Allardyce supposedly as good as appointed - Happy or Disappointed?

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

Good morning everyone. Bolton fan here. I hope you will allow me to post my views.

 

Let's safely assume that Sam is your new gaffer - nailed on in my opinion. Outside of old Purple Cheeks and The Chosen One you've just got yourselves the best manager in the PL. The only other one that comes anywhere near is Hughes at Blackburn.

 

It's nothing short of miraculous what he and his team achieved at Bolton over the last eight years. He's had peanuts to spend, prior to the £8.5 million he was given to get Andy Johnson, which was ultimately spent on Anelka. You guys, along with many similar big wealthy clubs have spent millions upon millions in a vain attempt to achieve what Allardyce has achieved for us. (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Manchester City also spring to mind.)

 

I thought Allardyce had taken us as far as he could. I rate Sammy Lee as a replacement but I am concerned about our short-term future.

 

You guys need a major clear-out, take a deep breath and watch the big man go about it. Only problem you will have is your numbskull chairman, and some of your more enthusiastic supporters. Allardyce had a 10 year contract in 2000. Freddy will want results within a year - again. That won't happen. Nor would it for any other manager.

 

Finally, I find the forthcoming scenario with Alan Shearer fascinating. Him and Sam appear to get on well when they meet as pundits. I wonder what their relationship will be like if Shearer continues to be allowed to lurk like a malevolent spirit in the background? That issue will go one of two ways. Sam will make him part of his team or he will blow him away, big style. There will be no middle option.

 

I hope it works out for you. Your fans deserve success - even if your owners don't.  8)

 

 

Thanks for the sentiments.

 

Do you think you will sell Anelka?

 

What do you see as Sam's weaknesses and perhaps oppurtunities missed?

 

 

We will definitely sell Anelka if we fail to qualify for the UEFA Cup on Sunday. I think his sale is probable even if we do qualify. I'm not too bothered to be honest. He's not really set the heather on fire and I suspect he's had his eye on a spell in Italy for a while. We'll make a decent profit on him and hopefully replace him.

 

As to Sam's weaknesses. He has never been convincing in the transfer market when it comes to strikers. At whatever level he was bidding there has never been a great buy, in my view. He has the bung baggage - but I suspect he shares that problem with another 80% of PL managers - past and present. He sometimes sticks too dogmatically to a formation. When the FA sack McLaren he will tell everybody that he still wants the job - even if he's your manager.

 

Minor weaknesses, in the scheme of things. I fail to see how you will do better.

[Tooj]

Much appreciated for the comments there Bolton Zulu, I for one admire what Bolton have achieved despite what I feel is a false label as a long ball team as at times I've seen you play some cracking stuff on the deck.

 

I wish you all the best in the near future, especially with Speedo now playing a more prominent role.

[Parky]

Good morning everyone. Bolton fan here. I hope you will allow me to post my views.

 

Let's safely assume that Sam is your new gaffer - nailed on in my opinion. Outside of old Purple Cheeks and The Chosen One you've just got yourselves the best manager in the PL. The only other one that comes anywhere near is Hughes at Blackburn.

 

It's nothing short of miraculous what he and his team achieved at Bolton over the last eight years. He's had peanuts to spend, prior to the £8.5 million he was given to get Andy Johnson, which was ultimately spent on Anelka. You guys, along with many similar big wealthy clubs have spent millions upon millions in a vain attempt to achieve what Allardyce has achieved for us. (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Manchester City also spring to mind.)

 

I thought Allardyce had taken us as far as he could. I rate Sammy Lee as a replacement but I am concerned about our short-term future.

 

You guys need a major clear-out, take a deep breath and watch the big man go about it. Only problem you will have is your numbskull chairman, and some of your more enthusiastic supporters. Allardyce had a 10 year contract in 2000. Freddy will want results within a year - again. That won't happen. Nor would it for any other manager.

