[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[The Harwood Yankee]

At the time of Big Sam's sacking I think the general mood was one of surprise, followed by the hope that we had owners who wanted to bring in a manager who would keep us at least at the same level Sam had taken us to, but playing more attractive football in the process. All well and good. From the minute it was announced that Kean was the extent of their ambitions for us, the mood quickly shifted to one of worry. As the bad results have mounted and Kean remains in the job, fans protests ignored or (incredulously) denied even existed!, Venkys @ Rovers has quickly descended into the worst PR exercise in the history of spin. In the space of a year the dull but generally effective football of Allardyce has become something of a halcyon period! Put a poll up on the site asking if we prefer Allardyce or Kean and play spot the dingle - they'll be the only ones not wanting Sam back. But that will never happen. Nor will Hughes be returning. Nor will anyone in football with a shred of decency and self-respect be wanting to work for such a clueless bunch as the Venkys, Premiership club or otherwise.

The only winners in this whole fiasco are the people who left Rovers - the Walker Trust, Big Sam, and John Williams (God bless him). Says it all really.

When those dodgy Indian used car salesmen waddled disinterestedly onto the pitch at Ewood that fateful day to be introduced as the new owners, a light went out. It won't be rekindled until the same shysters complete their PR/asset stripping exercise and clear off out of the club, their embarrassing monkey-boy brown-nosing so-called manager Kean with them, and someone with even an ounce of football knowledge comes in and starts what by then will be a colossal rebuilding exercise.

[jim mk2]

At the time of Big Sam's sacking I think the general mood was one of surprise,

Well I can tell you the mood in our group was one of shock because we knew the likely consequences. Call it age or experience but when you get older you get an instinctive feeling for when something does not feel right and the events of the past 12 months have come as no surprise.

[The Harwood Yankee]

Well I can tell you the mood in our group was one of shock because we knew the likely consequences. Call it age or experience but when you get older you get an instinctive feeling for when something does not feel right and the events of the past 12 months have come as no surprise.

Well the rest of us obviously bow to your self-proclaimed superior wisdom. Maybe you can apply the same omniscience and tell us how Rovers are going to get out of this God-awful mess, just to save us all wondering.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Well I can tell you the mood in our group was one of shock because we knew the likely consequences. Call it age or experience but when you get older you get an instinctive feeling for when something does not feel right and the events of the past 12 months have come as no surprise.

Got to agree with you there Jim, I got a text from my son on my way home from work and I was shaken by it. When people who'd almost never even seen a live game and knew as much about football as I know about American Basketball started making major decisions mid-season I felt we were in trouble. From that moment I suspected our Premier League existence would be in doubt. I fully expected us to go down at the end of last season and we only stayed up by a hairsbreadth. Did any of the Pune holidaymakers bother to explain that the bottom three actually get relegated at the end of the season ? I'm still not convinced the chicken chokers are aware of this, Kean can't have told them that's for sure.

[DE.]

The only winners in this whole fiasco are the people who left Rovers - the Walker Trust, Big Sam, and John Williams (God bless him). Says it all really.

Can't agree re: Allardyce & Williams. They will have got compensation but I don't think either will be thrilled to see all the work they put into the club (especially JW) laid to waste by these clueless no-marks.

[jim mk2]

Well the rest of us obviously bow to your self-proclaimed superior wisdom. Maybe you can apply the same omniscience and tell us how Rovers are going to get out of this God-awful mess, just to save us all wondering.

If the present owners remain I think this season is a write-off and we will be relegated, and we could well go down again next season. Hope I'm wrong.

[Steve Moss]

Can't agree re: Allardyce & Williams. They will have got compensation but I don't think either will be thrilled to see all the work they put into the club (especially JW) laid to waste by these clueless no-marks.

I think you are 100% correct. At a certain level, the best professionals, regardless, of job, becomes something of an artist. I think JW and Sam fall into this category. They both must be near tears to see the canvas they painted on close to going up in flames.

[Stuart]

I think you are 100% correct. At a certain level, the best professionals, regardless, of job, becomes something of an artist. I think JW and Sam fall into this category. They both must be near tears to see the canvas they painted on close to going up in flames.

JW, possibly.

BS, not a chance.

[Silencio]

Really? How'd you figure that out?

Jol has worked for some of the top clubs in Europe and has trophies to his name. I guess Sam could have the Championship title if he's lucky.

I think he's won a Dutch title and spent a ton of money everywhere he's been but your missing the point as usual. Would Jol ever have managed his resources as well as SA did in his 2 years at Rovers? No, he wouldn't.

Edit: Here's Jol's record of "trophies".

Roda JC

* KNVB Cup (1): 1996–97

AFC Ajax

* KNVB Cup (1): 2009–10

[Amo]

I think he's won a Dutch title and spent a ton of money everywhere he's been but your missing the point as usual. Would Jol ever have managed his resources as well as SA did in his 2 years at Rovers? No, he wouldn't.

Edit: Here's Jol's record of "trophies".

Roda JC

* KNVB Cup (1): 1996–97

AFC Ajax

* KNVB Cup (1): 2009–10

So I was right that he has trophies to his name? Thanks for that. And let's not forget that was Roda's first trophy for 30 odd years, but hey. Of course, we all know Sam would clean up the Eredivisie. Just like he's still waiting for that call from Real Madrid.

Also, I never recall Jol spending big at Roda, Hamburg or Ajax. At Hamburg, most of his best players were sold and only a fraction reinvested (sound familiar?) And he had to work on a strict budget at Ajax and they came one point within winning the Eredivisie in 09/10 but compensated that by winning the KNVB Cup.

