“Is there nobody else?”
While Leeds United consider whether to appoint former England boss Sam Allardyce as their new manager, many Whites fans have been asking themselves that very question – including Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix.
“If the plan is developing young footballers, to create value and things like that, to then get ‘Big Sam’ in to play very, very basic football to keep you up just feels like it must’ve gone so badly wrong,” the lifelong Leeds supporter told BBC Radio Leeds’ Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.
“Staying up or going down, there’s a lot of work to be done.
“Everything’s broken. The players look broken. The non-playing staff look broken. The ownership looks broken… every element of the club looks broken.”
Like Rix, Leeds fans have been reacting throughout Tuesday to the possible arrival of Allardyce – and here’s a selection of the best comments.
‘Is bringing in Big Sam better than doing nothing?’
Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock
When Marcelo Bielsa took charge of Leeds United in 2018, many fans’ expectations were low. After the years of the ilk of Darko Milanic and Dave Hockaday, there may as well have been a sign at Elland Road stating: “Abandon all hope ye who come here.”
Bielsa changed all that – but there was always the gnawing sense that his succession would be the most difficult part of his reign.
However, had you told Leeds fans that Sam Allardyce would be sitting where Marcelo sat you’d have been laughed at. Big Sam did not fit the rhetoric at the club.
Owner Andrea Radrizzani had talked of wanting Antonio Conte or Mauricio Pochettino to succeed Marcelo. A manager who could take Leeds “to the next level”, back to Europe. And before this season, Radrizzani called relegation “impossible”.
Radrizzani has never lacked ambition, although only Bielsa has made any of his ambitions bear fruit unfortunately.
It isn’t working with Javi Gracia. But is bringing in Big Sam better than doing nothing? Maybe. But, Bielsa aside, the decisions at board level since Radrizzani’s takeover have broken much of the goodwill garnered from promotion.
If Allardyce comes in and saves Leeds, it won’t be seen as a masterstroke by the board. It will be seen as a second successive lucky escape. And regardless of what division they are competing in, Leeds fans will demand changes from squad to ownership.
‘Allardyce is our last chance’ – your views
KJC: It’s too little too late. Gracia should never have been the manager in the first place. You need to fire up the squad when needed and he hasn’t the temperament. Allardyce has but it would be a miracle if we stay up.
Judd: Allardyce is our last chance. At least he’ll have some passion!
Gary: I absolutely do not want Allardyce as manager. The problem is not Gracia, the problem is the players not turning up. I think it is too late and they are relegated. If they change manager, they should get one in who is young enough to stay for a while.
Dave: I would like to have Big Sam at Leeds. In my opinion, they should have got him as soon as they sacked Jesse Marsch. He is the right man for the job, with experience of working under pressure. Make this happen now, Leeds.
Greg: Allardyce does have a reputation for steering sinking ships into the sands before they sink – so he may be their only hope as a stop-gap.
Chris: Four games to go seems a crazy time to make a change. I can’t see this working for Leeds, I’m afraid. Too much disruption, unsettling everybody just when they all need to be pulling together. Bad call for me.
John: The players are refusing to play for Gracia because he’s too nice. However, we only need a win and a draw to stay up. Allardyce won’t put up with that behaviour. He’ll crack heads together. For a change, I agree with Andrea Radrizzani’s decision. Allardyce is Leeds’ last chance.
Trevor: Appointing Allardyce at this stage seems a desperate measure and one unlikely to be successful given there are only a handful of matches left.
Andy: Leeds shouldn’t be looking at Allardyce at all. He did nothing with West Brom and had longer to sort them out. We are as good as down with the players performing as they are. Bring in the man for next season now, to look at the squad and be ready to start from pre-season. Should be looking at Graham Potter!
Graham: Left it very late, but if anyone can save us, Sam can. The players seem to have lost all belief in the past two games.
