Ex-Sunderland boss set for shock Premier League return

A former Sunderland manager is poised to take over at Leeds United.

Author:
Luke Phelps
Publish date:
May 2, 2023 1:15 PM EDT

Former Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is poised to take over at Leeds United until the end of the 2022/23 season.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news earlier today in what's been a whirlwind 24 hours for former Sunderland boss Allardyce.

Leeds United are set to sack Javi Gracia after just a few weeks in charge, with Leeds currently sitting 17th place of the Premier League table with four games of their season remaining - director of football Victor Orta has already left.

Allardyce, 68, was last in management with West Brom. He oversaw just 26 games between December 2020 and June 2021, winning only four of those and suffering his first Premier League relegation as a manager.

But the one-time former England boss remains a manager with prestige at Premier League level, having guided several clubs to top flight safety in the past, including Sunderland.

'Big Sam' was at the Stadium of Light for the majority of the 2015/16 campaign. He won nine of his 31 games in charge after replacing Dick Advocaat in October of 2015, with the Black Cats eventually going on to finish in 17th place of the table and just two points above the drop zone.

Allardyce left to take on the England job at the end of that season.

A former Sunderland player in the 1980s too, Allardyce is best known for his spells with Bolton Wanderers and West Ham, although he's had stints in charge of Blackpool, Notts County, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers, Crystal Palace, and Everton as well.

But he's now poised for a shock return to the game after two years out, and it'll be one of his toughest assignments yet with Leeds level on points with Nottingham Forest in 18th and just one point ahead of Everton in 19th.

Read more Sunderland news