His hit and miss signings for Spurs were fairly well-balanced, and even the write-offs only cost the club approx £1m.

Jol's doing a solid job at Fulham. They're currently mid-table and Jol has a similar win % as Sam did here, so yeah I have every confidence that we'd be in safe hands had Venky's had the sense to appoint a real manager like him.

[47er]

So I was right that he has trophies to his name? Thanks for that. And let's not forget that was Roda's first trophy for 30 odd years, but hey. Of course, we all know Sam would clean up the Eredivisie. Just like he's still waiting for that call from Real Madrid.

Also, I never recall Jol spending big at Roda, Hamburg or Ajax. At Hamburg, most of his best players were sold and only a fraction reinvested (sound familiar?) And he had to work on a strict budget at Ajax and they came one point within winning the Eredivisie in 09/10 but compensated that by winning the KNVB Cup.

His hit and miss signings for Spurs were fairly well-balanced, and even the write-offs only cost the club approx £1m.

Jol's doing a solid job at Fulham. They're currently mid-table and Jol has a similar win % as Sam did here, so yeah I have every confidence that we'd be in safe hands had Venky's had the sense to appoint a real manager like him.

Why sack someone and appoint another to do a similar job (if you believe that by the way-----I don't) What's the point of that?

[Rover_Shaun]

I did believe the Sam thread could not get any worse

[Silencio]

So I was right that he has trophies to his name? Thanks for that. And let's not forget that was Roda's first trophy for 30 odd years, but hey. Of course, we all know Sam would clean up the Eredivisie. Just like he's still waiting for that call from Real Madrid.

Also, I never recall Jol spending big at Roda, Hamburg or Ajax. At Hamburg, most of his best players were sold and only a fraction reinvested (sound familiar?) And he had to work on a strict budget at Ajax and they came one point within winning the Eredivisie in 09/10 but compensated that by winning the KNVB Cup.

His hit and miss signings for Spurs were fairly well-balanced, and even the write-offs only cost the club approx £1m.

Jol's doing a solid job at Fulham. They're currently mid-table and Jol has a similar win % as Sam did here, so yeah I have every confidence that we'd be in safe hands had Venky's had the sense to appoint a real manager like him.

If you just look at trophies as a way of judging a manager then that would mean Steve McLaren is better than Mark Hughes AND Jol as he has won a Dutch League and a Carling Cup (I think). But we know he isn't and as 47 says, why sack a manager and replace him with someone who would do the same job?

[Darwen Rover]

Sam was made for team like us... But anyway...

Hes getting a lot of stick from Wham fans on talk sport this evening

[Amo]

If you just look at trophies as a way of judging a manager then that would mean Steve McLaren is better than Mark Hughes AND Jol as he has won a Dutch League and a Carling Cup (I think).

Except my argument was never based entirely on that fact.

But we know he isn't and as 47 says, why sack a manager and replace him with someone who would do the same job?

Because Jol wouldn't bore the tits off us?

[jim mk2]

Except my argument was never based entirely on that fact.

Because Jol wouldn't bore the tits off us?

How are you enjoying the excitement at the moment ?

A catastrophic 12 months on, and you still don't get it........

[roversfan99]

Except my argument was never based entirely on that fact.

Because Jol wouldn't bore the tits off us?

Why does that matter to you when you rarely go to games?

[Mattyblue]

I honestly don't know what's 'boring' about seeing your town club with a small budget in the PL top half and in cup semi finals.

Well, it's certianly not boring now.

[Rover_Shaun]

Round and round we go, every page repeats itself.

I'm sure Sam must read this topic regularly for an ego kick

[patrickvalery]

How are you enjoying the excitement at the moment ?

A catastrophic 12 months on, and you still don't get it........

12 months on and you still refuse to accept any opinion other than your own. Disliking Sams football does not equate to a love of Keans. Nor does it mean he wasn't appreciated or his achievements went un-noticed. But keep on banging that drum. It won't do anything to help our current plight, but it clearly keeps you happy. Although that is probably the wrong word to use to describe you especially.

[jim mk2]

12 months on and you still refuse to accept any opinion other than your own. Disliking Sams football does not equate to a love of Keans. Nor does it mean he wasn't appreciated or his achievements went un-noticed. But keep on banging that drum. It won't do anything to help our current plight, but it clearly keeps you happy. Although that is probably the wrong word to use to describe you especially.

Twelve months on, and you and others still cannot accept you were wrong when it was a as plain as the nose on your face that sacking Sam was idiotic and that appointing Kean to replace him more than likely was going to fail.

For a so-called journalist you show a remakable lack of insight.

And no, I'm not happy at the moment because Rovers are suffering. What's your excuse ?

[Amo]

How are you enjoying the excitement at the moment ?

A catastrophic 12 months on, and you still don't get it........

A catastrophic 12 months that would have been averted had we appointed Jol.

[jim mk2]

A catastrophic 12 months that would have been averted had we appointed Jol.

Or stuck with a perfectly decent manager ? There's an old saying, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Venky's have obviously never heard of it.

[Amo]

Or stuck with a perfectly decent manager ? There's an old saying, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Venky's have obviously never heard of it.

I'm sure Newcastle fans felt the same when Hughton was sacked.

Now they're probably asking 'Chris who...?'

[Mattyblue]

You might as well say it would have been averted if we'd have appointed Pep Guardiola.

Venky's were never going to, so it's a moot point.

This situation was unavoidable from the day they bought the club-

They were always going to remove a headstrong manager and his backers in the boardroom

They were always going to replace him with a yes man, due to the 'advice' of family friend Jerome Anderson and they were never going to replace the board with anyone but powerless puppets.

So, what are we rowing about?