Sam Allardyce has admitted that his comment comparing himself to Pep Guardiola was made to direct attention away from his Leeds team.
Allardyce took over Leeds two games ago in a bid to save them from Premier League relegation, and was given four games to try and save their skin following the dismissal of Javi Gracia.
Since, Allardyce's side have picked up one point from their two games under the 68-year-old - losing to Manchester City before drawing with Newcastle - and play West Ham and Tottenham in their final two games.
When Allardyce was appointed, he insisted that he was 'as good as' Pep Guardiola in the dugout, raising eyebrows with the comparison to a manager who could be set to win a historic treble with Manchester City.
Speaking to The Times, however, Allardyce explained his reasoning for the comment, and revealed that he learnt the art from 'the master'.
'That’s about taking the pressure off the players and putting all the focus on yourself,' he said. 'The master taught me that... Fergie [Sir Alex Ferguson].
'He said you create a diversion, a stir. Say something to the press to take the attention away from players who are being criticised all the time. I went in there intending to say that. And, hey, I never said I was better than them.'
Guardiola agreed with Allardyce's comments in the media, launching a defence of the experienced campaigner in the build-up to City's game against Leeds a fortnight ago.
Allardyce had said: 'Far too many people think I am old and antiquated, which is so far from the truth. I might be 68 and look old but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta. It's all there with me.
'They do what they do, I do what I do. But in terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I'm up there with them. I'm not saying I'm better than them, but certainly as good as they are.’
Guardiola responded: 'He is right. I want to be honest. Now look what happened with, for example, Neil Warnock in Huddersfield.
'Now there's a tendency for these incredible managers, they have done this Premier League or this competition in better position.'