[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[T4E]

although I'm probably mixing up "shouldn't have appointed him" with sacking him to be fair

Think you've hit the nail nice and squarely there pal.

[Miker]

One thing I'm not too keen on with Allardyce is this 'categorising of games eg must win, don't lose, forget it. Given our abject performances against the top 4, what happens if we lose a couple of the 'must wins' etc' and have to pick up points against the big boys? IMO every game should be viewed as must win/don't lose otherwise it can't send out a great message to the players.

Pretty sure he categorises them to have different approaches tactically to each game, not to purposely lose to the big four because he thinks the team's not good enough....

[Guest charlie1]

I think he will keep us up but only because there a lot of crap teams in the league this season. IMO we should not renew his contract at the end of this season and bring in Steve Mccalren from fc twente.

[T4E]

But without a doubt West Ham are a team that we should be beating at home, if we're to stand any chance of staying clear of relegation this season.

I understand the sentiment Gav, but I think the last couple of seasons suggest otherwise.

[RovertheHill]

Think you've hit the nail nice and squarely there pal.

well let's ask them

spencey, waggy, bucky - if you could sack Allardyce would you?

Edit - anyone really. Do you dislike what Allardyce is doing that much that you'd sack him tomorrow?

[47er]

well let's ask them

spencey, waggy, bucky - if you could sack Allardyce would you?

Don't forget Eddie!

[broadsword]

I wouldn't sack but I'd like to know what the game plan is, why didn't we sell Andrews, what the first choice back-four is, who's going to be the midfield provider in the event Dunn gets injured, who the first choice front two will be, how he expects to get the best out of Pedersen (who seems to have been taken over by the Fairy Conspiracy the last two years), why we were so defensive against a knackered beleagured West Ham, and just basically what the bloody hell is going on? From the outside looking in we seem to be a bit of a mess right now.

Telling us to stop carping 'cos he knows best isn't likely to get people on his side.

We have to beat Wolves at home because I can't see much coming from Everton away then Villa at home. if he plays one up front against Wolves there'll be a fair amount of disquiet.

It reminds me of what the Newcastle fans said about him playing for a draw against Derby. What's teh Masterplan, Sam?

[Gav]

I believe there are certain fans here with a prejudice towards Big Sam, either for his Bolton ties or his methodical approach to the game. Do I think Big Sam is perfect? Nope. Do I think he should have done everything to sign a decent playmaker? Yup. But I still have faith in him at the helm and believe we'll have a decent season - compared to last year's calamity, at least.

Most people are making judgements because of what they’ve seen on the pitch so far, not because he used to mange Bolton for gods sake. His hands are tied by the financial constraints put on him, but he needs to play a little more adventurous at home or the fans will turn on mass, and quickly.

FOX OUT!

[MarkBRFC]

We have to beat Wolves at home because I can't see much coming from Everton away then Villa at home.

Following that we have got Arsenal, Man U & Chelsea all away with the derby at Ewood sandwiched inbetween them!

So we bloody better had beat Wolves!

[broadsword]

That ain't good. It makes the decision to play safe against West Ham even more puzzling.

[den]

Gav's a man that knows his football and his club. He's right.

[Gav]

Gav's a man that knows his football and his club. He's right.

Well that killed the conversation Den

[thenodrog]

well let's ask them

spencey, waggy, bucky - if you could sack Allardyce would you?

I'm sure they could .... as long as it's not face to face.

[martonrover]

Most people are making judgements because of what they’ve seen on the pitch so far, not because he used to mange Bolton for gods sake. His hands are tied by the financial constraints put on him, but he needs to play a little more adventurous at home or the fans will turn on mass, and quickly.

FOX OUT!

I think the Board / Trust will also be in for a rough ride if things don't go well.

[Exiled_Rover]

I'm sure they could .... as long as it's not face to face.

Oh c'mon he's not that imposing in person...

[den]

Well that killed the conversation Den

Over an hour before anyone could find a post after that Gav.

You are spot on though, the fans wont take much more of the display and approach that we saw on Saturday - no matter how we like it or otherwise.

[67splitscreen]

No point blaming the foreman, when the management have got his hands tied.

Support the team, support the manager, whoever he is (previous tenure excluded)

Let the owners bear the rathe, but then are they not only carrying out Jack's wishes.

[Miker]

I wouldn't sack but I'd like to know what the game plan is, why didn't we sell Andrews, what the first choice back-four is, who's going to be the midfield provider in the event Dunn gets injured, who the first choice front two will be, how he expects to get the best out of Pedersen (who seems to have been taken over by the Fairy Conspiracy the last two years), why we were so defensive against a knackered beleagured West Ham, and just basically what the bloody hell is going on? From the outside looking in we seem to be a bit of a mess right now.

Telling us to stop carping 'cos he knows best isn't likely to get people on his side.

We have to beat Wolves at home because I can't see much coming from Everton away then Villa at home. if he plays one up front against Wolves there'll be a fair amount of disquiet.

It reminds me of what the Newcastle fans said about him playing for a draw against Derby. What's teh Masterplan, Sam?

1.) No point selling a fit player who started most games last season and scored 4 goals. Although we sold Warnock, I'm pretty sure we lost more goals because of him than Andrews, plus we have more defensive cover than midfield cover.

