[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[jim mk2]

Does anyone really believe the season is going to plan?

Last 8 of the League Cup and as for the Prem, let's see where we are in May shall we ? Significantly higher than our present position I'd wager.

[des]

please play two up front

[Exiled in Toronto]

Last 8 of the League Cup and as for the Prem, let's see where we are in May shall we ? Significantly higher than our present position I'd wager.

That's answering 'will it turn out ok?' Do you think it's going to plan so far?

[Tom]

Thanks for the last 2 games Sam, it's nice to see the club reduced to such pathetic displays. Really appreciated.

???

A win and a 2-0 loss at the home of the Champions?

[Stuart]

That's answering 'will it turn out ok?' Do you think it's going to plan so far?

To be fair EIT. Although Hughesy does bang the Allardyce drum (even more than me), when I mooted the 'Do we target matches' thread, Hughesy did call just about every result so far. So it could be that it is going to plan - perhaps apart from the goal difference.

[jim mk2]

That's answering 'will it turn out ok?' Do you think it's going to plan so far?

Is there a "plan" and if so whose plan is it, Allardyce's or yours ?

Rovers aren't going to win any trophies so if Allardyce has a plan I would assume it is to ensure the club 1) survives in the Premier League and 2) finishes as high in the table as possible.

At present Rovers are fourth from bottom so if they stay in that position Allardyce has succeeded. I'm sure he would prefer Rovers to be higher in the table but we have had some very difficult fixtures over the past few weeks none of which we were expected to win.

Let's look at his plan at the end of November shall we ?

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Is he in need of a straightjacket ?

Ten away defeats in a row from Sam the Expert. In recent months I think he's lost the plot. Sam thinks that he's wonderful and never puts a finger wrong. Mr Expert doesn't like the supporters to have any opinions. Well Sam, my opinion is that you're not half as good as you think you are.

Sam, I know you think that you should be the England manager instead of Fabio Capello - you probably think England would win the World Cup easily if you were the manager, but do you honestly think that ten consecutive away defeats is good enough for an 'expert' like yourself?

Do you think Sam that you have no responsibility at all for such a dreadful away record - a record which is rapidly heading towards the worst away run ever in the history of Blackburn Rovers?

Do you really believe Sam that you as the manager are doing everything right and it's entirely the players fault for not following your instructions?

As Rovers have been so abysmal away from home since the middle of March, I was fully expecting Rovers to lose today. But once again the manner of the defeat has left me with a very bad taste. The result is not surprising. The way we are losing such games though is infuriating.

Is anyone really happy with these 'limp dick' away performances FFS?

I'm certainly not happy.

Sam, do you have no feelings at all for the Rovers fans who travel away to matches and pay large sums of money to watch their team and have had to endure such crap in recent months? Do you think that having one shot on goal away from home is acceptable? Is it evidence of your "expertise" as manager?

Its not the defeat that annoys fans but the manner of defeat.

Absolutely. It's been going on for far too long. I suspect that Sam is stubborn and he can never admit that he's wrong. He's got a high inflated opinion of himself and he likes to blame defeats on the players rather than looking at himself or questioning his poor tactics.

Derby County, who were the worst team ever in the history of top flight football in the 2007/08 season, finishing up with a pitiful 11 points at the end of the season, gained their only win of that season at home to Sam's Newcastle United. Allardyce played for a draw against Derby. It smacks of a complete lack of ambition on Sam's behalf.

In the last ten away matches for Rovers, the aggregate scoreline is as follows:

The Opposition 32 Blackburn 4

Courtesy of Sam the Expert, we are 28 goals behind the opposition on aggregate in our last ten away games. Are you proud of that Mr Expert?

Please Sam could you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why we are so pathetic away from home and whether your crap tactics have got anything to do with it?

"All you punters and supporters out there, leave it to me. I'm the expert, not you."

I know you hate supporters to have opinions Sam, but having left it to you, we are involved in another ugly relegation dogfight this season, near the bottom of the table and lamentable away from home. Other teams must love playing at home to Blackburn, because they know how impotent and feeble we are away from home. The opposition know that Rovers lack ambition away. We're ineffectual and won't give them a hard game.

We're 1 place of the drop and below all three teams that came up; 2nd worst goal diff in the league; 10 consecutive away defeats; his marque signings aren't even good enough to start; he hasn't fixed the midfield; shows no ambition whatsoever in games; makes poor substitutions and has totally lost his reputation for being tight at the back and giving the big boys a bloody nose.

Very well put.

