Sam Allardyce admits he was disappointed to hear the comments Leeds United defender Luke Ayling made following last weekend’s loss to West Ham United. The Whites took the lead at the London Stadium before giving it away in feeble fashion in a game they knew they had to win in their battle against the Premier League drop.
Speaking after the game, the club’s vice-captain Ayling questioned the fitness of the Whites, insisting the Whites didn’t have enough left in the tank to push again in the second half and stem the flow of the contest. The comments have been a talking point this week, with many pointing to the fact that Leeds were known for their superior physical conditioning during Marcelo Bielsa’s time at the Elland Road helm.
Allardyce, who has picked up one point from his first three games in charge of the club, has been surprised by the situation and the comments. However, the head coach has also underlined his belief that mentality and willpower could be more important for Leeds, particularly at this stage of the campaign.
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“Well, it was there against Newcastle and that's what surprised me,” Allardyce said during his pre-match press conference ahead of Leeds’ final day clash with Tottenham Hotspur. “We were better than Newcastle with our energy and we were pretty good against Manchester City. So it was a huge disappointment because of what he said.
“There's mental fitness. Mental fitness is much better than physical fitness because you’ll give more when you're mentally strong. If you drive yourself on mentally, then you will overcome that lack of physical fitness that you have.
“Like I told you last week, how fast would you run if I pointed a gun at you? You’ll run the fastest you've ever run. You’ll become an Olympic sprinter very quickly.”