2.) Can't really expect him to come up with a decision on his best 11 this quickly. Players are coming back from injury and some haven't really played yet. So far he's played the best 11 players available to him.

3.) Pedersen has looked considerably better this season compared to last. His set pieces were brilliant against City and Sunderland and he's constantly involved in attacks and helping out in defense.

4.) I disagree with the majority here because I don't think we were defensive, we were simply building up play slowly. Sam explains why he used the approach he did on the official site if you read.

5.) He won't play 1 up front because most of the strikers will be back from injuries and available for selection. He used 1 against West Ham simply because the only 2 players that could've played up there with him were Hoilett and Kalinic and neither are really ready to play a full match. I didn't expect them to start and they didn't, not entirely surprising.

[DeadlyDirk]

I don't dislike him, I'm a little dubious about his tactics and plans for the future but all in all I'm satisified with him in charge and am happy to see what he can do this year and to give him a chance to actually build something as I think at least with him we, (probably ) have the safety that he'll at least have enough to keep us up if we were to end up in a dogfight again.

In many ways though the manager is the face of the club and almost certainly the person you look to first if things are looking questionable, now with that in mind I'd just like to see him act a bit more attached to the club and definitely more positive even if everything isn't going exactly to plan. He almost seems a little negative at the moment and that everythings a struggle. I just sometimes get the impression that this is very much a 'job' for him if you get what I mean.

I think when at times he doesn't seem to be passionate towards the club or the fans it's very hard to then be passionate towards him. But then I guess that works both ways and he could say the same thing, a bit like the chicken and the egg situation.

I guess we should really back him for now and get behind him, and then hopefully he'll reciprocate and Rovers can reep the rewards!! Sure there's a chance we could get someone better than we would form more of a bond with but as we often say to some of the players that have left in the past, the grass isn't always greener on the otherside.

[tashor]

Most people are making judgements because of what they’ve seen on the pitch so far, not because he used to mange Bolton for gods sake. His hands are tied by the financial constraints put on him, but he needs to play a little more adventurous at home or the fans will turn on mass, and quickly.

FOX OUT!

What really matters is how people learn by their mistakes.

The first half was dire against wham but the last 20 mins were ok.

If Sam set us up like that because he was worried about 3 losses in a row and wanted to stop the rot..........fair enough ( maybe )..........

But if he starts with one lone striker against wolves then he is asking to be taken for a fool.

Blackburn folk are mostly dour lumbering dullards - I know they want to escape that reality by seeing gilded birds fly on the football field - but we must accept needs must and all that as the reality of our present status bites .........

...........more labore than arte I'm afraid.

However you are correct that we will insist on at least attempting to put teams around us in the league to the sword at Ewood.

If Rovers do start with Roberts on his tod in our next home game then I will have to join the barking jackals hereabouts..............

[BuckyRover]

I don't want him sacked. I just want him to be a little bit different. As others have said, I would like to understand what his plan is. It seems a bit muddled. Newcastle fans often talked about this, strange signings etc.

We are in this situation and we have to deal with it. I think he can be quite personable but he does need to cheer up. We are fools if we don't think his negative attitude rubs off on the players.

Hopefully the premiership will implode soon and we will still be in it to pick up the pieces.

[Exiled in Toronto]

His insufferable arrogance and his monstrous ego will be the undoing of him. I believe he is obsessed with proving that Newcastle were wrong and that he, as always, was right. So he will not learn, he will not take advice, he will not adapt. I for one thought it very interesting that Sbragia preferred to be a scout than work under the great man again.

[Parsonblue]

His insufferable arrogance and his monstrous ego will be the undoing of him. I believe he is obsessed with proving that Newcastle were wrong and that he, as always, was right. So he will not learn, he will not take advice, he will not adapt. I for one thought it very interesting that Sbragia preferred to be a scout than work under the great man again.

I think arrogance and ego are two virtues that most successful managers have. Those that bend under pressure and don't believe in what they are doing, or try to please supporters, tend to be the ones shown the door very quickly. I don't believe you are right about not adapting. If you look at Sam's playing career - that of an old fashioned centre-half - and look at his managerial methods I don't think you can accuse him of not adapting or learning. He is acknowledged as one of the most up to date thinkers in terms of his approach to sports science and the introduction of technology to improve his players. You may not like his tactics or his style of play, but you certainly can't accuse him of not being prepared to learn or adapt.

[alexanders]

I think the biggest problem Sam had was that there were too many midfielders in the squad, and most of them hard to flog off.

Reid - Emerton - Dunn - Pedersen - Judge - Keith Andrews - Doran - Pedersen - Diouf - Hoilett - Grella - Nzonzi - Salgado?

Hardly room for many more.

He did as good a transfer window as we could've hoped for.

[thenodrog]

No point blaming the foreman, when the management have got his hands tied.

Support the team, support the manager, whoever he is (previous tenure excluded)

Let the owners bear the rathe, but then are they not only carrying out Jack's wishes.

That should be the messageboard motto! Too many of the clueless on here seem to think that Allardyce signs the cheques.

I think it's fair to say that 90% of football managers will spend right up to the limit that they are allowed...... and more in some cases. (Salgado anyone?)

The other 10% are crap managers destined for a career in the lower divisions.