Mr Expert's record this season leaves much to be desired. As I said at the start of this post, I think Sam has lost the plot in recent months. He's become stubborn, negative and arrogant and his Rovers team have been pitifully limp away from home.

This is Sam the Expert's away record in the last ten matches:

Arsenal 4 Blackburn 0

Liverpool 4 Blackburn 0

Stoke 1 Blackburn 0

Man City 3 Blackburn 1

Chelsea 2 Blackburn 0

Sunderland 2 Blackburn 1

Everton 3 Blackburn 0

Arsenal 6 Blackburn 2

Chelsea 5 Blackburn 0

Man United 2 Blackburn 0

[Exiled in Toronto]

Is there a "plan" and if so whose plan is it, Allardyce's or yours ?

Rovers aren't going to win any trophies so if Allardyce has a plan I would assume it is to ensure the club 1) survives in the Premier League and 2) finishes as high in the table as possible.

At present Rovers are fourth from bottom so if they stay in that position Allardyce has succeeded. I'm sure he would prefer Rovers to be higher in the table but we have had some very difficult fixtures over the past few weeks none of which we were expected to win.

Let's look at his plan at the end of November shall we ?

I assume a 40 million turnover business has a plan. For example,what position has Williams budgeted on for this season? I'd be very surprised if it was 17th.

He's been here 11 months and we're 2 places higher than the day he arrived. He's dropped the player whose goals kept us up last year and his much vaunted replacements (vaunted by A. Nixon and H. Ughesy) have managed one league goal between them so far.

Last season he earned his salary. However, during the summer and this season so far he has taken us backwards, employing, in my view, a misguided set of transfer priorities and an overly-cynical approach to games that is alienating fans. This does not feel like progress.

[Mr. E]

I assume a 40 million turnover business has a plan. For example,what position has Williams budgeted on for this season? I'd be very surprised if it was 17th.

He's been here 11 months and we're 2 places higher than the day he arrived. He's dropped the player whose goals kept us up last year and his much vaunted replacements (vaunted by A. Nixon and H. Ughesy) have managed one league goal between them so far.

Last season he earned his salary. However, during the summer and this season so far he has taken us backwards, employing, in my view, a misguided set of transfer priorities and an overly-cynical approach to games that is alienating fans. This does not feel like progress.

spot on.

[Eddie]

I was ashamed to watch us today. We were unadventurous and clueless. There was no plan, no tactics. The players were simply told to get the ball as far away from our goal as possible.

That is the real problem; no game plan. It's plainly obvious to everyone that the 4-5-1 doesn't really work and that we are also severely lacking pace. This isn't like when we accepted horrible football in Hughes first season, that was last year for Allardyce. This year we needed to see IMPROVEMENT and we simply haven't got it. I really struggle to see much of a difference between hi and Ince apart from the fact that he comes with a reputation and level of respect.

I can't say I want him to be sacked now as it will be too expensive for our club and there aren't many obvious candidates right now, but the day he leaves this club will be a happy one for me.

I won't call for his head, certainly not yet.

[Stuart]

This is Sam the Expert's away record in the last ten matches:

Arsenal 4 Blackburn 0

Liverpool 4 Blackburn 0

Stoke 1 Blackburn 0

Man City 3 Blackburn 1

Chelsea 2 Blackburn 0

Sunderland 2 Blackburn 1

Everton 3 Blackburn 0

Arsenal 6 Blackburn 2

Chelsea 5 Blackburn 0

Man United 2 Blackburn 0

Okay first, let's put to bed the first 5 of those defeats: They were at the back end of last season where we had been on our arses and Sam's habit of playing the percentages, meant that we stayed up - comfortably - despite being likely relegated before he took over. Even more comfortably had we beaten West Brom on Tugay day. NOBODY was complaining about these results at the end of last season.

Okay the next 5:

Sunderland 2 - Blackburn 1

Samba has a shot cleared off the line

Di Santo goes off injured on 14

Givet puts us 1-0 up

Roberts has a goal disallowed

N'Zonzi has a goal disallowed

Nelsen goes off injured

McCarthy hits the bar

Kalinic has his stinker and is rounded on by the MOTD PL Cheerleaders

Everton 3 - Blackburn 0

Diouf hits the bar

Salgado has his stinker and Everton take the lead

Givet goes off injured

2 goals in 5 minutes kill us off

Then on to October - the month we were all dreading - yet some seem surprised by the outcome.

