[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[Stuart]

Clough would have hated everything BFS stands for. No doubt about that.

You're probably right. It would be interesting to see what a manager of Cloughie's stature (probably Mourinho or Ferguson) would have done after taking over from Ince, in the position we were in, with the playing staff we had, and transfer budget available. Would his charism/reputation alone have been enough to convince the players they were world beaters?

[Tris]

I'm not sure why the likes of Thenodrog are laying into the NOTW journalist quite so harshly. Perhaps the truth hurts. Most of the article is bang on the money - people need to get their heads out of the sand.

The survival drum can be beaten by Allardyce with justification but the substance-over-style argument will wear thin for the Blackburn faithful the longer they endure it.

If Big Sam's history with Bolton is anything to go by, the notion this is just a necessary-but-brief evil to avoid the drop should be treated with caution.

There is little to suggest any side of his will ever play differently and he would probably rage against the suggestion there is anything wrong with his approach anyway.

He claimed his side played well for all but two corners here, yet the only save Shay Given made was from Diouf's penalty.

Even his directors will tolerate his myth that the percentage game is worthwhile since he has kept his side of the bargain by getting the club out of the bottom three.

But if they are confronted with more of the same next August, they will surely be asking themselves why they bother going to matches. It certainly cannot be to enjoy themselves.

Some of us think football should be played with the feet, not on a calculator by those who worship at the altar of Prozone statistics and the relentless pursuit of the 'second ball'.

[LDRover]

Go to admit I read the notw article and agreed with it wholeheartedly too and I was at the game. I've generally got no time for the usual journos Blackburn bashing but it's hard to argue with the stuff said about the 'style' of football - it was dire yesterday and has been for some time now.

My only hope is that it's a necessary evil and we'll see different next season.

[RevidgeBlue]

I wont judge him on anything more than safety this season.

Indeed.

And if he keeps us up (as is looking increasingly likely) he deserves our eternal gratitude for saving the Club.

However I still feel it's a legitimate question to ask whether the current tactics/style of play will be employed next season, and if they are, will they work?

I'm starting to think that if they are, we will need virtually a new midfield and attack.

Hopefully that won't be the case and with a few judicious acquisitions we can get back to something that vaguely resembles football.

[Eddie]

I'll obviously think he's done his main job in being in charge during this "resurgence", but I don't feel he will have been the main cause. I think he's simply benefited from being in charge of the best club at the bottom, nothing more really. If you look at how few points the clubs around us have picked up it would have taken a rather spectacular effort for us not to be close to where we are now. I remain unconvinced. Glad to see that he may well have helped guide the ship to safety, but if we parted company in the summer I certainly wouldn't have a problem.

[sam_rovers]

For anyone questioning the long ball tactics, what is the alternative?? We're devoid of any creativity in the middle of the park, Mokoena, Andrews can't string 2 passes together.. The jury is still out on Grella and Tugay's legs are going. Our best bet to stay up was to tighten it up at the back (Sam has achieved that) , and nick the odd win from a set piece or long ball forward(Also achieved that).

I think Sam is doing an excellent job with what he has to work with; hopefully he'll be given some money to spend in the summer and we can sort some of the problems we have.

[Eddie]

You can believe that if you want, but I still think that, even under Allardyce, we have played our best football when using a 4-4-2 formation and when we have not played purely "long ball" football. His failure to really spot this and react to this until last week is what has worried me the most.

[Stuart]

Sam is doing the Sunderland-Everton half time analysis in a couple of minutes on Sky Sports 1, if anyone's interested...

[Guest Vinjay606]

I'll obviously think he's done his main job in being in charge during this "resurgence", but I don't feel he will have been the main cause. I think he's simply benefited from being in charge of the best club at the bottom, nothing more really. If you look at how few points the clubs around us have picked up it would have taken a rather spectacular effort for us not to be close to where we are now. I remain unconvinced. Glad to see that he may well have helped guide the ship to safety, but if we parted company in the summer I certainly wouldn't have a problem.

Fully agree with all of that post.

[philipl]

Sam is doing the Sunderland-Everton half time analysis in a couple of minutes on Sky Sports 1, if anyone's interested...

He is probably doing it with a glass of staying up champers in his hand!

[Stuart]

I'll obviously think he's done his main job in being in charge during this "resurgence", but I don't feel he will have been the main cause. I think he's simply benefited from being in charge of the best club at the bottom, nothing more really. If you look at how few points the clubs around us have picked up it would have taken a rather spectacular effort for us not to be close to where we are now. I remain unconvinced. Glad to see that he may well have helped guide the ship to safety, but if we parted company in the summer I certainly wouldn't have a problem.

