Simon Jordan slams rotten Leeds United psyche and delivers damning Sam Allardyce v Manchester City verdict
Simon Jordan believes the psyche of Leeds United is “like rot” and they will get their heads hanged by Manchester City this weekend despite the appointment of Sam Allardyce as manager.
The Whites currently only remain out of the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference, with Allardyce’s first match in Leeds colours against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (Saturday, 13 May).
Speaking live on White and Jordan on talkSPORT, Jordan predicted that Leeds United would still get relegated this season, despite the former England manager’s arrival, which was confirmed by the club on Wednesday morning.
“Whatever you think about Sam Allardyce, good or bad, they are going to get their heads hanged by Manchester City, they are going to get ripped,” he said (3 May, 10:23 am).
“And I don’t care if Allardyce puts a fire truck in front of it and builds a wall, they are going to get ripped by Man City, and it’s about coping with that, because they have got into the mode now of getting beat 5-1 by Palace, six against Liverpool, they got done four on Saturday by Bournemouth, and the manner in which they got done was like the straw that broke the camels back.
“You get this group of players, it’s in their psyche now, like rot, it’s crept in.
“And when they get done again by Manchester City, it’s going to be there, and then they’re going to play Newcastle and they’re going to do the same job again, but I think he’s got a job on his hands.
“If I was a betting man, I would bet on the fact that Leeds are going to get relegated.”
Toughest ask yet.
Although Allardyce has been drafted into his fair share of teams in a relegation scrap, this could be his hardest challenge yet.
With just four games of the Premier League season remaining, the former England manager has next to no time to whip his Leeds side into shape before they face the perilous task of taking on Manchester City away from home.
Even after that, things don’t get much easier with a home match against Newcastle followed by tough tests against West Ham and Spurs on the final day of the season.
Four points could well be enough for the Whites to remain in the Premier League this season, so the final two games of the season look like the matches to target for the new manager.
How Allardyce picks up morale in what will likely be a broken dressing room will be interesting to see.
This is certainly the last roll of the dice by Leeds, but have they acted a little late?
In other Leeds United news, another out of work manager is on his way into Elland Road with the former England boss.