New Leeds United boss Sam Allardyce says there is “nobody ahead” of him in football management.
The former England, Everton and West Ham boss has been appointed as the new Leeds manager on a deal until the end of the season and has been tasked with keeping the club in the Premier League with only four games remaining of the campaign.
Allardyce has not held a managerial job since leaving West Brom in 2021, but boasted that he is among the best managers in the world and that he is on at least the same level as the likes of Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
“I might be 68 and look old and antiquated but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms,” Allardyce said.
“Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta. It’s all there with me. They do what they do and I do what I do.
“In terms of knowledge, I am not saying I’m better than them but I’m certainly as good as they are.”
But despite the confidence in his own ability, Allardyce also admitted it was still a shock to receive the call from Leeds, who opted to part ways with Javi Gracia following a poor run of form.
“It was a shock because of this time of the season and there are many managers who had changed hands, the most in the history of the Premier League, I thought it was all over for this season,” he said.
“It was only a couple of minutes before I said yes. Because of the situation, I had to rush through the process quickly so I could be here for at least a reasonable lead into Manchester City.
“I’ve had a lot of response from many people saying congratulations. A few said I must be mad but I enjoy the game so much.
“To try and save this club and keep it in the Premier League is a big responsibility but one I want to take because of who Leeds are.”
