[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[AndyC]

Sam has never said this.

That's false.

To the daft fans maybe we are Allardyce Rovers. The average person that will watch football won't even know who the manager is, much less how "egotistical" he is. They watch the teams play, not the managers.

We clearly talk to different people. Im surrounded at work by people supporting lots of different clubs but the shame is they are all united in their assessment of us now we're managed by Allardyce and the type of football they expect to encounter when they play us. And its not complimentary.

Of course, I tell them its just a media myth, but I only half believe that myself!

[Exiled in Toronto]

After considering the continual bile you direct at the manager I have come to the conclusion that you would love to see us relegated in order to see off Sam Allardyce (who would walk into another Prem job within half a season) and by some skewed logic prove to us all that you were right all along and that you actually know what you are talking about.

EiT you are losing it big time, your irrational hatred has addled your mind.

Unlike you, I have no desire to "prove I'm right" to a bunch of anonymous internet posters - something I have always thought weird.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Who gives a toss?

The new owners will for sure given all their business plans seem to depend on attracting millions of new fans in India. I'll wager that the Frenchie has already advised that this kind of sh!t can't be sold to the masses. Winning enough games by whatever means to stay up might suit many existing fans who fear relegation, but it won't attract current non-fans.

[Doaksie]

The facts, as often seen through the stats, are that we have the least amount of completed passes and the most long balls.

I don't particularly have a problem with Sam's general game-plan of utilising our taller players from numerous set-pieces. Of course I'd love to see us play the total football of Ajax '72, but I think it's been discussed to death why we can't. My main objection is the aimless punts that AndyC hints at. Why, why why once we score do we play (regardless of the opposition or location) play it's like the 89th minute of a cup final? It's a tad embarrassing. I actually can't imagine us winning a game by more than 1 goal this entire season, and I recall numerous occasions last season urging the referee to sound the final whistle as we desperately held on. And as for E-H Diouf time wasting from a 93rd minute free-kick which was destined to be the last action of a game. Just plain confusing....

[T4E]

The fact that we've been leading at half time on a number of occasions this season and failed to go on to win shows that Sam being given time to talk is not always a good thing.

He needs to shut up and win us a few points.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Partly as do the players that he has at his disposal. We have a keeper with the best and most accurate kick in the Prem and we have some very tall and imposing players. It's not eye candy but it plays to our strengths.

I have no problem with this tactic; it plays to Robbo's unique strength. But long clearances without looking up first are not Nelsen's and Samba's strength. Trapping the ball and holding off 4 defenders isn't Nico's strength. Lobbing the 2nd ball back into the mixer without looking isn't MGP's strength. Any other manager would not have us doing these things.

[EWOODACE1]

Im not too bothered about the tactics as long as they get results. What does bother me is his arrogant attitude. He seems to me at the min that he is losing the plot and is on the verge of some breakdown

[Henwah]

Creativity is the key to that and because of the boardroom decisions to stricly limit the spending we hardly have any when old glass back breaks down again.

It's liley that if SA had had money to spend that we would be better placed in that department. At Bolton he got JJ and Djorkaeff to perform that role and last season he signed Basturk on a short term contract to do a similar job. Obviously it didn't work so he shipped him out and thats fine.

Lets be brutally honest we all know that we have a below average squad that achieved an average position last year. Something must be better than the average.

The time to judge Allardyce is when he has been able to spend a bit rather than trying to work miracles with some players that he'd rather have traded on.

So we think 'average' players are better off trying to hit 60 yard passes accurately than trying to hit 10/20 yard ones?

The only player that gives the impression that he's doing an actual long pass, rather than hopeful punt is Robinson - he's the best passer in the team since Tugay retired - that is worrying! so by all means let him hit it long, but the only way Nelsen for example could hit a ball up the field with any accuracy is to train him to aim it across the pitch, so that it goes the right way when he invariably slices it

[Hughesy]

Im not too bothered about the tactics as long as they get results. What does bother me is his arrogant attitude. He seems to me at the min that he is losing the plot and is on the verge of some breakdown

Why do you think he's losing the plot??

