A response to Boro editor Stuart’s post on Big Sam is essential, especially the long ball accusation. Yes, Sam did employ a long ball tactic at times, but a number of managers in this league (of the likes of Benitez, Mourinho, Redknapp, O’Neill etc.) have also done so. But that accusation, when leveled with such vitriol at Allardyce, is tired, predictable and embarrassing for those who don’t know what they’re talking about. Does any true football fan honestly believe that international-class talents such as JJ Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, Ivan Campo, Fernando Hierro & Nicolas Anelka would move to a club (and actually flourish there) where they’d spend their time in the middle of the park watching the ball continually fizz over their heads? Of course not and it is nonsense to suggest otherwise. That Djorkaeff loved his football here suggests otherwise. That Campo enjoyed such a special relationship with the fans suggests otherwise. That Okocha virtually owned the ‘Showboat’ section of Soccer AM for 2 years suggests otherwise. That Bolton effectively brought Anelka’s undoubted talents back to the forefront suggests otherwise.
In addition, Allardyce was instrumental in introducing innovative techniques behind the scenes. The backroom staff he assembled at The Reebok were second to none and his introduction of therapists, motivational coaches, specialist medical teams, alternative practitioners etc won praise from all of the players mentioned above and many more besides. His methods were analysed (and copied) by many prominent coaches and reaped results far greater than were expected.
There are other reasons why Allardyce should be considered a great coach but I’ll turn this into a minor thesis if I go into them all. Given time at Newcastle, he’d have been a success (nice move Mr Ashley, you clueless fool). It is widely accepted that he was by far the most impressive interviewee when interviewed for the England job a few years back, yet a certain Steve McClaren (Boro’s finest no doubt…) bizarrely landed the job and the less we say about that the better. He completely turned around the fortunes of Bolton Wanderers and on a relatively low budget. For that, all Bolton fans should be eternally grateful and others should cut the guy a bit of slack and ditch the tired long ball accusations.