[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[JAL]

Lately BFS's team selections have been just as bad as Paul Ince's. And we're getting exactly what we deserve from them.

Ince brought in half a dozen players of poor quality, now Sam has to figure out whats the best combination, sadly, collectively there is no right combination for this bunch.

[47er]

i know your a clairvoyant but how can you come out with that statement

Good God! How can he not?

[PAFELL]

i have a season ticket just refuse to use it,so i've already grown a pair

More money than sense then - what is the point in having a season ticket and not using it - by choice?

[John]

Couple of interesting articles in the press today...

Sam Allardyce hires mind guru to give his Blackburn squad positive throughts

Relaxed at Rovers but still regretting England's rejection

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Relaxed at Rovers but still regretting England's rejection

Bet the FA aren't though!

[philipl]

Bet the FA aren't though!

You are joking?

There is no way Sam could have been worse than the wally with the brolly. Let's be realistic, Rovers now have probably the highest regarded English-born manager currently.

[tony gale's mic]

Sam wouldn't have been a good England manager. Granted he couldn't have been worse than McLaren but that whole English coach rubbish was tabloid inspired drivel in the first place. His strengths lie at club level.

You are joking?

There is no way Sam could have been worse than the wally with the brolly. Let's be realistic, Rovers now have probably the highest regarded English-born manager currently.

I'd still say Redknapp is more highly regarded, whether he's better or not is another matter. Right now I'd say there's not much in it - I dislike Redknapp and think he's massively overrated by sections of the media but there's still no running away from the fact he's done a good job at quite a few clubs, even with the money he had to spend at Pompey for example a lot of his signings were still successful and astute ones that appreciated in value. Sam has still only had the one success story at Bolton, if he turns Rovers into another success story then I think he'll have the edge.

[John]

These comments make me feel even more nervous/worried about our situation.

Sam Allardyce is getting anxious about Blackburn's Barclays Premier League plight.

[thenodrog]

These comments make me feel even more nervous/worried about our situation.

Sam Allardyce is getting anxious about Blackburn's Barclays Premier League plight.

Yesterdays display strangely has made me feel more positive. As long as injuries stay away yesterdays team and formation had a much better feel about it.

[thenodrog]

Sam wouldn't have been a good England manager. Granted he couldn't have been worse than McLaren but that whole English coach rubbish was tabloid inspired drivel in the first place. His strengths lie at club level.

I'd still say Redknapp is more highly regarded, whether he's better or not is another matter.

Thats cos he's a Cockney git who is up the media's jacksy half the time.

I think SA would have done well with England simply because he's shown that he can handle and get the best out of temperamantal big time players. Maclaren, Curbs etc cannot do that. They don't have the intelligence nor presence to command respect from the 'stars'.

[tony gale's mic]

Thats cos he's a Cockney git who is up the media's jacksy half the time.

I think SA would have done well with England simply because he's shown that he can handle and get the best out of temperamantal big time players. Maclaren, Curbs etc cannot do that. They don't have the intelligence nor presence to command respect from the 'stars'.

No he's shown he can help revive flagging careers and rein in wayward talents.

Most of the England side don't come under that and he has no experience of managing players who are considered amongst the worlds' best. I think he would've made a pretty poor England manager.

I dislike Harry and think many overrate him but he has succeeded at more clubs than Sam, who has just done it at the one club. If he keeps us up and avoids a relegation fight next season, it'll be up for reassessment.

[trueblue]

Our friend Nicko's story in the Sunday People...

Alan Nixon in the Sunday People

[den]

Yesterdays display strangely has made me feel more positive. As long as injuries stay away yesterdays team and formation had a much better feel about it.

I'm not sure yesterday's very good display, can be taken forward though, Theno. One up front at home, when we need wins IMO, wont be enough. It certainly worked yesterday against United, who were possibly taken a bit by surprise, by rovers packing midfield and not really having a go in the first half hour, but would it work every week? I don't think it would.

[thenodrog]

I'm not sure yesterday's very good display, can be taken forward though, Theno. One up front at home, when we need wins IMO, wont be enough. It certainly worked yesterday against United, who were possibly taken a bit by surprise, by rovers packing midfield and not really having a go in the first half hour, but would it work every week? I don't think it would.