 

Finally, I find the forthcoming scenario with Alan Shearer fascinating. Him and Sam appear to get on well when they meet as pundits. I wonder what their relationship will be like if Shearer continues to be allowed to lurk like a malevolent spirit in the background? That issue will go one of two ways. Sam will make him part of his team or he will blow him away, big style. There will be no middle option.

 

I hope it works out for you. Your fans deserve success - even if your owners don't.  8)

 

 

Thanks for the sentiments.

 

Do you think you will sell Anelka?

 

What do you see as Sam's weaknesses and perhaps oppurtunities missed?

 

 

We will definitely sell Anelka if we fail to qualify for the UEFA Cup on Sunday. I think his sale is probable even if we do qualify. I'm not too bothered to be honest. He's not really set the heather on fire and I suspect he's had his eye on a spell in Italy for a while. We'll make a decent profit on him and hopefully replace him.

 

As to Sam's weaknesses. He has never been convincing in the transfer market when it comes to strikers. At whatever level he was bidding there has never been a great buy, in my view. He has the bung baggage - but I suspect he shares that problem with another 80% of PL managers - past and present. He sometimes sticks too dogmatically to a formation. When the FA sack McLaren he will tell everybody that he still wants the job - even if he's your manager.

 

Minor weaknesses, in the scheme of things. I fail to see how you will do better.

 

How does this work there? Who were the core characters and their roles? I noticed Anelka and Diouf move out to the left buying time for the onrush. You play a lot better with Campo in the side imo as he finds space for the second ball and is very intelligent at spotting runs.

 

Anelka was a masterstroke imo.

 

 

[Mr Logic]

This has obviously been agreed behind the scenes ages ago, if he gets the job so quickly which may explain a number of things at our end and Bolton's. If so, will this be a first, the club actually planning something in advance? Still why get rid of Roeder with just one game to go? Ah, who cares now.

 

Possibly Roeder was informed Watford would be his last game in charge, so he took control the only way he could by resigning on the spot.

 

Anyway, regarding Sam, (of which I am now 95% convinced is the next boss), the optimist in me, (which always surfaces at change of boss time), is well pleased and looking forward to great changes.

 

And a word of advice to Shepherd, stay the fuck out of footballing decisions and give Sam free reign.

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

Good morning everyone. Bolton fan here. I hope you will allow me to post my views.

 

Let's safely assume that Sam is your new gaffer - nailed on in my opinion. Outside of old Purple Cheeks and The Chosen One you've just got yourselves the best manager in the PL. The only other one that comes anywhere near is Hughes at Blackburn.

 

It's nothing short of miraculous what he and his team achieved at Bolton over the last eight years. He's had peanuts to spend, prior to the £8.5 million he was given to get Andy Johnson, which was ultimately spent on Anelka. You guys, along with many similar big wealthy clubs have spent millions upon millions in a vain attempt to achieve what Allardyce has achieved for us. (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Manchester City also spring to mind.)

 

I thought Allardyce had taken us as far as he could. I rate Sammy Lee as a replacement but I am concerned about our short-term future.

 

You guys need a major clear-out, take a deep breath and watch the big man go about it. Only problem you will have is your numbskull chairman, and some of your more enthusiastic supporters. Allardyce had a 10 year contract in 2000. Freddy will want results within a year - again. That won't happen. Nor would it for any other manager.

 

Finally, I find the forthcoming scenario with Alan Shearer fascinating. Him and Sam appear to get on well when they meet as pundits. I wonder what their relationship will be like if Shearer continues to be allowed to lurk like a malevolent spirit in the background? That issue will go one of two ways. Sam will make him part of his team or he will blow him away, big style. There will be no middle option.

 

I hope it works out for you. Your fans deserve success - even if your owners don't.  8)

 

 

Did I read you correctly when you said that Allardyce is bettered only by Ferguson and Mourinho? Meaning Big Sam is better than Wenger?

 

 

I genuinely believe that Allardyce is a better manager than Wenger - and the Fat Waiter at Liverpool too. A bunch of us were debating this very issue last year and a pal of mine summed it up very succinctly. "Allardyce could do a great job at Arsenal or Liverpool, whilst neither Wenger nor Benitez could effectively manage Bolton Wanderers." It stacks up for me.

