Former Leeds United striker Michael Bridges believes if Sam Allardyce was appointed earlier in the season the Whites may have staved off relegation. Javi Gracia was the man the Whites turned too following Jesse Marsch's departure but the former Bournemouth boss was unable to get a consistent tune out of his players despite a promising start to life at Elland Road.
Thrashings against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Bournemouth saw the Spaniard relieved of his duties with four games to go. Allardyce was brought in for the final furlong, with the damage already done to Leeds' campaign.
The former West Ham and Sunderland boss would take just one point from a possible 12 available, albeit in games against Man City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
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Bridges told The GegenPod Football Podcast, by Optus Sport: "I think if he'd been given the time when Javi Gracia came in, if Sam had that kind of timeframe we might have seen a different side of it.
"Victor Orta wanted to go with the pressing style that we witnessed at Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa, then Jesse Marsch's Leipzig press, Gracia tried than and then they went a bit more defensively. The atmosphere at the time, from what you hear behind the scenes, they just didn't captivate the players at that time.
"Whereas when Sam came in he did, he got the players buzzing again. He got smiles on their faces and people wanting to come in and train again.
"I think it was a little too short but if he had have got the time, I think the firefighter Sam would have done a job but it was just too short notice unfortunately."
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