Sam Allardyce 'firmly in frame for Leeds United job amid Javi Gracia uncertainty'

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 01 May 2023

Allardyce 'firmly in frame for Leeds job amid Gracia uncertainty'

Sam Allardyce is reportedly a serious contender to become Leeds United manager as the club's hierarchy consider sacking current boss Javi Gracia.

Sam Allardyce has reportedly emerged as a strong contender to replace Javi Gracia as Leeds United manager.

Gracia arrived at Elland Road towards the end of February and signed a "flexible" contract following the dismissal of Jesse Marsch.

The West Yorkshire outfit were sitting 19th in the Premier League table when Gracia joined the club, and the Spaniard made a winning start to life in the dugout with a slender 1-0 success over Southampton.

However, Gracia has since led Leeds to just two victories in his last 11 matches and the Whites remain embroiled in a relegation scrap, sitting 17th in the table and only above the bottom three on goal difference with just four games remaining.

Leeds have lost four of their last five matches and have conceded 18 goals in the process, with Sunday's disappointing 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth coming just a few weeks after back-to-back heavy 5-1 and 6-1 home losses to Crystal Palace and Liverpool respectively.

Leeds United manager Javi Gracia pictured on April 17, 2023 © Reuters

After just 10 weeks in charge, The Athletic reports that Gracia is increasingly likely to be sacked on the back of Sunday's defeat at Bournemouth, with Allardyce firmly in the frame to take over.

The report adds that Leeds' first-team squad are expected to report to training as usual on Tuesday morning, while the club's board - including owner Andrea Radrizzani and director of football Victor Orta - seriously consider the future of Gracia over the next 24 hours.

Allardyce has been out of work since a brief stint as head coach of West Bromwich Albion during the second half of the 2020-21 campaign.

The 68-year-old suffered the first Premier League relegation of his managerial career after failing to steer the Baggies away from the bottom three, winning just four of his 25 league games in charge.

Allardyce has 30 years of managerial experience working with 13 different teams, including an eight-year reign with Bolton Wanderers, a four-year spell with West Ham United and a memorable one-game stint as England boss.

West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce pictured on April 25, 2021 © Reuters

The Dudley-born manager has history of working with current Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear having previously spent time together at West Ham.

Allardyce is not the only manager said to be in the running to potentially replace Gracia, as The Guardian reports that former Leeds midfielder Lee Bowyer could be considered for a short-term role.

Bowyer spent seven years at Elland Road as a player between 1996 and 2003 and since hanging up his boost in 2012, he has managed both Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City, leaving the latter in July last year.

Former West Ham, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, who left his most recent post at Greek outfit Aris Thessaloniki in February, has also been linked with the Leeds job, while Michael Skubala is an option to take over on an interim basis for a second time this season.

Leeds are currently preparing for a hugely challenging fixture against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, before ending the season with encounters against Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.