Arsenal 6 - Rovers 2

Rovers started brightly in this one, matching Arsenal for much of the first half

We even took the lead twice

2-2 could have been 2-3 had we been awarded a certain penalty

Hoilett has a shot deflected on the crossbar

Ultimately Arsenal's class shone through and we were well beaten in the final 20 minutes although number 6 came in injury time.

We won't be the last team Arsenal put to the sword at home

Chelsea 5 - Rovers 0

The most disappointing performance of the month

Chelsea on the back of a 2-1 defeat by Villa (a team we turned over) had no intention of losing two on the bounce

Di Santo ruled out by PL rules

Chimbonda out injured, Samba and Dunn both out (with swine flu)

Roberts had swine flu but played (well did what he does)

We kept them out for 18 minutes before an unfortunate own goal opened the flood gates

4 goals in twenty minutes including a penalty killed us off with ease

We certainly won't be the last team to concede 5 to Chelsea without reply this season - Bolton almost manage the same feat today

Man Utd 2 - Rovers 0

The Champions were given a harder time and it took until 10 minutes into the second half before a decent move and finish gave them the lead

Rooney adds a second in the final 3 minutes to make the scoreline slightly more flattering

Kalinic has a good goal ruled out for offside which would have given the scoreline a more favourable look from our point of view

Now I've done a bit of research there, not simply to give excuses for Allardyce but just to point out that with a little more luck Sam could be being talked about as a tactical genius rather than some of the descriptions he's being given.

You only have to look across Yorkshire way to our cousins to see what difference a bit of luck, (plus a few penalties for and disallowed goals against, plus some poor penalties from the opposition) can make to the points tally.

I'd still rather be in our position having faced our toughest test this season and still being above the bottom 3 - if only just - with a game in hand.

Perhaps Souness could do a job for us but only if we had the Souness who first came and not the one who left for Newcastle. Oh, and Dunny would be leaving too.

The problems we have run deeper than the current manager who, I believe, is doing the best with what he has got. He's obviously not going to come out and say I'm inept and keep making mistakes - a la Brian Kidd - because that would absolutely undermine any confidence in the squad.

Let's just keep the faith a little while longer and at least see where we are come Christmas - because I'm convinced we'll still be were we are or better by the end of the season.

[Steve Moss]

Last season he earned his salary. However, during the summer and this season so far he has taken us backwards, employing, in my view, a misguided set of transfer priorities and an overly-cynical approach to games that is alienating fans. This does not feel like progress.

We have 10 points in 10 games earned over a tough couple of months. A more normal schedule is ahead of use, our standing will improve and we'll do fine.

Sam is rational. He is competent and he knows his job. He's far from "taken us backwards." Improvements obviously need to be made, but he is apparently aware of that need. Let's wait until the end of December before we start flogging ourselves and proclaiming the end of days.

[Steve Moss]

he would be better off looking at the camel mueseam at least we could HUMP it more.

The mirro had an article that we were looking at Kim Kallstrom.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/West-Ham-s-15m-Matthew-Upson-for-sale-in-January-transfer-window-article207621.html

Is he any good?

[beerwins]

As a big fan of sam, i certainly wanted him before ince as i thought he could do great things at rovers, well it would be fair to say that my opinions have changed, im a proud man and very rarely accept that im wrong becasue i feel that im very perceptive and read things well.

My oh my how wrong was i i really dont believe that sam is the way forward for rovers, we shouldnt be in this position at this stage of the season and i believe its sams tactics that has put us here.

Last season he had a tough task but nowhere near impossible to keep us up, he made us concentrate on defence not offence and drag results out , which we did it wasnt rocket science, now from this he had all the preseason to sell and buy to play what kind of football he wanted us to play, his signings have been and still are a huge puzzle to me Letting Tugay go, signing so many rightbacks, signing a striker that doesnt fit into a 4,5,1 holding ball kind of player, not letting andrews go, putting the huge task of holding the centre midfield on a young lads shoulders who isnt prem ready and furthermore letting warnock go and replacing him with a right back was just ince like.

Not signing an influential figure for centre mid was sams biggest downfall we have no power in that area and all the goals we have conceded this season have been so because our midfield has just let the other team just bypass them with ease and provided the defence with no cover at all.

When i watched the match last season against spuds which we ragged 1-0 i believed i had witnessed the worst match i had ever seen in history and was almost embarassed to win but we needed the points so i just swallowed my pride and was glad of the win, after what i have seen away from home against the so called top four this season i am amazed at sams tactics, line ups, team talks (and no i dont know what is being said but it has to be wrong) and overall our performances.

