Leeds Wanted Sammy On Board

Sammy Wanted At Leeds
By Mark Heys
February 6 2008

New Leeds United manager Gary McAllister says that he wanted to install former Bolton Wanderers manager Sammy Lee as his assistant at Elland Road only for a money problem to get in the way of the well respected coach moving to the Yorkshire club.

Lee was dismissed as the Trotters manager back in October with the club lying second from bottom in the Premier League table but because the ex-Liverpool and England midfielder is still negotiating a severance payment with Bolton, this means he could not accept the chance to work again with McAllister whom he knows from their days together at Anfield in 2001.

The role alongside McAllister has since been filled by Steve Staunton who takes his first job since leaving his post as Republic of Ireland coach at the end of last year.

Ex-Coventry City boss McAllister was quick to explain to the Yorkshire Post his reasons for not giving Lee the opportunity to return to football with Leeds.

"I did look to bring Sammy Lee in, but he's still negotiating with Bolton over his contract and that made the situation difficult. I told Sammy that I needed to get someone in straight away and he understood where I was coming from.

"It was fortunate for me that Steve was available and willing to take the job. Steve knows that I was going after Sammy initially, and it's not a case of him being second choice. Steve's an experienced guy in his own right and he fits the bill" added McAllister who played for and captained Leeds between 1990 and 1995