[Skirge]

I wonder if Fred will immit his staffing if he does come, SSN just reported he had 29 members of staff at Bolton. 

He can have Clarky and Terry Mac if he comes here..

[Parky]

Good morning everyone. Bolton fan here. I hope you will allow me to post my views.

 

Let's safely assume that Sam is your new gaffer - nailed on in my opinion. Outside of old Purple Cheeks and The Chosen One you've just got yourselves the best manager in the PL. The only other one that comes anywhere near is Hughes at Blackburn.

 

It's nothing short of miraculous what he and his team achieved at Bolton over the last eight years. He's had peanuts to spend, prior to the £8.5 million he was given to get Andy Johnson, which was ultimately spent on Anelka. You guys, along with many similar big wealthy clubs have spent millions upon millions in a vain attempt to achieve what Allardyce has achieved for us. (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Manchester City also spring to mind.)

 

I thought Allardyce had taken us as far as he could. I rate Sammy Lee as a replacement but I am concerned about our short-term future.

 

You guys need a major clear-out, take a deep breath and watch the big man go about it. Only problem you will have is your numbskull chairman, and some of your more enthusiastic supporters. Allardyce had a 10 year contract in 2000. Freddy will want results within a year - again. That won't happen. Nor would it for any other manager.

 

Finally, I find the forthcoming scenario with Alan Shearer fascinating. Him and Sam appear to get on well when they meet as pundits. I wonder what their relationship will be like if Shearer continues to be allowed to lurk like a malevolent spirit in the background? That issue will go one of two ways. Sam will make him part of his team or he will blow him away, big style. There will be no middle option.

 

I hope it works out for you. Your fans deserve success - even if your owners don't.  8)

 

 

Did I read you correctly when you said that Allardyce is bettered only by Ferguson and Mourinho? Meaning Big Sam is better than Wenger?

 

 

I genuinely believe that Allardyce is a better manager than Wenger - and the Fat Waiter at Liverpool too. A bunch of us were debating this very issue last year and a pal of mine summed it up very succinctly. "Allardyce could do a great job at Arsenal or Liverpool, whilst neither Wenger nor Benitez could effectively manage Bolton Wanderers." It stacks up for me.

 

Benny Benitez is wildly overrated.

[Mr Logic]

Wildly? Second champions league final coming up.

[Parky]

Wildly? Second champions league final coming up.

 

Percentage football, tedious to watch at times. Regimented. 2 holding players. No risks. Will get tonked in the final proper. Not the Livrpool style of old.

Where would they be without Gerrard? Just my opinion. I really don't rate him that highly. Good manager but not great. Went an bought all the wrong strikers. Has bought 3/4 complete muppets on top of that. This was the year they were meant to challenge for the league?

 

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

 

 

How does this work there? Who were the core characters and their roles? I noticed Anelka and Diouf move out to the left buying time for the onrush. You play a lot better with Campo in the side imo as he finds space for the second ball and is very intelligent at spotting runs.

 

Anelka was a masterstroke imo.

 

 

 

You've got it, pretty much. Kevin Davies would have had 10 England caps by now if he wore a Spurs shirt (or dare I say it, NUFC?) He's a far better target man than Crouch. Bolton have one of the fittest squads in the PL and the midfield gets up very quickly to support the front men. Campo has been wonderful - but his legs are going now.

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

Oh, and how could I forget? Gary Speed is still putting in quality performances,week after week.

 

Who made the decision to let him go from you lot? Criminal, simply criminal. 

[Tooj]

Oh, and how could I forget? Gary Speed is still putting in quality performances,week after week.

 

Who made the decision to let him go from you lot? Criminal, simply criminal.

 

The chairman, although to be fair in his last season here plenty were calling for his head as it looked like his legs were going. Perhaps him playing in the three man central midfield and the fitness regiment at Bolton done him wonders.

[Howaythelads]

Oh, and how could I forget? Gary Speed is still putting in quality performances,week after week.