Sam has to stick with a 4,4,2 get kalinic involved (after all he bought him), bring in some quality midfielder, do not offer new contracts to players that dont deserve them, get settled on a back four and stick with them and get some fire into the team before matches. From what i have seen this season our best performances were against city and sunderland in which we played 4,4,2, wolves were dire against us, burnley were bad also and we even did our best to balls that up.

Nothing has convinced me that we are any better than the worst teams in the league at the moment, we are a better team but is sam going to get us to play like a team, people can argue that we have just played maybe the best 3 teams in the world and got hammered but i will argue that i have never seen a team so worthy of getting hammered.

[PAFELL]

I was ashamed to watch us today. We were unadventurous and clueless. There was no plan, no tactics. The players were simply told to get the ball as far away from our goal as possible.

That is the real problem; no game plan. It's plainly obvious to everyone that the 4-5-1 doesn't really work and that we are also severely lacking pace. This isn't like when we accepted horrible football in Hughes first season, that was last year for Allardyce. This year we needed to see IMPROVEMENT and we simply haven't got it. I really struggle to see much of a difference between hi and Ince apart from the fact that he comes with a reputation and level of respect.

I can't say I want him to be sacked now as it will be too expensive for our club and there aren't many obvious candidates right now, but the day he leaves this club will be a happy one for me. I won't call for his head, certainly not yet.

If Hull sack Brown, maybe they will come in for Sam after what he did for Rovers last season keeping them up. Hull have been warned that if they go down they could go out of business. So you might get your wish and if that did happen it would cost Rovers nothing as it would be Hull paying compo. But then who do Rovers go for?????????

Defensivly Rovers were better today, but I hoped for more attacking play. I could see what Sam was trying - but he left it to late. I believe his idea was to keep it as tight as possible then have ago later on hoping man u would tire - hence Kalinic and Bennie coming on.

[Steve Moss]

I could see what Sam was trying - but he left it to late. I believe his idea was to keep it as tight as possible then have ago later on hoping man u would tire - hence Kalinic and Bennie coming on.

I had the same thought. And it was not a bad plan. But for a atrocious offside call, it might have come a whisker from working. There was still 4 minutes to play after that.

[beerwins]

If Hull sack Brown, maybe they will come in for Sam after what he did for Rovers last season keeping them up. Hull have been warned that if they go down they could go out of business. So you might get your wish and if that did happen it would cost Rovers nothing as it would be Hull paying compo. But then who do Rovers go for?????????

Defensivly Rovers were better today, but I hoped for more attacking play. I could see what Sam was trying - but he left it to late. I believe his idea was to keep it as tight as possible then have ago later on hoping man u would tire - hence Kalinic and Bennie coming on.

Of course we were better in defence we only had 1 shot at goal all game, sam should just stop trying to predict the future and let the players play whilst still instructing your defenders to defend, is it not possible to make an entertaining game of football without getting 10 men behind the ball and being happy with only a 1-0 defeat.

Not many times do you catch man u on the off day but their defence today could have been exploited and we did bugger all to test that and i find that sad, people expect us to back the manager without reason and yet i have to watch this drab crap every time we play a (stronger team) well dont hit your head on your way out sam because this isnt what i call entertainment, and after all thats what football is supposed to be isnt it, if this is what is required in sams eyes to survive in the prem well i would rather be watching us play blackpool and preston i really would.

[Tris]

I think 10 league games into the season (which always seems to coincide with the end of October) is a reasonable time to pass some sort of judgement on performance to date. I posted as much back in July - when I said then was time for optimism, see who was signed, get the benefits of a full pre-season with this manager - put the past behind us and crack on into the new set of fixtures.

Putting the past behind us was important, because I felt that during a dismal four week period (mid-March to mid-April), Rovers travelled to Arsenal, then Liverpool, then Stoke, and didn't go into those games to win them. And lost all three without scoring, conceding 9 goals. At the time criticism wasn't allowed on this MB - it was shouted down because everything was about staying up, those drubbings didn't matter - and it would all be different this time around.

So now here we are, 10 games in. Rovers haven't tried to win 4 of those games (West Ham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd). The poor second half performance against Burnley - when we should have gone out to bury them from 3-1 - was also down to the wrong approach (according to Allardyce himself in his MOTD interview - calm the lads down and sit on the lead). It nearly went very wrong because of those tactics.

10 games, 10 points, 11 goals scored. 24 conceded (that's 2 1/2 goals a game as near as doesn't matter). That's dismal for a side which is set up to defend and to play for draws.

