Sam Allardyce left out on a limb

[Happy Face 29]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle3111359.ece

 

“You’re either not worried about playing for this club or not worried about me. Which is it?”

 

(Sam Allardyce, attributed, December 2007) Whether he asked that question outright or merely hinted at it, Big Sam knows the answer. Footballers do not worry about their manager, at least not in times of adversity.

 

A handful of top coaches are able to cajole total commitment and unstinting devotion out of their players when things are going in their favour – and Allardyce achieved something along these lines at Bolton Wanderers – but for the vast majority, respect and empathy are the last things they would expect.

 

Players are in it for themselves. Even Sir Alex Ferguson hinted as much yesterday when he talked of “this personal glory” thing that they are after, of “the need to be seen” and of goal celebrations that are about “personal gratification” rather than a desire to share the moment with teammates. Football is a team game, but one in which increasingly the common goal is one of individual, rather than collective glory. And when glory seems so distant as a team fall short of their aspirations, often the only thing a group of players have in common is a shared lack of respect for, and belief in, their manager.

 

Allardyce appears to be faced with such a culture at Newcastle United and it is alien to him. At Bolton, he and his staff were able to impose a philosophy on a squad that was built slowly over his eight seasons in charge as the team went from the lower reaches of what was the Nationwide League first division to the upper echelons of the Premier League.

 

This was not only a triumph of tactics or organisation, but of the ideas and team ethic that Allardyce and his staff imposed. To be shown around their training ground at Euxton and to be talked through the thinking behind the computer hub, the layout of the gym and even the colour scheme on the walls was like a psychology or a sports science field trip.

 

These ideas were not implemented overnight. Those who were expecting a revolution at Newcastle might have been disappointed and, more worryingly, several senior players are known to have issues with his methods, but Allardyce did not expect instant success.

 

Upon taking over at Bolton, he won only four of his first 13 league matches, including a miserable sequence of two points from six matches, during which some of the senior players he inherited said privately that the team were in turmoil and that Bolton should have stuck with Phil Brown, who had excelled as caretaker manager. By the end of the season they had reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, the League Cup and the first division play-offs and the evolution – note, not revolution – that took them to the top flight was well under way.

 

None of this offers any guarantee that Allardyce will succeed at St James’ Park, but Newcastle are a club in need of root-and-branch reform of the type that he and his staff imposed at Bolton. Yes, they challenged for the title under Kevin Keegan in the mid1990s and had some great nights in the Champions League under Bobby Robson in 2003 (both at a time when Newcastle were among the biggest spenders in English football), but the club have finished in the bottom half of the table in six of the past ten seasons, often flirting a little too brazenly with relegation.

 

Under Glenn Roeder last season, playing a brand of football best described as nondescript, they won only 11 league matches. Under Graeme Souness two years earlier, it was one fewer. When Newcastle’s supporters sing “We’re s*** and we’re sick of it”, you can detect a malaise that goes rather deeper than a difficult first few months under Allardyce.

 

As for the players, perhaps they would welcome a change of manager, given that they are said to have little appetite for Allardyce’s methods. But just suppose that the manager is not the problem. Just suppose that there is something rotten at the club, something that even successive changes of manager and ownership have not yet exorcised. Just suppose that Allardyce, in the long term, represents their best chance of ridding the club of the malodorous team spirit that is perceptible to even the most distant outsider.

 

Given time, he probably will. But the fear is that he will not. And will those players shed a tear? Of course not. And will they look within themselves? Again, the answer is no.

 

Good article.

[Guest alex]

It says nothing new whatsoever imo.

[Happy Face 29]

Just one against the rising tide of Allardyce bashing ones that are wrong as well as unoriginal.

[JawD 99]

You could just as easy write an article saying he doesnt need more time and that a good manager should be able to show "some" progress over what was a poor side under GR. This is nothing new.

[Happy Face 29]

Like the one by Alan Hansen...

 

If there is one immutable law of the Premier League, it is that at some point in every season Newcastle will hit a crisis. And this one; a combination of dreadful results and terrible headlines with the supporters calling for Alan Shearer to replace Sam Allardyce appears as grim as any.

 

Newcastle have always considered themselves different to other clubs. They still measure themselves by the benchmark of the Kevin Keegan years when they played a brand of football that enthralled everybody. And sometimes you feel like reminding their supporters that those days will never, ever return.

 

I spent all my football life as a defender and since retiring I have repeated time and again on television and in print that football is essentially about defending. I appreciate Arsenal's passing and movement, Manchester United's freedom of expression and Steven Gerrard in full flight as much as anybody. But, if you are a manager of a team without a decent back-four and keeper, you are manager of nothing.

 

If there is one argument in favour of Allardyce it is to study Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. When those two arrived at Old Trafford in January 2006, they looked completely out of their depth in a Manchester United back-four. Now they are stalwarts of what is unquestionably the best defence in the country.

