Leeds United Football Club has made a managerial change in a bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Javi Gracia, who replaced Jesse Marsch in February, has been sacked after just ten weeks and 12 games in charge.
The club is currently outside the relegation zone by goal difference alone. Sam Allardyce, the former manager of Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England, has been appointed as the new head coach for the remaining four games of the season.
Director of football Victor Orta has also left the club by mutual consent. Allardyce, who is 68 years old, has been out of work since the end of the 2020/21 season after he failed to save West Brom from relegation.
Although he has an impressive record as a club manager, his tenure as England boss was short-lived, lasting only 67 days and one match before he was forced to leave following a newspaper sting in 2016.
Allardyce has expressed his shock at the opportunity to manage Leeds, but said that he accepted the offer without hesitation. He will reportedly receive a basic salary of £500,000 ($625,000) for the four games in charge, with a £2.5 million bonus if he manages to keep the club in the Premier League.
Gracia’s dismissal means that there have been 15 managerial changes in the Premier League this season, which is five more than in any previous campaign. Leeds is the fourth top-flight side to have parted ways with two managers this season. Gracia, who collected 10 points from his first six games in charge, issued a statement in which he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and pride in the team. He added that he was confident the team would achieve its objective.
Leeds, who were promoted to the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence from the top-flight, will face tough opposition in their remaining fixtures. They will travel to Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting third-placed Newcastle. A trip to West Ham and an Elland Road encounter with European hopefuls Tottenham will conclude the season.
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