Sam Allardyce was sacked from Newcastle on January 9, yet many observers don't actually seem to know why "Big" Sam was given the boot. These are the reasons why.
He was appointed as Glenn Roeder's replacement in May 2007 after quitting his role as manager of Bolton Wanderers. Fans of Newcastle were cautious and some felt Allardyce would attempt to implement his boring negative football.
Still, we gave "Big" Sam a chance—everyone in life deserves at least one. His summer signings were an encouragement: Viduka, Beye, Cacapa, Jose Enrique, Rozenhal, Geremi, Faye, and Smith. Let's see where this goes.
A reasonable victory over Bolton on the first day of the season was nice, but in seeing how Bolton struggled all season it was hardly a world class team. He continued to impress until in my view his position became untenable in five matches.
Portsmouth Home
- B/R Ticket Guide
Defending an unbeaten home record, Sam Allardyce's negative tactics were brutally exposed. Three goals in nine minutes ended the game and Newcastle slumped to a 4-1 defeat.
Liverpool Home
Now let's get this straight. We never expected to beat Liverpool, but the problem was we had just ONE shot on goal all game. We were losing 3-0 and still he was substituting our only attacking threats. Chants of, "You don't know what your doing" rang out.
Derby Away
By far the worst ever Premiership team who only earned one win and guess who they beat...Allardyce set out to contain and sit back against a toothless and utterly terribly side and we were deservedly beaten 1-0. He blamed internationals, but a few months later there were no excuses.
Wigan Away
We lost 1-0 yet again at the JJB, but here's the thing: Sam Allardyce played one up front against ex-Toon man Titus "Crap" Bramble and five at the back against Antoine "Not Good Enough for a Contract" Sibierski. "Allardyce Out" was the chant.
Derby Home
Yet again we set out to contain the worst ever Premiership team and twice they took the lead only for Viduka to twice save Allardyce's job. It was a pitiful performance that any club would have been ashamed of and Allardyce was gone soon after.
I can already see the arguments: give him time, it would work, unpatient Geordies. Let me just inform you, we don't mind crap football and crap results, but only when we see improvement.
Sir Bobby Robson came 11th and we gave him time because we were going in the right direction. Sam Allardyce's negative one up front crap tactics had us heading to the first division, not Europe.
Now do you understand?
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4 months ago
If Allardyce had kept his job Marc we could easily have been looking forward to a season in the Championship, so I agree he had to go.
The general view was that he played a certain way at Bolton, because that was the style that suited the players he had at the club, and his limited budget and Boltons limited potential restricted him from developing them into an attacking side.
All well and good, but why did he try and force this formation and tactical set-up at Newcastle? when it was plain and obvious to every man and his dog, that the players felt alien to it, and we didnt have the personnel to make it effective.
Alan Smith IS NOT a CM. Never has been and never will be, Fergie tried him there for a half season and saw it was not possible for him to adapt into that roll. Smith himself addmitted this when he joined NUFC, so the poor lad must have been wishing he had gone elsewhere when he was forced to play the position week-in week-out at Newcastle.
Charles N'Zogbia is not a LB, He is far too attack minded and has an eye for goal. Another baffling decision, and clearly frustrating one for player and fans.
James Milner was another player who was played out of position continuously under Allardyce, played on the left flank, which is not suited to a very predominantly right footed player.
Square pegs in round holes is obviously a recipie for disaster so Allardyce was the architect of his own downfall.
He had lost the dressing room, that was plain to see. So we were headed in only one direction.
The sacking was the correct decision at just the right time, Keegan had time to help the players recover and show them a new direction, which is how it turned out.
Contrary to popular belief Keegan was not "Hailed as the messiah" by the geordie fans, this was a term created by a certain national newspaper. Newcastle fans dont believe he is some kind of divine saint who can lead us to the promised land.
We know that he is a damn good bloke, with principles and morals, who loves football and knows how to manage players, he also understands NUFC and understands the fans as he is one himself.
So this image the rest of the country has, of the backward geordies drivelling at the feet of Keegan and planning their trips away in the Champions League is just that, a media constructed stereotype that simply isnt true.
I havent spoken to one NUFC fan since Keegan was appointed that believes we will be playing CL football under him. We all understand we are a long long way from that and it will take time to stablize the club, and progress will be slow.
That is the key word here PROGRESS, and we were not achieving it under Allardyce and never looked like achieving it either.
Good read Marc, cheers!
from 4 months ago
And that progress definatly has us going in the right direction as has the new transfer policy, give it a few years and we will be back challenging for Europe consistently.
4 months ago
Great work mate. With you all the way!
from 4 months ago
Cheers thanks for the comment
4 months ago
Well said, someone who writes down all the reasons Allardyce had to go, when I read this article I hate Big Sam even more, he could have been successful but not in the way Newcastle fans wanted
from 4 months ago
Thanks mate
4 months ago
I still think if given time he would have succeeded at Newcastle and was fired way too early. But looking at those results outlined he would have been under severe pressure and didn't handle it in the best way. Slightly un-patient but passionate fans are the Geordies.
Great read
4 months ago
poor big sam, he lost his way. i still have a strange admiration for him, mind you im not a newcastle fan.
from 4 months ago
he can do the job at SMALL clubs, he couldn't adapt to a BIG club
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