The Yorkshire Evening Post claim Michael Skubala has been given more involvement in Leeds United training by Sam Allardyce since he arrived at Elland Road last Wednesday – with Skubala growing in importance in training.
Allardyce, 68, has been working hard in his first week at Leeds. The ex-England boss has been in at Thorp Arch before 8am most days, and even before on some occasions. The Leeds players have only been afforded one day off.
The ex-Newcastle, West Ham and Bolton manager admitted after the defeat to Manchester City that the job in hand was a three-game job. The game against Manchester City was always going to be a loss, especially at The Etihad.
Next up, is Newcastle at home. Then, another of Allardyce’s old sides in West Ham, away – and Spurs at home. The YEP report states that Allardyce has been trying to inject a feel-good factor – lessening stress behind the scenes.
The report says Allardyce has handed Skubala – who took control of Leeds for three games after Jesse Marsch’s exit – more involvement in training. Karl Robinson has an overview, while Robbie Keane is working with the attackers.
Skubala given more involvement in Leeds training by Allardyce
Allardyce knows that he has not got the time to radicalise the way Leeds are playing. There is no time to take a big risk and integrate a new style of play – or change the back line from four, to five. He needs to change the mindset.
The report states that Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia were visibly stressed. But Allardyce is trying to remove that, to insert a bit of love for the job. Having Skubala involved more, who was an optimistic type, is only going to help that.
Brighton’s 5-1 loss to Everton, though, is going to make any chance of survival come the end of the month a whole lot harder. Leeds need a win against Newcastle or West Ham, and avoid defeat in the other, before Spurs travel.