This time last year, 10 games, 12 points, 11 goals scored, 18 conceded. It's not a comparison Allardyce will want to contemplate, especially after two full transfer windows, a full pre-season, and 5 of his own signings in the starting 11 today (he can't start his expensive darlings Salgado and Kalinic of course - they still aren't ready for this league - 1/4 of the way through the fixtures and despite ~100 days of injury-free preparation with the expert).

What really grates about this regime though, is worse than all the picky evidence above. It runs much deeper. Allardyce has stripped this football club of the things we have always been able to latch on to. Flair. Courage. Belief. Grit. Expectation. Pride. People are happy because we "only" lost 2-0 today. That's what happens when expectations have been lowered so far people think it will be 4 or 5. Man Utd were missing their world class defenders, why not at least try and expoit that weekness???

It wasn't funny that Rovers were available at 18-1 for the win today (25s on Betfair). The outside world knows we won't ever beat sides like Man Utd because we won't even try to. Midweek, BFS says that shirts are up for grabs for the players who then rolled Peterborough over. Benni Mac scores one, gives a penalty to Reid and another one to Kalinic - a realy good shift and an unselfish attitude for the greater good.

He gets 8 minutes today, and he probably disobeyed instructions to get forward as much as he did. He'll be gone in January and I hope he gets himself regular football and a deserved place in the South Africa team in time for the summer. He's a class forward and he's wasted here.

As long as Allardyce is here, Rovers are doomed to nicking the odd point off the poorer sides, and never getting above lower mid table. I would take any other current PL manager over him, bar his own protegee Phil Brown, and the dismal Megson. All the good work by Rovers on ticket prices will be undone next summer, because watching this isn't fun or entertaining, it's a bloody dismal chore. This years new crop of ST holders will be back to the shops and the ice hockey without a second glance back to Ewood Park.

[Eddie]

Excellent post Tris.

[jim mk2]

So now here we are, 10 games in. Rovers haven't tried to win 4 of those games (West Ham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd). The poor second half performance against Burnley - when we should have gone out to bury them from 3-1 - was also down to the wrong approach (according to Allardyce himself in his MOTD interview - calm the lads down and sit on the lead). It nearly went very wrong because of those tactics. WRONG. ROVERS WERE 1-0 AND 2-1 UP AT ARSENAL, WERE DENIED A CLEAR PENALTY AT 3-2 DOWN AND GAVE A DAMN GOOD ACCOUNT OF THEMSELVES. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WE WOULD HAVE "BURIED" BURNLEY BY CONTINUING TO ATTACK IN THE SECOND HALF AND IT DIDN'T GO WRONG BECAUSE ROVERS WON THE MATCH TO THE DELIGHT OF EVERYONE EXCEPT YOU IT SEEMS.

10 games, 10 points, 11 goals scored. 24 conceded (that's 2 1/2 goals a game as near as doesn't matter). That's dismal for a side which is set up to defend and to play for draws. This time last year, 10 games, 12 points, 11 goals scored, 18 conceded. It's not a comparison Allardyce will want to contemplate, especially after two full transfer windows, a full pre-season, and 5 of his own signings in the starting 11 today (he can't start his expensive darlings Salgado and Kalinic of course - they still aren't ready for this league - 1/4 of the way through the fixtures and despite ~100 days of injury-free preparation with the expert). MORE GOALS CONCEDED BUT THAT IS DOWN TO THE HEAVY DEFEATS AT CHELSEA AND ARSENAL. OTHERWISE THE RECORDS ARE SIMILAR. THE DIFFERENCE IS INCE'S TEAM WERE JUST STARTING THE SLIDE INTO THE ABYSS WHEREAS ALLARDYCE'S TEAM IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND WILL BE FOR THE NEXT FEW SEASONS.

What really grates about this regime though, is worse than all the picky evidence above. It runs much deeper. Allardyce has stripped this football club of the things we have always been able to latch on to. Flair. Courage. Belief. Grit. Expectation. Pride. People are happy because we "only" lost 2-0 today. That's what happens when expectations have been lowered so far people think it will be 4 or 5. Man Utd were missing their world class defenders, why not at least try and expoit that weekness??? I SAW PLENTY OF BELIEF, GRIT AND PRIDE IN ESCAPING FROM RELEGATION LAST SEASON AND I HAVE SEEN NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS SEASON THAT THE ROVERS PLAYERS ARE NOT PROUD TO WEAR THE SHIRT. ROVERS HAVE TAKEN BATTERINGS FROM CHELSEA AND ARSENAL BUT IT MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED YOUR ATTENTION THAT BOLTON HAVE ALSO SHIPPED 8 GOALS WITHOUT REPLY AGAINST CHELSEA TOO. THESE TEAMS HAVE WORLD-CLASS PLAYERS PERFORMING AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME AT PRESENT SO THE RESULTS WERE NOT ENTIRELY UNEXPECTED. ALSO, MAN UNITED MIGHT HAVE MISSING THEIR 'WORLD-CLASS DEFENDERS' BUT THEIR RESERVES WOULD BE FIRST-CHOICE PICKS AT MOST OVER PREM CLUBS.

