By Tony Attwood
Sam Allardyce has won the plodding meander to succeed Roy Hodgson – but only it seems after Arsene Wenger said “non” and reminded the FA that there are some people in the world who, unlike them, believe that contracts are there to be honoured. He said (once again) that he has never broken a contract and had no intention of doing so now, as he moves towards the latter parts of his career.
The word started to go around a few days ago that the FA were asking Mr Wenger to be the new boss, and then the Daily Telegraph confirmed it; Very Large Sam was the second choice after they had moved on and also talked to also fairly rotund Steve Bruce.
So the FA have moved on to the simple job of treating Sunderland with the total contempt that they treat most people and most organisations with. “We’re having him so bugger off,” more or less sums up their approach. Whereas most deals are dependent on agreements between the parties, this doesn’t apply to the FA. They say, they command, they demand. They really are the most appalling organisation, and quite possibly they and Fat Sam (the man who threatened to sue the BBC after they raised the issue about all his misdemeanours in terms of footballing rules, and then singularly failed to do so) deserve each other.
It doesn’t stop here of course because the Large One will also want to go around nicking backroom staff. Eddie Howe has been mentioned, so another club loses out just as the season is starting. But does the FA care? Of course not.
The FA were particularly said to be impressed with Allardyce’s track record in club management. We can guess the number of trophies won by looking at the clubs
| Season | Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1996 | Blackpool | ||
| 1997–1999 | Notts County | ||
| 1999–2007 | Bolton Wanderers | ||
| 2007–2008 | Newcastle United | ||
| 2008–2010 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| 2011–2015 | West Ham United | ||
| 2015–2016 | Sunderland | ||
There is also talk of his “vision”. And they will undoubtedly have noticed his ability to bend the rules so far that they almost disappear whether it be with the level of fouling or the timewasting.
His first competitive game in charge will be the World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on September 4.
Martin Glenn said, “Everyone we have spoken to about the job is massively enthusiastic about the prospects for England. There were a lot of good things about the Euros…” After that, I sort of lost the will to live for a while. David Moyes, the man who said that the jury was still out on Mesut Ozil, will probably take over at Sunderland.
And there’s one other thing. The Football Association has said that England’s new manager must make a concerted and innovative use of sports psychology to build mental resilience in the face of the “world’s most intensely passionate” media. I wonder if they were still remembering the Fat Man’s fight with the BBC. If that was psychology, it certainly wasn’t covered in the courses I took.
The FA also said that they didn’t want a “short-term mercenary.” So let’s look again that Fat Sam’s past. We have seen how often he has dedicated himself to long term service there as a manager, but what of his life as a player?
| Season | Team | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–1980 | Bolton Wanderers | 184 | 21 |
| 1980–1981 | Sunderland | 25 | 2 |
| 1981–1983 | Millwall | 63 | 2 |
| 1983 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 11 | 1 |
| 1983–1984 | Coventry City | 28 | 1 |
| 1984–1985 | Huddersfield Town | 37 | 0 |
| 1985–1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 14 | 0 |
| 1986–1989 | Preston North End | 90 | 2 |
| 1989–1991 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 0 |
| 1991–1992 | Limerick | 23 | 3 |
| 1992 | Preston North End |
But let us ponder for a moment who the FA want the England team to play. While Leicester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham are being ordered to play the teams of a nation whose athletes have been found guilty of state sponsored doping, we are going to be asked to support a national team that might well be drawn against that country in a competitive game. Did the FA think we might not notice that there is only one Russia and it has been found guilty of doping in every sport?
It sort of trails off at that point. Never mind. Whoever thought ethics had anything to do with the FA and its bedfellow.
Today’s special anniversary
Today we commemorate the birth of Tom Whittaker, one of the four managers who between 1930 and 1953 transformed Arsenal from a club that had never won anything to the most famous club in the world, and the club that had won more titles than any other in the Football League.
We have asked Arsenal FC to erect a commemorative monument to celebrate the work of the men who undertook this transformation: Herbert Chapman, Joe Shaw, George Allison and Tom Whittaker.
- An interview with Arsenal supporting John-Bull-Brexit by Patrick Chigwell-Smith
- It had to happen: after 21 days we’ve almost run out of players to buy and sell
- The 1932 Arsenal cup final with action replays, and 3 Arsenal stars kicking football into a washing machine.
- Referee behaviour will change this coming season – but there’s nothing to suggest things will improve.
Mediocrity for England with a mediocre Fat Sam at the helm! Hoorah the sweet FA have done it again….chosen a man whose most famous achievement is not being in prison for his various crimes!
This is so funny, IF ONLY the flying circus was still on TV…..what a great show they could do about Fat Sam, the england team and he sweet FA!
How much is a manager worth in transfer value? I understand there is an issue between the FA & Sunderland over compensation for Allardyce, with £2 million being offered and rejected. How much value would Arsenal have put on Wenger had he have been interested and accepted the role?
2018 (if it even takes place) is going to be one tournament that will go down in history as a complete disaster. It should not be allowed to happen.
My argument against this appointment is pure and simple. What did he win as a player? What trophies has he won as a Manager? We need to have a proven winner in post. Period.
Here we go again . Just hope he doesn’t really rate any of the current English players at Arsenal and leaves them all out of his future squads .
Somehow I don’t think he will complete his contract . Just a hunch , see .
How could you publish his playing history without showing his cards? They are about the only things he won in football!!
Let’s hope his well publicised dislike of Arsene will stop him from picking any of our players.
Selfish I know, but think of all the injured players that have returned from international duties.
