As expected, Leeds United named Sam Allardyce as the club’s new head coach on Wednesday. The deal will apparently also include an interesting stipulation should the team avoid relegation. The Daily Mail is reporting that the Yorkshire club will pay Allardyce a base salary of about $627,000. There are only four games remaining on the fixture list for Leeds.
Along with his generous salary for the four matches in charge, Allardyce could also receive a bonus as well. If Leeds avoids relegation, the veteran coach will be paid an extra $3.1 million by the club. This means that he could potentially make around $3.75 million in total for coaching just four matches.
Coach admits ‘shock’ over move
Allardyce has expressed his surprise that Leeds approached him to become their new head coach. “It was a shock because, as many managers have been changed this season, I thought it was all over now for this season,” the coach said in a press conference on Wednesday.
“Trying to save this club and keep it in the Premier League is a big responsibility and a big challenge but one I’m prepared to take because of who Leeds United are.”
Leeds, Allardyce, relegation. In that order?
Leeds currently find themselves narrowly outside of the relegation zone in 17th place. However, they are only above Nottingham Forest in the standings on goal difference. To makes matters a bit tougher, the Whites next play reigning English champions Manchester City on Saturday.
Allardyce acknowledged the massive undertaking in the press conference. “It’s probably my biggest challenge because of the shortness of games that are left and the difficulty of those fixtures,” claimed the coach.
“We start with an easy one on Saturday. It can’t get any easier than Manchester City away, can it? It is a big challenge that the players have to take on, that I have to take on, and we’ll go to Manchester City and do our best to get a result.”
Along with facing City, Allardyce also rounds out his quartet of Premier League games against Newcastle, West Ham, and Tottenham Hotspur.
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