 

Who made the decision to let him go from you lot? Criminal, simply criminal. 

 

The departure of Speed was well supported on the Toontastic forum, mate. The majority over there had been claiming for ages that he was shit, couldn't pass more than 2 yards. Confirmed by the post just above.

[Guest graemeh72]

Happy or Disappointed?

 

Underwhelmed, he's not my first choice by a long shot - but if its him then so be it.

 

 

[JH]

This from today's Mirror is quite interesting:

 

Allardyce will offer them a managerial blueprint that will shake Newcastle to the core and a pledge to deliver stylish, attacking football.

 

He will be ordered to set about his own revolution in the way they prepare for games on and off the field.

 

Crucially, he will try to provide an adventurous brand of football, coupled with defensive solidity.

 

He has been criticised by some sceptical Newcastle fans for his super-organised power play at Bolton, which has aggravated rivals across the Premiership.

 

But Allardyce will vow that, because of the players he will inherit and be able to buy at Newcastle, he can produce a side playing "a different way once in charge of a top club".

 

Allardyce's Newcastle team will be underpinned by his core values, including fierce collective spirit, discipline and organisation, learned by hard work in training.

 

And he will also demand a back room staff experienced enough to introduce his techniques that helped Bolton, including data analysis of performance, motivational videos, psychology and Chinese medicine, yoga and tai chi.

 

Allardyce is a potent mix of old school and innovation, which Shepherd hopes will boost their disillusioned fans.

 

The ex-Bolton man appreciated the merits of a good bonding night out - for staff or players. He said: "There's scientists who will tell you that spirit, because it can't be measured, doesn't exist. B******s. It does exist. And when you see it in a group of footballers, it can be very powerful."

 

In the transfer market Allardyce has plundered players from 17 countries and 12 leagues and installed international business recruitment experts to help new foreign recruits.

 

One reservation raised on Tyneside is Bolton's style. Yet Allardyce always hoped to evolve that when dealing with greater resources. He believes his sides have never played more long balls than Liverpool or Chelsea only, when the aristocrats use them, they are seen as a long pass.

 

And in a message to suitors he said: "If I was manager of a top club, with top players and huge resources, my players would be better than the other team's 95 per cent of the time. We would play a different style to Bolton."

 

It sounds good in theory, if Allardyce can put it into practice, there's no reason why he can't be a success here. He seems a much better manager than the previous two in terms of organisation, tactics etc.

[Guest nufc 4 life]

Form guide

 

Glenn Roeder's dreadful run of results ultimately proved his undoing and few would argue that he deserved to keep his job based on what was certainly relegation form over his final 16 games:

 

P16  W4  D5  L7  Pts 17

 

So why on earth would anyone even contemplate employing a manager whose form over the same 16 games reads:

 

P16  W4  D4  L8  Pts 16

 

So who is that manager? Could it be one of the relegated duo Aidy Boothroyd or Alan Pardew? No, it's Sam Allardyce - seemingly our next manager....

 

from .com

 

This could be though that he had a mind to leave, but still no excuse

 

 

[BlufPurdi]

Nor are they new.

[Guest nufc 4 life]

i was happy until i saw the stats posted in the other topic found by me lol

[Guest nufc 4 life]

oh they've been merged

[Baggio]

Oh, and how could I forget? Gary Speed is still putting in quality performances,week after week.

 

Who made the decision to let him go from you lot? Criminal, simply criminal. 

 

From Sir Bobby's book. A small part of Chapter 20. Undermined.

 

Bolton did manage to poach Gary Speed from us, however, and therein lies another tale of how disjointed the manager-chairman relationship had become. On our tour to the Far East, John Carver suddenly informed me, 'We've had an offer for Gary Speed from Bolton.' I knew nothing about it, so I went in search of the chairman for clarification. On no account did I want Gary Speed to leave. First I caught up with the player himself.

