I was Sam Allardyce’s assistant when he told us he was better than Pep Guardiola – we were in stitches
SAM ALLARDYCE’S assistants were left stunned when he claimed to be better than Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, admits Karl Robinson.
The 68-year-old took charge of Leeds United for their final four games last season.
He was joined at Elland Road by coaches Robinson and Robbie Keane.
At his first press conference, Allardyce raised eyebrows by proclaiming: “I might be 68 and old, but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not [Mikel] Arteta.
“It’s all there with me. They do what they do, I do what I do. In terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I’m up there with them.
“I’m not saying I’m better than them, but certainly as good as they are.”
Appearing on the ‘I Had Trials Once’ podcast, Robinson lifted the lid on what really happened.
The former Oxford and Charlton boss said: “He [Allardyce] turned round me to me and said, ‘I need to do something here, I need to create a bit of a smokescreen. The players look nervous, they can’t deal with the pressure’.
“I said. ‘just make up something, just throw something out there’. He said, ‘I f****** will’.”
“I’m in his office with Keano [Robbie Keane] and we’re just sat there having a coffee. He [Allardcyce] stormed in with his massive big smile on his big head and just went, ‘I’ve only ‘f****** said I’m better than Pep and Klopp haven’t I’. We all went “what!”.
DREAM TEAM IS LIVE – JOIN NOW TO BATTLE FOR THE £50k TOP PRIZE
“The press officer then walked in afterwards. He’s giving it and [Allardyce] said, ‘let’s see how many bites I get on that one’”
Allardyce’s mind games didn’t so much, with Leeds picking up just one point from his four matches in charge.
Their final day 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham consigned them to relegation – with Big Sam not having his contract renewed.
Leeds have subsequently appointed former Norwich boss Daniel Farke on a four-year contract.
They kick-off their Championship campaign on Sunday by hosting Cardiff City at Elland Road.