[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[Steve Moss]

However, rebuffing Fulham's approach for Andrews is looking more unusual each week.

I thought this was more an issue of timing? The offer came in (surprisingly) but if accepted Sam would have had no time to find a replacement. Is my memory wrong?

He made a bad decision, just as he did when he bought Kalinic.

I don't think Sam made a bad decision with Kalinic. The lad has shown considerable promise. And I think Sam is doing EXACTLY what he said he would do with Kalinic at the beginning of the season, which was to bring him along slowly.

Keep in mind that Di Santo cannot be Sam's focus. Kalinic has to be Sam's focus. Throwing Di Santo into the lion's den is fine, as there is every liklihood that he'll be heading back to Chelsea. Kalinic is ours. Sam wants to protect that investment. I agree 100% with his reasoning.

Having said that, Kalinic has been given the taste. He needs to become a starter, and soon. Preferably with Di Santo or Benni. Why he's paired with Roberts is beyond me.

By the end of the season I expect MGP and Reid to be released, on top of other fringe players like, Zurab, Brown, Andrews, Treacy to be sold, I am amazed at the level of deadwood at the club.

I think this will be a huge factor in our favor come the summer. It will give Sam the financial ability to make necessary improvements to the squad. If we stay up, I expect that we will have a very good 2010-2011 season.

Salgado.

I agree with this. It may be a minority view, but Salgado has hardly been a disaster. I think he gets knocked about because of the initial level of expectation, as we expected a star and instead received a competent utility player.

It's not competely inconceivable that we could win the Carling Cup, go on a bit of a run in the League and finish in the top 10.

Neither is it inconceivable imo we could be knocked out of both Cups by Villa and be relegated.

Unless we can improve our midfield and find a striker from within or without who knows where the net is, I would say the latter is looking a lot more likely than the former.

I agree with everything, including your proposed remedy, except your conclusion. The odds favor us staying up at this point, though it might be a close run thing when it did not have to be. January will have a large bearing on our prospects. The midfield is letting us down, through no fault of their own, because of injuries. I don't blame Sam for that, as he was in a damned if I do, damned if I don't situation.

[RevidgeBlue]

I don't think Sam made a bad decision with Kalinic. The lad has shown considerable promise. And I think Sam is doing EXACTLY what he said he would do with Kalinic at the beginning of the season, which was to bring him along slowly.

I don't think it's possible at this stage to say whether Sam made a bad decision there or not.

Kalinic hasn't had enough time on the pitch.

I can't however understand why Sam isn't playing him, it's one thing easing him in gradually to adjust to the pace and physical nature of the English game it's another thing entirely getting to New Year with him having been handed just one Premier League start, he's already one eighth of the way through his contract for heaven's sake!

He needs time on the pitch. He'll never improve sitting on the bench. If he turns out to be not good enough so be it - he can't do any worse than any of our other strikers in terms of goalscoring.

[John]

So many threads on similar topics so not sure if this has been discussed. Do we think Sam has critcised certain players publicly in order to get a reaction ahead of some massive games next month?

Or no big deal with what he said post Sunderland, having a go at certain players.....?

[Steve Moss]

I think Sam tries to psych his players. Each responds to criticism differently. I would like to think his recent comments as being part of a calculated ploy.

[Tom]

If the latest article in the Daily Mail about McCarthy is true (and from the quotes it looks like it is) then enough is enough, Benni McCarthy is more valuable to this club than Sam at present (in my opinion)

EDIT: Rather than my knee jerk response I will sit back and see how this plays out, as JAL pointed out in another thread he may have someone of similar ability lined up, otherwise this looks like a shocking call.

[LeChuck]

Allardyce has two more transfer windows to prove himself, but in twelve months time we need to be a much much better team than this or his position needs reviewing.

It's pretty hard to improve a team when you're given a negative transfer budget.

[S15]

It's pretty hard to improve a team when you're given a negative transfer budget.

I'm obviously aware of how little money we have, but I think the most significant part of our outlay has been unsuccessful. I like Sam, and I think he's a good manager, however by his standards I'm disappointed by his current achievements/standards at Rovers.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

It's pretty hard to improve a team when you're given a negative transfer budget.

Agree which makes signing three right backs and a forward for £6 million and never playing him seem a trifle odd.

I'd say January's Transfer Window will be difficult for Sam. He has no money, no obvious golden calf to slay to gain funds and forwards and midfielders to aquire by one way or another.

He also needs to get Grella, Dunn and Emerton fit quickly or else all the work of the last 12 months will of delayed relegation.

[Hughesy]

So many threads on similar topics so not sure if this has been discussed. Do we think Sam has critcised certain players publicly in order to get a reaction ahead of some massive games next month?

Or no big deal with what he said post Sunderland, having a go at certain players.....?

I think he's done right to be honest.

4 big time players on BIG wages - Roberts, Diouf, Gamst & Benni - most will agree they havent been on top form, amnd often very poor - he has simply laid down the gauntlet to them and said prove me your worth!

[Bobby G]

Hughesy, I agree but when it comes right after the week when 3 of those players scored vital goals, it makes it seem more like sour grapes. This should have been done earlier. At the very least, I disagree with naming Benni who for the past 4-5 games he has started has played well for us according to all onlookers.

[Hughesy]

He is playing better - but he still lacks fitness - Maybe Sam just wants to squeeze an extra 20% out of him! Nothing wrong with that is there. Has Benni been fitter - he could have made a crucial difference late on when Sunderland tired.

[nick123]

bolton job up for grabs?

[thenodrog]

........I disagree with naming Benni who for the past 4-5 games he has started has played well for us according to all onlookers.

Benni's drawn most of the attention to himself.

[philipl]

bolton job up for grabs?

It is a lovely thought but you'd have to shoot the entire Bolton board before it happened. They hate Sam from what I hear.

[thenodrog]

bolton job up for grabs?

Can't see anything concerning Allardyce there unless Gartside were to leave with Megson. Too much history between those two.

Ooops 'Snap' Gunner.

[nick123]

My tongue was firmly in my cheek

[Hughesy]

It is a lovely thought but you'd have to shoot the entire Bolton board before it happened. They hate Sam from what I hear.

Especially Gartside I wonder why!

Coyle....Dowie.....Curbishley....Irvine.....They can all go to bolton!

[S15]

Hughes is early favourite. What a horrible two year turn around that would be.

[47er]

Hughesy, I agree but when it comes right after the week when 3 of those players scored vital goals, it makes it seem more like sour grapes. This should have been done earlier. At the very least, I disagree with naming Benni who for the past 4-5 games he has started has played well for us according to all onlookers.

He didn't play well against Sunderland.

[ABBEY]

bolton 3 points behind rovers 2 games in hand on us and manager sacked !!!

[Hughesy]

bolton 3 points behind rovers 2 games in hand on us and manager sacked !!!

They also play Arsenal twice in the next 3 games.....

[ABBEY]

if they lose them all its still only 3 points behind us too

[AggyBlue]

if they lose them all its still only 3 points behind us too

Doesn't matter by how many points, just as long as they're behind us.

[FourLaneBlue]

Even at Bolton it took Sam years to make them into a top half club. If it happens then it will be the same at Rovers. Do our fans have the patience to wait that long for that possibility under Sam?

[RevidgeBlue]

Even at Bolton it took Sam years to make them into a top half club. If it happens then it will be the same at Rovers. Do our fans have the patience to wait that long for that possibility under Sam?

Likely to be irrelevant. He's on such a huge contract I doubt we can afford to sack him so he will probably get the time he needs to succeed or fail under his own steam.