'Gary, what's all this about you wanting to go to Bolton Wanderers? I know nothing about it. The chairman hasn't mentioned it to me. When John Carver told me an hour ago I was aghast. What do you want to go to Bolton for?'

'The club are going to let me go,' Gary said. 'If you don't know anything about it, you'd better see the chairman.'

'As far as I'm concerned, you're not going to Bolton Wanderers,' I told him 'You're staying here'

That Saturday night, the day of our game, I tried the chairman's room, reception, the restaurant and the bar. Eventually, I was told he was out. I was so angry I sat in the foyer, waiting, for half an hour. Finally, the chairman's figure appeared in the doorway and I confronted him there and then. Under cross examination he denied all knowledge of Gary's impending move. It was heading into the realms of farce. The next step, naturally, was to go back to Gary. I spoke to him on our flight from Hong Kong.

'The chairman says he knows nothing about this Bolton thing,' I said and left it there. We arrived back in Newcastle on the Monday morning and, early that afternoon, the chairman called me. 'Gary Speed's in here with me, he wants to see you. He wants to say goodbye,' he said.

'What?' I exclaimed.

The deal had been completed that morning. Fifty years in the game have taught me that you cannot construct a transfer in four hours. The idea that a player of Gary Speed's calibre can be sold in four hours is absurd and yet I was being told throughout the weekend that the club knew nothing of Bolton's interest in one of our most valued players.

'Gary, this is not my doing,' I told him. 'I want to keep you.' Having let Hugo Viana go back to Portugal, to play more football, we had lost two left footed midfielders. I needed to plug that hole and so, when my indignation had subsided, I gave the chairman four names - Nicky Butt, Michael Carrick, Mark Van Bommel and Sean Davis.

'Why don't you bring Carrick in, he's talented, and he's a Geordie,' I suggested but the chairman was reluctant to pay West Ham £3 million for Carrick's services. His view was that he could acquire him for £500,000 in the January transfer window. Freddy Shepherd honestly believed that Carrick would not move to any Premier league club but Newcastle. He was in the last year of his contract at Upton Park - hence Freddy's belief that West Ham would have to unload him for a reduced fee in January.

I told him 'Look, chairman, if another club comes in and pays West Ham the money they're looking for, they will not turn that money down.' Michael Carrick signed for Tottenham Hotspur that summer.

 

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

An interesting tale which only confirms what I suspected about Fat Freddie. There'll be a big bang if he tries to pull a stroke like that on Allardyce - and there'll be bits of Chairman all over Tyne & Wear. 

 

Saying that Bolton Wanderers poached Speed is a bit strong though, on that evidence. Don't you think?

[Gallowgate Toon]

yer but .com should look at this:

 

Bolton 7th (6th when Fat Sam left)

 

Newcastle 13th

and this is with a supposedly inferior team. Bolton were going through a bad patch in the season and still are but recent results mean nothing, its the big picture .com should be looking at.

[Baggio]

An interesting tale which only confirms what I suspected about Fat Freddie. There'll be a big bang if he tries to pull a stroke like that on Allardyce - and there'll be bits of Chairman all over Tyne & Wear. 

 

Saying that Bolton Wanderers poached Speed is a bit strong though, on that evidence. Don't you think?

 

I don't think Sir Bobby meant it like that as the bit above was taken from the middle of a chapter.

 

Just his choice of words.

[Guest Bolton Zulu]

I know.  8)

[Karjala]

 

It's nothing short of miraculous what he and his team achieved at Bolton over the last eight years. He's had peanuts to spend, prior to the £8.5 million he was given to get Andy Johnson, which was ultimately spent on Anelka. You guys, along with many similar big wealthy clubs have spent millions upon millions in a vain attempt to achieve what Allardyce has achieved for us. (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Manchester City also spring to mind.)

 

OK, i know that as far as trophies go we both have zero to show, but what exactly has Allardyce achieved at Burlton apart from finishing in the top 10?

I'd like to think for the millions weve spent, weve challenged for the Premiership title 3 times, played in the Champions league twice, played in Europe pretty much every season, reached 2 FA Cup finals...