It wasn't funny that Rovers were available at 18-1 for the win today (25s on Betfair). The outside world knows we won't ever beat sides like Man Utd because we won't even try to. Midweek, BFS says that shirts are up for grabs for the players who then rolled Peterborough over. Benni Mac scores one, gives a penalty to Reid and another one to Kalinic - a realy good shift and an unselfish attitude for the greater good.

He gets 8 minutes today, and he probably disobeyed instructions to get forward as much as he did. He'll be gone in January and I hope he gets himself regular football and a deserved place in the South Africa team in time for the summer. He's a class forward and he's wasted here. THE OUTSIDE WORLD KNOWS WE ARE UNLIKELY TO BEAT ANY OF THE TOP FOUR AT PRESENT BUT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT REGARD - WITNESS THE INCREDULITY WHEN WIGAN BEAT CHELSEA RECENTLY - AND TO SUGGEST THAT THE TEAM IS NOT TRYING IS AN INSULT TO THE PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY OF THE PLAYERS. LAY THE BALL ON PLATE IN THE AREA AND MCCARTHY WILL STICK IT IN THE NET BUT HIS OVERALL CONTRIBUTION TO THE TEAM BY AND LARGE IS NIL.

As long as Allardyce is here, Rovers are doomed to nicking the odd point off the poorer sides, and never getting above lower mid table. I would take any other current PL manager over him, bar his own protegee Phil Brown, and the dismal Megson. All the good work by Rovers on ticket prices will be undone next summer, because watching this isn't fun or entertaining, it's a bloody dismal chore. This years new crop of ST holders will be back to the shops and the ice hockey without a second glance back to Ewood Park. TO QUOTE, 'NICKING THE ODD POINT OFF THE POORER SIDES WHILE PRESUMABLY LOSING TO THE BETTER ONES WOULD RESULT IN RELEGATION, SO HOW DO WE END UP IN LOWER MID-TABLE ?? DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. SPEAKING OF MID-TABLE THAT IS WHERE I FULLY EXPECT ROVERS TO END THIS SEASON WHICH CONSIDERING THE CLUB'S MEAGRE RESOURCES WOULD BE A WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.

Looking forward to your next anti-Allardyce diatribe.

[thenodrog]

............ I would take any other current PL manager over him, bar his own protegee Phil Brown, and the dismal Megson.

I'm sure that you would Tris..... but have you considered who of those managers (and you can even include Brown and Megson) would even contemplate leaving their club to come and manage BRFC? I await your answer with interest.

[dulwich]

I'm sure that you would Tris..... but have you considered who of those managers (and you can even include Brown and Megson) would even contemplate leaving their club to come and manage BRFC? I await your answer with interest.

I understand the "who can we get better" argument. But surely that isn't enough to keep a manager?

[Steve Moss]

I understand the "who can we get better" argument. But surely that isn't enough to keep a manager?

Of course it is. If you want to get something done, one works with the resources available, not the resources you wish were available.

[dulwich]

Of course it isn't. How long do you give someone to work with the resources available?

[Steve Moss]

Until we get the resources which would allow us some options. That means balancing the wage bill. A chunk of the Warnock sale was needed to balance this year's wage bill. The shortfall was about 5 million. That is built into the current wage structure, and will be a recurring expense pushing us into a yearly deficit if cuts are not made. Based on the information on this board, cutting Pedersen would get us a good way there.

Even if the wage bill is balanced that does not free up money for transfer fees. That can come from either additional wage cuts or increased revenues, most likely from player sales.

I doubt we'll have a spare 10 or 20 million anytime soon. Most likely, we'll sell and try to get players on free with one or two modest transfer fees being paid, and focus just on staying in the EPL. On that same note, Allardyce is the manager until his contract expires or he is grabbed by another team. Only then can he be replaced. And I'd hate to see him go, as I think he is an above average manager, despite his stubborness, and it would be a huge gamble to replace him.