Fat Head Falls Foul Of New Owners

BLACKBURN SEE SENSE AND DITCH ALLARDYCE 

After Chris Hughton's shock departure last week another manager with a Toon connection was heading for the dole queue last night as Blackburn and their new owners dispensed with the services of self proclaimed great manager Sam Allardyce. 

Whilst the media outlets run the usual stories about it being a shock etc I don't think many Newcastle fans will be that shocked to tell you the truth and when you think about it I think it makes total sense. 

Blackburn have just been taken over by some new wealthy owners and I’m guessing that their idea of success probably doesn't match a guy who seems to be generally happy to finish 13th/14th/15th etc every season as long as he can mark down another Premier League survival on his CV and can get excited about some Opta stat that apparently makes him the greatest manager in the world. 

Of course the new owners are taking a big risk if they are replacing the "safe" Allardyce with a more risky but attractive appointment but like I say you can half understand that from a new owners point of view. Finishing higher up the league and playing better football is a great way of generating more revenue. It’s of course not as simple as that but my guess is that they are willing to take that gamble rather than just get by with Allardyce. 

I'm sure a lot of people think this is just sour grapes from a Newcastle fan and I can guarantee it isn't, I just think after enduring him at my club for a period of time I am in a decent position to dispel the apparent illusion that he is apparently one of the countries greatest managers. For me he is just still living off doing a half decent job with Bolton - other than that what has he really done? 

Newcastle and the fans got a lot of stick when he left with the accusations that his style of football wasn't good enough for the Geordies who demanded free flowing attacking football. That is a load of media invented rubbish to be fair and the fans would happily have seen a more direct and physical style if it yielded results but it didn't. The team was playing ugly football and losing - what fan is going to be happy paying to see that?? 

There is also the accusation that the owner didn't back him - in his first summer he spent around 15 or 20 million on players and also brought in a couple of expensive free transfers as well as about 20 backroom staff. Unfortunately he spent the money on the likes of Alan Smith, Casapa, Geremi and Viduka that was the issue - he had money and wasted it with possibly the only good thing to come out of his reign being Jose Enrique but even he struggled to begin with and was more a signing for the future rather than someone to make an impact straight away.

I think he is just an average manager with an over inflated ego and I think Blackburn have seen sense to be honest. The day he takes charge of England is the day I give up on the national team altogether. 

For me there is only one real job Allardyce would be good at. I think he is a good short term manager so he should maybe think about hiring himself out as some kind of freelance football fire-fighter. A team like West Ham in trouble at the minute could sack Grant and get him in until the end of the season - chances are he could keep them up and then move onto another job. As a long term manager he is useless for me yet the sad thing is there will no doubt be another team out there who will employ him and settle for mediocrity. Give me a roller-coaster ride over boring dross any day of the week. 

http://www.toonarmyblog.co.uk/news/2010/December/14/fat-head-fired1.php

Comments

[Peter Mannion]

WHAT?!?!? You gave the guy two seconds at your club and you wonder why he didnt do anything???

Allardyce's record speaks for itself. He's never been relagated as a Premier League manager and has guided pretty much every team he's ever managed to either promotion, Europe or a good league position.

Newcastle fans are possibly the best and worst fans in the world. You're so passionate about football, which is so inspiring but on the other hand you aren't happy unless Kevin Keegan or Alan Shearer are in charge, and... oh wait and look what happened last time that happened!

You need to wake up and smell a bit of reality you have Allardyce 24 games in charge and if you look at who your best players are this season then you might have been better sticking with him.

Nolan: bought by Allardyce from Bolton. He's your captain and possibly been your best performer this season.

Barton: bought by Allardyce from Man City. Despite still having some a few 'problems' he's been outstanding for you this season.

Carroll: If you look at how Allardyce lines up his teams he would have undoubtedly played a major role under him.

You're so scathing in your article yet you've now got Pardew. I know who i'd rather have in charge...

Peter

[Denis]

Absolutely spot-on this blog. The new owners are getting stick from the media for sacking Allardyce. The fans are glad to get rid and significantly, Jack Walker would have sacked him.
How many times does your team have to be shown last on MOTD before somebody gets the message. He was damaging the Premiership brand. He kept us up which was a relief, but there comes a point when it just isn't worth it. No respect for Blackburn from any quarter since Hughes left. That's the trouble though, anybody who does a half-decent job doesn't stay.
Now Big Al is reported to want a crack at the job. He would be well received here for obvious reasons. I suspect though he will back at SJP as soon as the owners change. Who could blame him. And if he has half the impact he had last time he was here - we would remain grateful for years.