 

However, the problem at Newcastle has been a basic lack of quality rather than a lack of time or investment. In 10 years they have spent upwards of £60 million on defenders and to say they have bought a conveyor belt of mediocrity would be being kind. And the defenders Allardyce has bought have been as bad as any.

 

Ironically, the best prospect they have had in recent years has been Steven Taylor, a home-grown talent who is now in a contractual dispute with the club What is so incredible about this situation is that for years Newcastle have possessed in Shay Given and Steve Harper two of the best goalkeepers in this division.

 

At Bolton Allardyce had a fantastic track record in buying and transforming foreign footballers and making them gel as a team. However, the difference between Bolton and Newcastle is that on Tyneside expectations are in another stratosphere.

 

Newcastle's greatest problem has not been a lack of investment or support but a complete absence of continuity plus an unwillingness to lay down proper foundations. This is a crisis that began with the sacking of Sir Bobby Robson after he had taken the club to positions of fourth, third and fifth. Since when there have been too many managers and too many bad buys.

 

Now the call is for Alan Shearer. History tells you it is very difficult to go from being a legend on the pitch to succeeding in the dug-out at the same club. Kenny Dalglish was a very rare exception at Liverpool.

 

However, if Shearer was ever to manage Newcastle, there will never be a better time to do so because expectations have never been lower. When Graeme Souness succeeded Robson, success was measured by Newcastle re-qualifying for the Champions League.

 

Dalglish took over from Keegan in 1997, guided Newcastle to second place in his first season and an FA Cup final in his second and that was not considered enough because he tried to lay the foundations at the cost of entertainment.

 

Like George Graham at Tottenham, Dalglish was unpopular because the fans did not realise that change had to come and they resented it. They were not interested in foundations, they wanted fast, free, fluent football.

 

Newcastle and Tottenham are the two most difficult clubs in the country to lay down solid defensive foundations because there is an element in each club that doesn't want it. It is not that they don't understand it or see the need for it, it is because their ideal is to turn up on a Saturday afternoon and see their team win 5-3.

 

The difference between the task Alan Shearer might face and the ones Dalglish and Souness encountered is that now nobody would expect Newcastle to compete for a top-four place. If Alan pushed the club into sixth or seventh, that would be considered a real achievement compared to the mess they are surrounded by now.

 

And, perhaps more critically than anything else, because of who he is and what he represents to Tyneside, Alan Shearer will be given time, which is something far too few Newcastle managers have had.

 

Whether Alan wants the job is up to him and whether he is offered it is up to the board. But he is an intelligent football man who knows that managing Newcastle will not be about qualifying for the Champions League or winning FA Cups. It will be about giving Newcastle United some self-respect.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...1/sfnhan131.xml

 

Which is almost entirely shite and continues to trot out the same tired cliche.

Edited December 31, 2007 by Happy Face

[JawD 99]

Like the one by Alan Hansen...

 

If there is one immutable law of the Premier League, it is that at some point in every season Newcastle will hit a crisis. Aye, thats probably correct

 

Newcastle have always considered themselves different to other clubs. They still measure themselves by the benchmark of the Kevin Keegan years when they played a brand of football that enthralled everybody. And sometimes you feel like reminding their supporters that those days will never, ever return. I'd agree with that, alot of people do still expect us to produce what we did then, however I think alot would just like us to be even half way there

 

I spent all my football life as a defender and since retiring I have repeated time and again on television and in print that football is essentially about defending. I appreciate Arsenal's passing and movement, Manchester United's freedom of expression and Steven Gerrard in full flight as much as anybody. But, if you are a manager of a team without a decent back-four and keeper, you are manager of nothing. Our defence is worse today than it was 12 months ago under a defensive manager with new defensive players.

 

If there is one argument in favour of Allardyce it is to study Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. When those two arrived at Old Trafford in January 2006, they looked completely out of their depth in a Manchester United back-four. Now they are stalwarts of what is unquestionably the best defence in the country. I agree, in also that the players in our new defence have strides more ability than in those they replaced and that yes hopefully, in time, they will gel and become a solid unit.

 

However, the problem at Newcastle has been a basic lack of quality rather than a lack of time or investment. In 10 years they have spent upwards of £60 million on defenders and to say they have bought a conveyor belt of mediocrity would be being kind. And the defenders Allardyce has bought have been as bad as any. Yes we have bought some shite, but in 10 years some were not all that bad (Goma, Domi, Woodgate to name 3), but on the flip side we have Bramble, Babayaro, Marcelino (not that bad actually, just never bloody played!). But I disagree that Beye & Cacapa should be tarred with this brush .