Once again, "and replace him with whom?"

[RevidgeBlue]

I'll obviously think he's done his main job in being in charge during this "resurgence", but I don't feel he will have been the main cause. I think he's simply benefited from being in charge of the best club at the bottom, nothing more really. If you look at how few points the clubs around us have picked up it would have taken a rather spectacular effort for us not to be close to where we are now. I remain unconvinced. Glad to see that he may well have helped guide the ship to safety, but if we parted company in the summer I certainly wouldn't have a problem.

That is overly harsh I think. The form line suggests we were going down quite spectacularly before Sam came in so not to give him any credit at all for keeping us up is very unfair. It will be a very good achievement indeed for which he will deserve credit.

The direction we take next season is another matter entirely imo.

[Eddie]

Once again, "and replace him with whom?"

There were people interested in the summer and in the winter whom I would have preferred. I'm sure the list of interested managers would be long and if the position were to become available when this club is in the premiership.

That is overly harsh I think. The form line suggests we were going down quite spectacularly before Sam came in so not to give him any credit at all for keeping us up is very unfair. It will be a very good achievement indeed for which he will deserve credit.

The direction we take next season is another matter entirely imo.

I'm not giving him no credit. He's done a decent job of making us more organised and he's done the job at hand, but I really don't think it is something that only he, or even a fairly exclusive group of managers, could have achieved. His winter dealings were mediocre, our form picked up during the "honeymoon" period but since then has been close to relegation form. He's been extremely unlucky with injuries, but the same didn't prevent the knives from being sharpened for Ince. I'm glad we changed managers and I can see why the club chose him as he was a very safe option, but I don't think he is the long-term solution and think the club will be better off now the sooner he is gone. I don't have any strong dislike for the man as an individual, I don't want to see him fail and I will always support him as long as he is our manager, but I don't think he is the right man for the job.

[philipl]

Are Eddie and Vinjay related?

[Hughesy]

Are Eddie and Vinjay related?

Yep Gay lovers.

[Stuart]

There were people interested in the summer and in the winter whom I would have preferred. I'm sure the list of interested managers would be long and if the position were to become available when this club is in the premiership.

Can you think of any better placed than Allardye who would be tempted to work on the budget we have? Because to be honest, I'm struggling to think of one.

[Guest Vinjay606]

There were better candidates last summer quite willing to work with current budgets. This is a premier league club and there would be no shortage of applicants.

[RevidgeBlue]

Can you think of any better placed than Allardye who would be tempted to work on the budget we have? Because to be honest, I'm struggling to think of one.

As long as he still feels that way come the summer.

I'm still struggling slightly with the concept of him leaving Bolton for "lack of ambition" and eventually coming here where I would opine the owners are far less supportive than those at Bolton.

[Eddie]

Can you think of any better placed than Allardye who would be tempted to work on the budget we have? Because to be honest, I'm struggling to think of one.

PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL.

Every time you question if there are players, coaches or managers who would be interested in this club read what I just wrote above.

[DE.]

West Brom play some lovely stuff, shall we play like them?

All criticism of Allardyce is pointless until summer is over and next season begins. His task from december to may was to keep us up, through whatever means necassary. He is on course to achieve that, and we should be thankful for that, considering at the time he came in we were tied with WBA as the worst team in the division (if not by points then certainly by performances) and had unbelievably bad luck with injuries.

There's no point talking about "last summer" and the candidates we supposedly had because that's all history. Anyone who thnks we'd get a better calibre of manager than Sam needs to look at our budget and stature. "We're a club with practically no money, a declining fanbase and a team that is in desperate need of replacement in practically every area. Fancy it?"

It's easy to sit at home and type about how terrible Sam's football is, how awful his tactics are, how fat he is... but nobody has yet named anyone better who could have taken us over in December and kept us up. That's because there was nobody else, and we are just lucky Sunderland decided not to gamble on Sam... because I dread to think who would have come in and where we'd be now if they had.

[Guest Vinjay606]

I have no doubt Mancini (who applied for the role) would have achieved a similar run of results and he would have been a far better candidate in the long term.

3 Serie A titles (or 2 if you don't include the first) so appointing him would have been a great sign of ambition.

As I've said before if Kidd and Hart (who failed at N.Forest) can keep a side up it's not been that difficult. If it was them who had done a similar job here would we be showering praise down upon them?

[Eddie]

West Brom play some lovely stuff, shall we play like them?

All criticism of Allardyce is pointless until summer is over and next season begins. His task from december to may was to keep us up, through whatever means necassary. He is on course to achieve that, and we should be thankful for that, considering at the time he came in we were tied with WBA as the worst team in the division (if not by points then certainly by performances) and had unbelievably bad luck with injuries.