To those of you hoping he won’t pick any Arsenal players….Wilshere will be the first name on his team sheet. It’s so obvious.
And when we return home after the first round we will appoint a new wonder manager.
The peoples wonder manager yours and mine your one and only Robbie Savage!
Can’t wait!
So Arsene Wenger is your first choice but Sam Allardyce second?????
I don’t think I could find two different footballing philosophies both men represent.
Who’s in charge of the selection process for the FA, Doctor Jekkyl and Hyde?
Another pop at Russia, eh? Cheap shot.
It is this sort of reporting critical again and again of one nation that is used to justify things like war. That might sound strong, but it is only a couple of weeks after the Chilcot Report exposed how the British state conducted the 2003 Iraq War, with all its dire consequences. I remember the years of anti-Saddam Hussain propaganda that led to that one.
Have a look at the witness statements in the Chilcot Report. Perhaps you will be as horrified as I am at how glibly everyone seems to talk about war. And this in a nuclear age. Stigmatising one particular nation or its leader is the way justification for war is built up.
Personally, I’ll be glad when the season starts and this web site starts talking about Arsenal instead of serving up cheap cliches about the European Union and Russia.
Both are Tom, both I think… 🙂 LOL
As a supporter of the England team I wish Sam all the best. Qualification should be quite easy, but beyond that I doubt we’ll do any better than usual. Hopefully the tournament will be abandoned before it even gets to Russia.
If he’s finally given the England manager appointment, let’s hope and pray for big Sam Allardyce and his new England squad will be successful for England after the disappointment the estwile England manager, Roy Hudgson and England national team had suffered at the last Euro 2016 tournament in France.
Since I am an England national team supporter 2nd to my supporting my country national team the Super Eagle, I cannot embrace the club managerial hot rivalry and unfriendly partisanship which had existed in the past between the Boss and Sam Allardyce. But to look forward to see him and England succeed in all the competitions they will partake in is my ultimate wish.
As for the 2018 World Cup planned to be staged in Russia by Fifa, let’s wait to see the way the pendulum of hosting that tourney in Russia will finally swung as fresh doping allegation has seriously indicted Russia and implicated them badly. But will this proven large scale State sponsored doping indictment lead to stripping Russia their hosting rights of the 2018 World Cup? We have to wait to see.
If he’s finally given the England manager appointment, let’s hope and pray for big Sam Allardyce and his new England squad will be successful for England after the disappointment the erstwhile England manager, Roy Hudgson and the England national team had suffered at the last Euro 2016 tournament in France.
Since I am an England national team supporter 2nd to my supporting my country’s national team the Super Eagles, I cannot embrace the clubs managerial hot rivalries and unfriendly partisanship which had existed in the past between the Boss and Sam Allardyce. But to look forward to see him and England succeed in all the competitions they will partake in is my ultimate wish.
As for the 2018 World Cup planned to be staged in Russia by Fifa, let’s wait to see the way the pendulum of hosting that tourney in Russia will finally swung as fresh doping allegation has seriously indicted Russia and implicated them badly. But will this proven large scale State sponsored doping indictment lead to stripping Russia their hosting rights of the 2018 World Cup? We have to wait to see.
He can’t do any worse than his predecessors
How could they miss Pulis!! and ‘arry the tax. The best of English managers. The blessings are that Arsenal don’t have to face Big Sams brand of kick n’ run.
Looking forward to the Internationals with pundits laying out the red carpet …………. ready to pull it away ……. just like that!
Delighted to hear that Allardyce is next to receive the “kiss of death” and manage the national side. The post couldn’t go to a more suitable guy.
The future of the England football team deteriorates by each tournament in which it takes part.
Since the obscene escalation in players’ wages, those chosen for inclusion in the national squad, are no longer hungry for success. They live in luxury and now consider the odd international cap merely as an acknowledgement of achievement.
While a full house at Wembley Stadium will always be attained for home internationals, the support for the national side is waning.
The excitement, effort and performance displayed at domestic club level, coupled with the increase in tribal loyalty throughout the land only emphasises the shift of support away from international level.
And it is difficult to foresee a change in the fortunes of the national side.
To your mind , what does it say of the FA and English game in general that Fat Sam was the best candidate among the many (?) millions of English coaches considered for the post?
Here are some possible answers – and these are seemingly so positive !
a. It is a match made in heaven , and always meant to be .
b. What an totally inspired and very apt choice .
c. His playing and managerial records speak for themselves .
d. It was always his childhood dream in wanting to very badly manage the England team .
e. It had to be an Englishman ; or it would seem like a slap in the face for those who worked so hard to extricate Britain from the rest of Europe .
And how do think the FA and Arsene Wenger interview really went ? It was most probably conducted by phone , as both sides were never really interested in each other in the first place .
Did AW laugh throughout it all , or was he a true gentleman enough to respond rather kindly as would any good French mime ?
Didn’t he win the FA Cup?
@Tony. Only in his dream. Moreover, FA Cup is no trophy since Wenger has won it SIX times!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cn4imeRWIAEHB6V.jpg
The above link was posted by Eduardo over at PA. Hope the FA are aware of this when appointing Big Sam.
Good link Mandy. Truth be told he got that right. Too bad he’s had a memory slip since.
Yes, Leon, hard to argue with him there…..not sure about the receptionist being bought into it though!i
Hold on a minute.
Wiki says Sam managed Notts County to the third division title back in 1997/8, so he’s a proven winner!
I’m not sure any quality manager would really want the job for any reason except a big pay cheque.