 

Ironically, the best prospect they have had in recent years has been Steven Taylor, a home-grown talent who is now in a contractual dispute with the club What is so incredible about this situation is that for years Newcastle have possessed in Shay Given and Steve Harper two of the best goalkeepers in this division. Unlike some, I do rate Taylor, but like Enrique he is young and has time on his side. What he doesnt have, or hasnt had is decent people along side him to help him along.

 

At Bolton Allardyce had a fantastic track record in buying and transforming foreign footballers and making them gel as a team. However, the difference between Bolton and Newcastle is that on Tyneside expectations are in another stratosphere. Agreed, but the these are two different points. He did make them Gel at bolton, so how come as yet we ahvent seen the ack four gel? Or the midfield? Expectation may be higher here, but that reflects on the brand of football and not the players gelling imo.

 

Newcastle's greatest problem has not been a lack of investment or support but a complete absence of continuity plus an unwillingness to lay down proper foundations. This is a crisis that began with the sacking of Sir Bobby Robson after he had taken the club to positions of fourth, third and fifth. Since when there have been too many managers and too many bad buys. Yes, but they were bad appointments. Roeder & Souness? If they were that good as managers they would be in the premier league managing right now. GR still could develop into a decent manager, but Souness? Sorry like but to give him more time would have seen us relegated. He was an appauling appointment. I'll file this comment under "to easy to say managers need more time without actually looking at the reasons for getting rid". Agree with the buys though, money thrown at some awful deals, some almost criminal (Boumsong). But bad buys are throughout the league not just at Newcastle and not just since Bobby left.

 

Now the call is for Alan Shearer. History tells you it is very difficult to go from being a legend on the pitch to succeeding in the dug-out at the same club. Kenny Dalglish was a very rare exception at Liverpool. Agreed. I personally cant decide on this one. Who knows if he has what it takes? Even Shearer cant know. He should have become Bobby's no 2. If he wasnt already.

 

However, if Shearer was ever to manage Newcastle, there will never be a better time to do so because expectations have never been lower. When Graeme Souness succeeded Robson, success was measured by Newcastle re-qualifying for the Champions League.

 

Dalglish took over from Keegan in 1997, guided Newcastle to second place in his first season and an FA Cup final in his second and that was not considered enough because he tried to lay the foundations at the cost of entertainment. Bollocks. He took Keegans team to second then began to make too drastic a change and things collapsed. It was just because he only got to the FA final.

 

Like George Graham at Tottenham, Dalglish was unpopular because the fans did not realise that change had to come and they resented it. They were not interested in foundations, they wanted fast, free, fluent football. KD done some good things in his time behind the scenes, with the foundations etc. It was the collapse of the first team, selling Les then Shearer getting injured that led to his demise. Ginola wanting out, selling Tino, Beresford, Beardsley etc. Replacing them with Barnes and Rush, or Andersson & Pistone.

 

Newcastle and Tottenham are the two most difficult clubs in the country to lay down solid defensive foundations because there is an element in each club that doesn't want it. It is not that they don't understand it or see the need for it, it is because their ideal is to turn up on a Saturday afternoon and see their team win 5-3. Oh just fuck off. Id take a 1-0 win. I just want enjoy what Im watching. I can appreciate a good defence so would more than like to see us stop conceding 3-4 goals a game.

 

The difference between the task Alan Shearer might face and the ones Dalglish and Souness encountered is that now nobody would expect Newcastle to compete for a top-four place. If Alan pushed the club into sixth or seventh, that would be considered a real achievement compared to the mess they are surrounded by now. Agreed. But then isnt that obvious? Souness and KD took over teams challenging for the CL so why wouldnt supporters expect us to maintain that?

 

And, perhaps more critically than anything else, because of who he is and what he represents to Tyneside, Alan Shearer will be given time, which is something far too few Newcastle managers have had.

 

Whether Alan wants the job is up to him and whether he is offered it is up to the board. But he is an intelligent football man who knows that managing Newcastle will not be about qualifying for the Champions League or winning FA Cups. It will be about giving Newcastle United some self-respect. Self respect would be a start. This isnt just about results though, its results, its players not getting jailed, its playing an even mildly entertaining game, its about developing the youth squad, its competing for decent players again and not cast offs and so on.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...1/sfnhan131.xml

 

Which is almost entirely shite and continues to trot out the same tired cliche.

[Bombadil 0]

Of course Hansen carefully avoids pointing out the fact that his best mate Souness was just a poor excuse of a manager.

[Asprilla 96]

I do think the players have a lot to answer for. Their contracts seem to be far more water tight than the managers' and this leads to them being in a position of greater power. Skulk around the pitch for 90 minutes then blame the manager for not motivating you. Of course motivation is a huge part of football management but I do believe that managers are on a hiding to nothing with gobby players these days on more money than the boss.

 

The disrespect shown by players these days to all and sundry is shocking. Dyer and Robson for one.