There's no point talking about "last summer" and the candidates we supposedly had because that's all history. Anyone who thnks we'd get a better calibre of manager than Sam needs to look at our budget and stature. "We're a club with practically no money, a declining fanbase and a team that is in desperate need of replacement in practically every area. Fancy it?"

It's easy to sit at home and type about how terrible Sam's football is, how awful his tactics are, how fat he is... but nobody has yet named anyone better who could have taken us over in December and kept us up. That's because there was nobody else, and we are just lucky Sunderland decided not to gamble on Sam... because I dread to think who would have come in and where we'd be now if they had.

Criticism is never pointless. We can see things from this season and keep an eye out for them for next year to see if they are long-term issues or simply the result of the squad that we have. If you are judging him purely based on the bottom 5 teams in the premiership then you are setting the standards for failure in my view.

It is wrong to come to a conclusion this season, that I do agree with you, but that is true for both positive and negative opinions.

In response to your second and third paragraphs I will once again repeat the phrase "premiership football". Manager's from all over the world would be tempted by that, regardless of club stature, finances and budget. For most it is viewed as a shot at the big-time. We may not be able to lure Mourinho away or a name like that, but it would be attractive to virtually all of the football world. I believe Allardyce himself voiced such a sentiment at the recent evening with him (talking about players rather than managers).

[DE.]

I have no doubt Mancini (who applied for the role) would have achieved a similar run of results and he would have been a far better candidate in the long term.

3 Serie A titles (or 2 if you don't include the first) so appointing him would have been a great sign of ambition.

As I've said before if Kidd and Hart (who failed at N.Forest) can keep a side up it's not been that difficult. If it was them who had done a similar job here would we be showering praise down upon them?

I know you're a wind up BUT I also know there are people who think similarly to you so I'll address your questions anyway.

I have no doubt Mancini (who applied for the role) would have achieved a similar run of results and he would have been a far better candidate in the long term.

Would Mancini have come to us in December? (I'll give you a clue, the answer isn't yes). I don't care about who applied in the summer, my concern is from December onwards. Sam wasn't my first choice in the summer either, but that won't stop me from acknowledging the job he's done now.

As I've said before if Kidd and Hart (who failed at N.Forest) can keep a side up it's not been that difficult. If it was them who had done a similar job here would we be showering praise down upon them?

You're being too simple, probably on purpose. Portsmouth have a squad with better quality than us. I know some may disagree but it's true. We're maybe equal in GK and Defence, but they've got a far superior Midfield and Attack. They also aren't limited to a single fit striker. Had Kidd and Hart come here, I very much doubt they would have been able to achieve what Sam achieved, and if they HAD kept us up, then yes, I would have praised them for it.

Criticism is never pointless. We can see things from this season and keep an eye out for them for next year to see if they are long-term issues or simply the result of the squad that we have. If you are judging him purely based on the bottom 5 teams in the premiership then you are setting the standards for failure in my view.

It is wrong to come to a conclusion this season, that I do agree with you, but that is true for both positive and negative opinions.

In response to your second and third paragraphs I will once again repeat the phrase "premiership football". Manager's from all over the world would be tempted by that, regardless of club stature, finances and budget. For most it is viewed as a shot at the big-time. We may not be able to lure Mourinho away or a name like that, but it would be attractive to virtually all of the football world. I believe Allardyce himself voiced such a sentiment at the recent evening with him (talking about players rather than managers).

I think any criticism of the current way we play is pointless, because there is no other way we could play and win. I think any other style would see us down. I'm not judging Sam at all yet, I'm merely thankful that he is on course to keep us up.

You can repeat "premiership football" all you want, but no manager wants relegation on their CV (ask Ince if it was a great move) and coming to us definately represents a relegation battle. The candidates we'd be looking at would be lower league managers desperate for any opportunity (which was Ince, and would now be Coyle or Martinez), or managers whose reputations have taken a knock and are desperate to try and prove themselves again (Allardyce, McClaren, Mancini).

Out of the lot, Allarydce was the best option in December. Simple as that really, and I don't think anybody else better than him would have been interested.

[RevidgeBlue]

I have no doubt Mancini (who applied for the role) would have achieved a similar run of results and he would have been a far better candidate in the long term.

We'll never know, but Mancini allegedly wanted "get out" clauses before he'd consider the job - hardly confidence inspiring.

And hasn't he already been sacked from whatever job he ended up taking?

[Guest Vinjay606]

You may be confusing him with Laudrup.

Mancini did apply in December so actually the answer is yes. He would have come in December.