Carragher blasts 'delusional' Allardyce over Guardiola and Klopp claim

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 5 May 2023 11:23 BST
• 4 min read

Sam Allardyce has been branded “delusional” by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher after the new Leeds manager claimed that he is a manager of equal stature to Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp or Mikel Arteta.

‘Big Sam’ caused a stir when given his first job since suffering his first Premier League relegation with West Brom in 2019.

He faces a major challenge at Elland Road to avoid another such blot on his career, with Leeds 17th in the standings only outside the bottom three on goal difference. However, they have a run of tough fixtures, including Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham.

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Speaking at the press conference introducing him as Leeds boss, Allardyce claimed: “I'm 68 but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta.”

It is not the first outlandish claim he has made, previously stating in 2012: “I won't ever be going to a top-four club because I'm not called 'Allardici', just Allardyce.”

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'Allardyce is deluded'

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, now a leading pundit for Sky Sports and CBS amongst others, sees the funny side of the claim.

“Sam Allardyce has his merits – but comparing himself to Guardiola and Klopp is just delusional,” his Telegraph column reads.

“Can you imagine the reaction if an overseas coach with no major honours to his name introduced himself to a Premier League club in such a way? How would Brighton’s manager, Roberto de Zerbi, have been received had he declared himself on the same level of two of the most successful managers of the modern era? At best ill-advised, and at worst deluded.

“With respect, if Allardyce was in charge of the current Manchester City or Liverpool squad, there isn’t a chance they would be playing the possession or ‘gegenpressing’ game that has brought their respective coaches every honour.

“What I object to is the suggestion that these great managers are not truly worthy of their place above their peers, as if their success is more a consequence of opportunity than talent. Guardiola and Klopp are genuine game-changers.

“The levels of coordination between all 11 players (including the goalkeeper) in Guardiola’s Barcelona and Manchester City team are of another level. Nobody was playing like this 20 years ago, let alone in the Seventies and Eighties. Why pretend or argue otherwise?

“[A] more direct way can still be highly effective for teams fighting relegation or in the lower leagues. Thus, managers like Allardyce and Neil Warnock continue to be lured out of 'retirement'. Good luck to them. They have built long and profitable careers doing what they do. That does not change the fact there are limitations to how successful you can be playing that way.”