![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/sam_allardyce_web-696x312.jpg\" "\\"Sam")
Leeds United have sacked manager Javi Gracia and appointed former England boss Sam Allardyce in a bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.<\/p>\n
Spaniard Gracia, appointed in February, has been dismissed after just 10 weeks and 12 games in charge at Elland Road.<\/p>\n
Allardyce, 68, is tasked with guiding 17th-placed Leeds, who are out of the bottom three only on goal difference, to safety with four games remaining.<\/p>\n
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His first game in charge is against leaders Manchester City on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Allardyce \u2013 who will be assisted by former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford United manager Karl Robinson \u2013 told\u00a0Talksport\u00a0it \u201ctook him two seconds to say yes\u201d to the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shocked. I never thought at this stage of the season [this would happen]. I thought there would be no jobs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI could have done with more time, but we\u2019ve got four games and hopefully I can keep this fabulous club in the Premier League.\u201d<\/p>\n
Director of football Victor Orta left the club by mutual consent on Tuesday having been in disagreement with the board over Gracia\u2019s position.<\/p>\n
Gracia was appointed on a \u201cflexible contract\u201d on 21 February \u2013 two weeks after the dismissal of former boss Jesse Marsch, who was sacked less than a year after replacing Marcelo Bielsa.<\/p>\n
The 53-year-old Gracia\u2019s final match in charge was Sunday\u2019s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
It was the club\u2019s latest heavy defeat under the former Watford boss, following 6-1, 5-1 and 4-1 thrashings by Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Arsenal respectively last month.<\/p>\n
It also meant the Whites\u2019 winless run extended to a fifth match \u2013 including four losses \u2013 since a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on 4 April.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Gracia said he was \u201cgrateful for the opportunity\u201d and \u201cproud of the team\u201d after a \u201cvery intense period\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am confident the team will achieve its objective. It is a committed squad full of quality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gracia also paid tribute to Orta, describing him as \u201chonest, sincere and committed to the club\u201d.<\/p>\n Leicester, Leeds and Nottingham Forest are all on 30 points \u2013 one more than 19th-placed Everton<\/p>\n Gracia, who led Watford to the FA Cup final in 2019 before spells at Valencia and Qatari side Al Sadd, won three of his 12 games in charge as Leeds manager.<\/p>\n In a promising start they kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Southampton in his first match at Elland Road but more recently they have been on the receiving end of a number of heavy losses.<\/p>\n Gracia\u2019s dismissal takes the total of managerial changes in the Premier League to 15 for the season \u2013 five more than in any other previous campaign. Leeds are the fourth top-flight side to have sacked two managers this season.<\/p>\n Allardyce to do \u2018all I can\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Allardyce has four games to guide the Yorkshire club to safety, however, Leeds have arguably the most difficult run-in among their relegation rivals with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham and Tottenham to come.<\/p>\n Having previously worked with Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear at West Ham, Allardyce becomes Leeds\u2019 fourth manager this season, with Michael Skubala having been interim head coach prior to Gracia\u2019s appointment.<\/p>\n Allardyce has been out of management since the end of the 2020-21 season when his West Brom side were relegated from the Premier League \u2013 the first top-flight relegation of his managerial career.<\/p>\n Speaking to Talksport about the \u201cdifficult games\u201d ahead, Allardyce said: \u201cWe can only do what we can try and achieve, from my point of view, that is stopping the goals from going in.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve conceded 28 goals in the last 10 or 12 games and that has to stop if we\u2019re going to get out of trouble. We\u2019re needing to score three goals every game to win.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re left to do that, that will be impossible. I\u2019m doing all I can with the staff to try and get the players out of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Premier](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/_129577386_-c7aa0650-c0d5-461a-82ad-8ee0b3fe1d0d.png\")
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