Sam Allardyce hits back at Roy Keane over his ego comments

Sam Allardyce has insisted nobody has a ‘bigger ego’ than Roy Keane as he hit out at the Manchester United legend.

The 68-year-old has taken exception to the Irishman’s comments about him after Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.

Following the Whites’ 4-1 defeat to Tottenham last Sunday which saw them drop down into the Championship, Keane declared that the ex-England boss wouldn’t stay on at Elland Road.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “I can’t imagine Big Sam wanting to go back to the Championship. Not with his ego.”

Allardyce had only signed a short-term deal with the Yorkshire outfit, but will hold talks with Leeds over his future at the club.

And he has now clapped back at Keane when speaking to Tim Sherwood and host Natalie Pike on William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football.

Reacting to the comments made by Keane, Allardyce said: “You mean my ego is bigger than Roy’s?

“There’s nobody with a bigger ego than Roy. That’s some statement coming from him.

“He mistakes ego for experience and confidence, and the ability to do the job, which was much better than Roy did [as a manager] wasn’t it?

“I managed in the Championship at Bolton where we got in the play-offs and got into the Premier League in 2001.

“I did what I’ve done at Leeds with West Ham where I was there in the first year where we got relegated and then got back into the Premier League through the play-offs, and that was a lot of work.” 

Allardyce then stated that Leeds will have to follow Burnley’s approach after the Clarets secured an instant return to the top-flight after they were relegated last season.

He remarked: “Leeds need to make sure they have a strong squad that can play 46 games and play Saturday and Tuesday for most of the season, and that is a different mentality.

“I think you have to look at what Burnley did and say that Leeds need to try and emulate that.

“I think they can rebuild the infrastructure a little bit, because managing up is a very important part of being the head coach.

“It will be a major success for the football club going forward if everyone is pulling in the same direction in terms of the hierarchy of the football club from the ownership to the directors, to the director of football if there is one.

“The ultimate thing is making sure the recruitment is right. If the club doesn’t make sure the recruitment is right it doesn’t matter how good of a coach or manager you are, or how good your infrastructure is, it will fail.”