Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce returns to St James’ Park tonight for the first time, since he was let go by Newcastle on 9th January of 2008, which was a short 6 weeks before a certain Chris Hughton joined Kevin Keegan at Newcastle, as a coach on 22nd February.
Sam Allardyce – stressed out while at Newcastle
Sam Allardyce talked today:
“I have proved most of the time that when I get a football club it improves from where it was.” “That was going to be the case at Newcastle, but I was not given enough time, but there is no bitterness towards the club”
“I’m not sure that apart from Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson anyone else has managed at this level for as long as I have.” “I take a huge amount of pleasure in having been able to sustain my ability in the best league in the world.”
It’s good that Sam bears no grudges towards Newcastle, because life is just too short to hold any grudges – you had far better just get on with things.
We agree that being given about 8 months is just too short a time frame to be able ot make a difference, but it could be that it was the way Sam had Newcastle playing, which was the main reason why he was let go by the club.
And big Sam is full of praise for young Andy Carroll, and he would certainly like to see the Gateshead-born striker get an England cap, sooner rather than later.
Allardyce continued:
“I had Andy as a young man at Newcastle when I was there and you could see the raw talent.” “They love a number nine there and it’s a big ask to live up to the expectations, but he’s brave, he’s fearless and he has exceptionally good ability, particularly aerially, as we saw against Arsenal.”
“There are few players that could score goals of that type today and that’s why he’s such an exciting player.” “He’s the sort of centre-forward that Fabio Capello likes, a big man up front.” “In the beginning it was Emile Heskey and we all know the one thing Emile couldn’t give the England side was goals.”
“He could make a lot of goals and could create opportunities but you had to rely on other players scoring.” “Then Peter Crouch has been tried and I think Andy Carroll is emerging now and on the back of a very good start to the Barclays’ Premier League – and six goals to boot – he deserves to be included in a friendly international.” “I think Fabio should let the lad have a little taste of what it’s like at that level.”
There’s a lot of speculation about whether Fabio Capello will select big Andy for the game at Wembley against France next Wednesday, and it’s not much different for the last time, when Andy was left out of the final squad.
And talk about Andy playing for Scotland, if he doesn’t get a cap soon for England, is simply nonsense.
Not many England-born players want to play for Scotland if an England cap is at all a possibility, so the chances of Andy playing for Scotland are about 0.01% – at best.
Comments welcome.
8 comments so far
Rotonda heights
Nov 10, 2010 at 12:25 PM
Comment #1As said previously, he got 4M for 6 months of the worst alleged football I’ve ever seen. 4M, I ask you !!!!!
jesus was a geordie
Nov 10, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Comment #2Comments like that are precisely the reason Sam will be boo’d tonight! He is an arrogant, egotistical idiot!
The season before he came we were competing in Europe, he did precisely nout with our club! I can’t stand the man!
Moreno
Nov 10, 2010 at 12:41 PM
Comment #3I wouldn’t bear any grudges either if I had been paid as much as Sam. I hear his wife bears a few grudges against their local pie shop though, Sam hasn’t seen his penis in over 3 years.
geoff777
Nov 10, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Comment #4Can’t stand the man.
I hate the way he sets up teams to play.
We were terrible under him.
Played some atrocious football.
All he wants are clean sheets.
So he sees a 0-0 draw as a victory.
8 months was too long.
Hope we stuff them tonight.
But it will probably be a dire 0-0 draw.
Love to see him relegated.
lesh
Nov 10, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Comment #5geoff777 penned some magnificent prose in post 4. Truly moving.
Move over Shelly, Keates, Byron et al – here’s a Poet Lauriette in the making.
Sav
Nov 10, 2010 at 1:25 PM
Comment #6Joey says, “we got rid of the big egos”.
Presumably Sam’s was first and the biggest? …Followed closely by JFK.
Thump
Nov 10, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Comment #7Big Sam Allardyce has a Big Ego?
Who’d have thought?
Rotonda heights
Nov 10, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Comment #8well said geoff