Maybe but it seems to get the best out of our best striker. Also gives Diouff / Ped / Dunny the freedom to support him......

....... Oh and andrews of course.

[John]

Its going to be about nerve and bottle now - we will find out what our squad are made of. Let's hope there are positive answers.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

We have set the standard for the remaining games...there can be NO excuses for lacklustre performances against the likes of Hull,Fulham, Stoke,Spurs and WBA after yesterday.

NO EXCUSES LADS,OVER TO YOU................

[47er]

I'm not sure yesterday's very good display, can be taken forward though, Theno. One up front at home, when we need wins IMO, wont be enough. It certainly worked yesterday against United, who were possibly taken a bit by surprise, by rovers packing midfield and not really having a go in the first half hour, but would it work every week? I don't think it would.

We packed mid-field alright but there was a glaring lack of quality about it. Roque was isolated, crosses were aweful and too often the ball was just pumped anywhere upfield to start Manu's next attack. I honestly would prefer the Axe in there to Andrews, at least he does something.Strangely we looked better once we had 2 up front but too late in the game.If we go down lack of signings in mid-field will have done it. Defence is pretty sound now.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

We packed mid-field alright but there was a glaring lack of quality about it. Roque was isolated, crosses were aweful and too often the ball was just pumped anywhere upfield to start Manu's next attack. I honestly would prefer the Axe in there to Andrews, at least he does something.Strangely we looked better once we had 2 up front but too late in the game.If we go down lack of signings in mid-field will have done it. Defence is pretty sound now.

That is what Sam wants though. Do not concede, keep it tight for the first hour or so. Don't really want to attack and DO NOT OVER COMMIT if we do.

Once an hour has passed re-evaluate and attack.

It has been Sam's tactic ever since he arrived but now he has the armoury to implement it better.

The bench also allows us to change things around better.

[thenodrog]

I honestly would prefer the Axe in there to Andrews, at least he does something.

The Axe would get in Grella's way and the balance would suffer. Andrews needs replacing with a more creative player. Warnock imo.

[tonyoz]

The Axe would get in Grella's way and the balance would suffer. Andrews needs replacing with a more creative player. Warnock imo.

Warnock has some good qualities but he ain't a creative player. Sam obviously knows that he has played midfield this season and has, no doubt, watched some of his performances. He would give energy and a proper tackle (unlike Andrews) that's for sure. His passing though leaves a lot to be desired. We are so poor in this area, however, that I would give him another go. I think we really miss Savage and his ability to harry opponents and put in a real biting tackle.

[The Prof.]

Our friend Nicko's story in the Sunday People...

Alan Nixon in the Sunday People

There is one small up side to this. If we stay up - if. Allardyce will get a big bonus but be in a position to demand a decent transfer kitty too. On £45,000 a WEEK (he was on the dole before doing odd punditry jobs wasn't he?) he'd better put his boots on if it goes to the last game. No wonder the wage bill is high. Now then where's me other boot....£45 grand...

[LeftWinger]

If Sam keeps us in the Premiership he is worth far more than the 45k a week he is reportedly being paid. Ince on the other hand....

[broadsword]

I bet Ince was on more than 250k a year.

if we go down and they slash the budget then I wouldn't expect Allardyce to hang around. We'll be out of teh Prem for a long time, and I'd liek to see the Trustees sell the club then.

[DeadlyDirk]

I don't think there is any problem here to be honest, isn't it standard practice to have wage reduction clauses in player and staff contracts in the case of relegation. It would of course need a review if we went down as well, we may decide he is the man to take us up but ultimately they would have to look at why he didn't keep us up with over 20 league games to do so. Obviously BFS would not be the only reason we may go down or even the main reason but it would definitely need to be looked at.

It would be ridiculous to say we definitely want to keep him at this stage, let's wait and see what happens, an assessment of the entire season would be common sense.

[thenodrog]

btw ...... No matter that they are reputed to be a bit chummy but it was nice to see SA stand up to the old RFW on the touchline at OT. Clash of the titans? Paul Ince would have been a simpering wreck with a weak ingratiating smile and would have gone belly up as soon as Fergy pointed an admonishing finger at him. I certainly have not missed his perplexing fawning over opposition managers.