Sam Allardyce And Rafa Benitez
Outgoing Leeds United boss Sam Allardyce says he would love to return to the club in a director of football role despite parting company at the end of last season. The former Whites boss claims ex-sporting director Victor Orta was the reason behind his appointment coming so late in the season, with Javi Gracia the preferred choice following Jesse Marsch’s dismissal. Allardyce picked up just one point from his four games in charge of the club but has thrown his support behind his backroom staff, Karl Robinson and Robbie Keane who he believes should take on the role.
Allardyce told the No Toppy Tappy Football podcast
Sam Allardyce said: “If I could stay in touch with Leeds, I’d only be too happy in a different position in terms of helping restructure from behind and not on the frontline, where it hits you the most. If that’s the case I’d be only too willing to talk to them. In my short spell, as much as it was disappointing we didn’t get there, it’s such a big club and such a great club, such a great bunch of fans and I’d be only too willing to help restructure in terms of where the club wants to go in it’s short and long-term future. My feeling is that, the need is now, obviously at the top end there’s a bit of a dispute about the ownership of the club. Is it with Andrea and the 49ers or do the 49ers want to buy it out? Andrea isn’t getting the price he wants by the sound of it and that causes a lot of confusion when there really doesn’t need to be any confusion. There needs to be a track set out and follow that.”
When asked if he was in talks with Leeds United about a sporting director role,
Sam Allardyce said: “Not at the moment. Angus Kinnear who I’ve known exceptionally well from his West Ham days when we worked together. He saw me work there, in all fairness Angus would have wanted me in a lot sooner and I would have wanted to be in a lot sooner but I think that was the Director of Football at the time that poo-pooed that situation. I’ve known him an awful long time and he’s a key element in the whole structure at Leeds United. I think going in the right direction and planning out as quickly as you can is what you want to do and if I’m involved in that, I’d be only too happy to.”
The ongoing ownership issue at Leeds United needs resolved before any managerial or sporting director appointments can be made, with the Whites hopeful of returning to the Premier League. Allardyce claims the takeover with 49ers Enterprises was a done deal, had they managed to stave off relegation, but now talks are ongoing over a reduced asking price.
Sam Allardyce added: “He is reducing his price to the 49ers. I have no real knowledge of what both financial positions are but what are the financial implications for both parties? I think Leeds, we all know, to try and get back up again they’re going to have to lose money next season and who can afford to do that? Which party? Can both parties come together and say we’re probably looking at a loss of this amount and can you afford that loss? I know the 49ers want to buy it and I know the 49ers had it bought had I stayed up, which would have been the ideal scenario for Andrea, for me and for everybody. Unfortunately that didn’t happen but I think if he’s looking elsewhere, which I hear rumours he’s looking to buy Sampdoria, I don’t know how true that is, then he’s almost choosing that he wants to go somewhere else. That’s obviously for the club itself to get together round the table and I hope they can do that as quickly as possible and whatever happens is sorted out as quickly as it can. There’s nothing worse than unsettlement at board level, as a coach or a manager it’s really difficult to do what you want to do and run the club and get the club as successful as you want to be, if there’s a lot of disruption up there.”
