da supremo： When Big Sam was mentioned as a possible England manager, many people laughed.
da casino： They thought the FA couldn’t possibly be serious about a man who has won absolutely nothing during his managerial career.
Additionally, he never played in Europe or at international level as a player and is known for the most part as someone that will get you back into the Premier League or at least keep you there by the skin of your teeth.
Allardyce’s style of football is marmite. If you are Sunderland, you will love him and his way, but if you are a supporter of fine flowing, attacking and engaging, gripping football, then you will dislike, with a deep passion, Big Sam’s style.
The FA need to find someone to take the poisoned chalice now that Roy Hodgson has finally stood down after another woeful and humiliating finals tournament. The fans want someone English and there are very few reasonable prospects for the England job.
But here are five reasons why it should be Big Sam…
At Least He’s English
It’s a start. The names that have been talked of include foreign coaches and England have been there before and fared no better. Allardyce being English means he will not need an interpreter and can convey his message clearly.
He knows the English game and the English players and will concentrate his efforts on playing the best way for English football.
Other English candidates would too, but there are a few named that are currently pundits rather than working in the game. At least Sam is currently a manager of a Premier League side.
Other candidates also in employment are about as talented and also have a distinct lack of trophies to show for their work, so maybe Sam is the best of a poor crop.
Boost for West Ham
Hammers fans didn’t really ever take to Big Sam. He did what was asked of him though and that can’t be argued with. Neither can some of his signings, of which a few still remain at West Ham.
The one thing that West Ham fans can hope for is the recognition of some of those players. For whatever reason, Roy Hodgson was blind when it came to the East London team.
Big Sam will know how good Mark Noble is. How safe and attacking minded Aaron Cresswell is and also how much chaos Andy Carroll can cause in a foreign defence. For all of Carroll’s problems, when fit, he has an excellent touch and a nose for goal.
At last West Ham would have three players in an England shirt for the first time in how long?
Something in common…
It’s true to say that neither Big Sam or England are winners.
Yes, he guided Bolton and West Ham to the Premier League and even took Bolton into Europe – for eight games – but on Allardyce’s CV, there is a section missing where it says “honours.”
Fortunately for him, it’s as big as the current England teams roll of honour, so the pair are perfectly matched.
A New Sponsor – Wrigley’s
With the amount of chewing gum that Sam gets through in a match, England might welcome the extra revenue.
Pacing the touchline, with a jaw gyrating at different angles, the gum chewing boss must have jaw ache after 90 minutes. Expect to see the smartly turned out manager in his new blazer with the England badge emblazoned upon his left breast chewing wildly and standing next to the nose picking German boss.
Nice image. Aren’t you proud?
Seriously Though
And there is a serious side…
Allardyce might be the pick of a bad bunch, but you have to doubt whether the team under the Sunderland boss would have been as ill prepared as they were under Hodgson.
His team would have known their jobs individually and collectively. They would have been organised and defensively astute, as he has the best that England have to offer with him. There would have been a game plan, but probably not a plan B.
The midfield would all get neck ache from watching the ball go past and above them, but he would have kicked and clogged his way through each game.
Each player would remain respectful to Big Sam and wouldn’t step out of line in fear of the backlash that Sam wouldn’t be afraid to give.
All in all, if the FA take on Big Sam, they know exactly what they’re getting. Sadly, so do the fans.