For me - Sam's tactics of 'get it into the mixer whenever you can' isnt a bad thing - it creates pressure, it stops teams playing their game & it also creates chances.

What bugs me is the likes of Nelsen who lump it (and always have done) - when they clearly cant make a pass...id rather he instructed the likes of Nelsen to simply pass it to a midfielder or more competent ball player, rather than just hoofing it anywhere.

I have no problems with the long throws, however dont think we attack them enough - we just look for the flick ons

Also on corners & free-kicks - we need to instruct the harlem globetrotters (Samba, NZonzi etc) to move more.

[mjs]

Why do you think he's losing the plot??

For me - Sam's tactics of 'get it into the mixer whenever you can' isnt a bad thing - it creates pressure, it stops teams playing their game & it also creates chances.

In my view Sam's tactics are awful to watch, and I don't seem to recall us making many chances on Saturday.

For me it is a catch 22. I admire Sam for what he has done for us, but on the other hand I don't enjoy watching Rovers anymore.

[John]

Big Sam plays down comments

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has played down comments that he would be more suited to managing Real Madrid or Inter Milan. The 55-year-old Rovers boss claimed last week that he would 'win the double or the league every time' if he was in charge at Real, Inter or Premier League giants Manchester United or Chelsea.

Allardyce has only coached outside of England once and that was in a role as player-manager at Irish side Limerick in the early 1990s. His claims produced surprise from a number of quarters but the former Bolton and Newcastle boss insists his comments were 'tongue-in-cheek'.

"I didn't think it would create quite as big a stir as it has done," Allardyce said. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment. Somebody asked me if I had found my level and was comfortable as manager at Blackburn Rovers.

"I'm never comfortable as a manager because I am always looking to improve, and my terms of wanting to improve is about having a burning ambition to always get better than I am.

"Obviously, in the end, that would always be to try and get to the very, very top of the industry that I am working in."

Allardyce has led Blackburn to five points from five games in the league so far this season and his side take on Aston Villa in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

He added: "I believe in my own ability, that is the bottom line. At the moment it is with Blackburn Rovers, which I am very pleased about.

"I'm very comfortable working at this football club, it's in the best league in the world and I'll just be careful about a tongue-in-cheek comment again."

[rebelmswar]

So which is it?

To be fair, he's only come out and said what most managers really think. And they wouldn't be very good managers if they didn't have this sort of ambition.

Hallelujah

I would rather have a manager that thinks he can manage the best, than someone who thinks he should me managing Lincoln.

We tried that experiment with Ince, and he didn’t play Sam’s tactics – see how well that did us, and he failed BIG TIME. With this crop of players and our massive lack of depth we don’t have a hope in hells chance of playing most teams in a fancy dancy fairy flairy way.

Grind them out. There will be moments when we string together a bunch of passes and look like we can play like Barcelona, but that is not in the equipment shed anymore for everyday use. Until we have some funds and midfielders that can cut teams apart with one pass, we have to do what we have to do.

[MarkBRFC71]

For me - Sam's tactics of 'get it into the mixer whenever you can' isnt a bad thing - it creates pressure, it stops teams playing their game & it also creates chances.

I disagree, unless it's from a free-kick or throw-in then it's nigh on useless. What almost always happens is our lone frontman battles four defenders in vain, loses it and we're instantly under pressure again. When/if we win it back, and the whole circle starts again. The problem is those tactics rely almost entirely on luck, i.e. the ball falling for you when it's lumped in.

In my view Sam's tactics are awful to watch, and I don't seem to recall us making many chances on Saturday.

For me it is a catch 22. I admire Sam for what he has done for us, but on the other hand I don't enjoy watching Rovers anymore.

Exactly. Add to that his embarrassing, baseless and cringeworthy self-promotion and it's not hard to see why that's probably the majority opinion these days.

