the drop.
His last appointment came at West Brom when he took over from Slavan Bilic who was sacked after the Baggies dropped to 19th in the table, managing just seven points from 13 games in December 2020.
But he departed the club at the end of the 2020-21 season after he failed to keep West Brom up and was embroiled with a war of words with Michail Antonio, after the West Ham striker implied he always plays a long-ball game.
Carragher, meanwhile, believed that Allardyce could help improve Leeds’ defence, with the Peacocks having now conceded 18 goals in their last five matches.
Allardyce has helped several teams avoid the drop in the past and could do the same at Leeds
The Peacocks suffered a harrowing 4-1 loss against Bournemouth at the weekend keeping them just above the drop zone just by goal difference
Sports Mail understands that Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani could sack Gracia to avoid the drop
It is a concerning look for Leeds who have, since Gracia took over in February, only won three of the 11 league matches he has taken charge of.
The Spanish manager, who has previously coached at Qatar side Al-Sadd, Valencia and Watford, refused to answer any questions about his job after the Peacocks suffered a harrowing loss to Bournemouth.
Leeds fans vented their frustration at the players and Gracia said after the match: ‘We spoke in the last games about that. It is hard for them, hard for us with the situation we are living.
‘At this moment I think they prefer to see their team playing better and winning games than listening to me.’
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