[rebelmswar]

I disagree, unless it's from a free-kick or throw-in then it's nigh on useless. What almost always happens is our lone frontman battles four defenders in vain, loses it and we're instantly under pressure again. When/if we win it back, and the whole circle starts again. The problem is those tactics rely almost entirely on luck, i.e. the ball falling for you when it's lumped in.

I thought we have been playing with 2 up front lately? Whilst I agree with you against inferior opposition, we would be murdered trying to go toe to toe with the likes of Arsenal, City, Utd, Chelsea. Look how Blackpool are being carved up like a Christmas goose trying that stuff. Until we get better players and more of an impact bench we have to use these guerilla tactics. Its sad but very true.

Exactly. Add to that his embarrassing, baseless and cringeworthy self-promotion and it's not hard to see why that's probably the majority opinion these days.

Hes just the flavour of the month with the red tops at the moment, anything he says will be twisted. Let him run his mouth if it makes him feel better. His tirade against the refs had the desired results imo, as Grella should have been booked many times and wasn't. Did we even receive a yellow?

Didn't Ince say he wanted to manage Inter Milan after Rovers, about one day into his tenure?

Delusional and utter crap was that man, he couldn't man manage a retarded dog never mind a room full of multimillionaire prima donnas.

[waggy]

how i've chuckled this last week,lard@rse is more entertianing than the comedians,next england manager for sure

[Paul]

Partly as do the players that he has at his disposal. We have a keeper with the best and most accurate kick in the Prem and we have some very tall and imposing players. It's not eye candy but it plays to our strengths. We wont be seeing Samba and N'Zonzi playing intricate one two's through opposing defences thats for sure.

We do have a keeper with a good kick, no doubt about it, but once he's launched the ball at the front one or two there is no one able to control it or hold the ball up for the midfield to catch up

For me - Sam's tactics of 'get it into the mixer whenever you can' isnt a bad thing - it creates pressure, it stops teams playing their game & it also creates chances.

What bugs me is the likes of Nelsen who lump it (and always have done) - when they clearly cant make a pass...id rather he instructed the likes of Nelsen to simply pass it to a midfielder or more competent ball player, rather than just hoofing it anywhere.

I have no problems with the long throws, however dont think we attack them enough - we just look for the flick ons

Also on corners & free-kicks - we need to instruct the harlem globetrotters (Samba, NZonzi etc) to move more.

This sort of football does not create goal scoring opportunities. Same with the long throws, I think I can recall one goal which has resulted from MGP's throws since we adopted this style of play.

[LeChuck]

I'm pretty sure every single one of us would swap Sam for another manager who could offer equal (relative) success on the same budget. The massive problem is that there no names that immediately come to the fore.

To replace Sam at this stage would be gambling with the future of the club. If we want to appeal to investors we need to keep finishing as high as possible without spending any money.

What kind of names would we be looking at if we decided to replace Sam?

Alan Curbishley is probably the only 'safe pair of hands' option. I don't think he'd do any better at connecting on a personal level with the fans, and entertainment wouldn't go up much either.

After that where do you look? Ian Holloway would be popular and plays good football, but he'd be a massive risk. Sean O'Driscoll has performed a minor miracle in the football league, but has no PL experience.

Given our summer transfer budget we could only attract a manager desperate to get back into work, or a talented lower league manager desperate for a crack at the Premier League. We would have no chance of appointing someone with a record comparable to Allardyce's.

[waggy]

it's nothing to do with his players,its just the way lard@rse plays football.apparently its suited to inter and real madrid

[S15]

it's nothing to do with his players,its just the way lard@rse plays football.apparently its suited to inter and real madrid

Apparently you can't read.

Unfortunately I've found this whole 'Madrid/Inter' debacle far more embarrassing from our own fans perspective than his. I've never seen people act so stupidly to a more blatant tongue in cheek comment in my life.

[rebelmswar]

Apparently you can't read.

Unfortunately I've found this whole 'Madrid/Inter' debacle far more embarrassing from our own fans perspective than his. I've never seen people act so stupidly to a more blatant tongue in cheek comment in my life.

Some, like the one who you quoted, would use anything to attack Sam; regardless of what he does or does not do, down to the depths of wishing him dead from a massive coronary.

I will never understand this blatant disregard for things that he has managed to do. Coolaide drinkers would have rather of stayed and died with Ince as opposed to allowing Herr Gumchewer access to the club, and that in itself should invalidate any argument that they have.

Even rats abandon a sinking ship.

We may be taking on a bit of water, but we are nowhere near sinking like we were under waggys best mate and dream manager.

[S15]

The irony is Rovers fans always mock Bolton saying how they have no real rivals, and we could't care less about them because we have our own 'proper' rivals, but the only reason those who never gave him a chance from the start dislike him merely because of his Bolton connections.

[b12_simon]

The irony is Rovers fans always mock Bolton saying how they have no real rivals, and we could't care less about them because we have our own 'proper' rivals, but the only reason those who never gave him a chance from the start dislike him merely because of his Bolton connections.

But to turn that around, I can't be alone in disliking Bolton less since Big Sam left.

I'm no fan of Sam but I do think we should hang on to and support Sam for the time being. We can work on pretty football if the fabled investment ever lands. Until then it's trench warfare.

[AndyC]

With this crop of players and our massive lack of depth we don’t have a hope in hells chance of playing most teams in a fancy dancy fairy flairy way.

Grind them out. There will be moments when we string together a bunch of passes and look like we can play like Barcelona, but that is not in the equipment shed anymore for everyday use. Until we have some funds and midfielders that can cut teams apart with one pass, we have to do what we have to do.

Oh please. We're not expecting to play like Barcelona, but football is a simple game. If you keep possession, you control the game. How many times do we string 4 passes together and then just go for the long ball that is cut out. Our statistics unfortunately prove that we're not very good at keeping the ball. You don't have to be a world beater - we just seem to play the longer pass too early in the moves instead of being patient.

[Henwah]

I think most people appreciate what he's done for us, and the fact we are in fairly safe hands in regards to maintaining a premiership place. I can't understand anyone failing to see this, and at least give him credit for this fact if nothing else.

However it would just be nice to see them try to play a bit more football when appropriate e.g. when playing at home against equal level teams if we are on top at any point of the game. It doesn't have to be as pretty as Arsenal, or irresponsibly gung-ho, just some hint of a suggestion that they are able to apply some pressure, (or indeed relieve it from a defensive point of view) by holding onto possession of the ball long enough for some support to reach the frontman.

I don't know if it is the tactic, or the largely poor application of it, but for the most part our open play appears to consist of trying to get the ball as far away from our goal as possible, as quickly as possible in the hope that the normally isolated frontman can win a free kick, get a lucky break (ala Man city), or somehow hold it up long enough for our painfully slow midfield to catch up. This mainly results in the frontman wasting his energy, and probably eventually losing his confidence; chasing after hopeless long clearances (and that is what most of them are from open play, as opposed to actual aimed passes)

[Dan]

We have played nice football under Sam and it has been effective. The first half half against Arsenal, I seem to remember us playing some nice stuff. I wouldn't even mind mixing it up a bit, we can play nice football and be direct!

It annoys me the way when a ball is cleared from the opponents area, it's just hit back in first time, without even aiming. It would be better to get the ball down, work it wide and cross it in. Putting free kicks in the 'mixer' doesn't bother me so much either, as they have proven to be effective, unlike aimless hoofballs, they don't work.

It's embarrassing at times the way we play. Everyone disrespects and looks down on us because of it. No one I speak to that supports other clubs likes BFS, with the exception of a few Bolton fans, but even they wouldn't swap him for Coyle now.

He might keep us up(though this season will be a very close call I think), but surely football isn't about just staying up? Surely it's also about entertainment? How many of us would watch Rovers football if we didn't support them? It's not exactly pleasing on the eye.

If staying in the Premierleague could be compared to making love to a beautiful woman, then our tactics and style would be slipping some Rohypnol into said Beautiful woman's drink and dragging her into a taxi home.