manager Sam Allardyce is responsible for some of my all time favourite football quotes.
When in charge of Bolton, ‘Big Sam’ claimed his achievements would have been far more recognized had be been called Sam ‘Allardicci’, in reference to British managers not getting a fair crack of the whip with regards to big jobs.
A couple of years later – Allardyce was at it again, this time at Blackburn. Crying out to those that would listen, that he deserved an opportunity at one of Europe’s top clubs, and his managerial talent was simply wasted at the likes of Bolton and Blackburn.
“I’m not suited to Bolton or Blackburn, I would be more suited to Inter Milan or Real Madrid. It wouldn’t be a problem to me to go and manage those clubs because I would win the double or the league every time,” he boldly claimed.
“Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s not where I’m suited to, it’s just where I’ve been for most of the time. It’s not a problem to take me into the higher reaches of the Champions League or Premier League and would make my job a lot easier in winning it.”
Dillusional perhaps? Or did Allardyce have a point?
At this time there did appear to be something of a bias against British managers being given the top jobs. But after Steve McClaren’s tenure in charge of England, you can understand why. But now times appear to be changing, with Allardyce and his British counterparts seemingly receiving more recognition for their efforts.
Since 2009 the amount of British managers given top jobs seems to have risen. We have seen the likes of Roy Hodgson, Harry Redknapp, Mark Hughes and more recently Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert given opportunities at top Premier League clubs, as well as the national team in Hodgson’s case, something that did not seem to be in fashion before. Allardyce himself was given an opportunity he somewhat wasted at Newcastle.
None have been an overwhelming success if truth be told. Hodgson found himself sacked after six months at Liverpool, Hughes was also dismissed at Manchester City after failure to challenge for the Champions League, despite spending in excess of £100million. Harry Redknapp did a decent job at Tottenham before Daniel Levy somewhat controversially relieved him of his duties in the summer, and was the overwhelming favourite for the England job before Hodgson got the gig. Luckily Harry didn’t want it anyway, apparently. Whilst most recently Lambert and Rodgers have both made somewhat unconvincing starts to life in their new jobs in terms of results.
But the amount of opportunities being given to British managers show there has been a change from the days when Big Sam longed to be known as Allardicci. The chances given to British managers seem to have mirrored the fortunes of the England national team.
The influx of foreign managers to the Premier League started during the Sven Goran Erikkson era. The bold decision to give the Swede the England job looked to be paying dividends for England, with some positive results and the ‘golden generation’ emerging.
The likes of Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez, two of Europes top coaches arrived in the Premier League in 2004, and their success alongside the rare positivity surrounding the national team convinced many that foreign coaches were the way to go.
That meant the likes of poor old Sam felt unrecognised for the excellent job he was doing with Bolton, while Jose hogged all the limelight for guiding Chelsea to their first title in 50 years.
Steve McClaren having pipped Allardyce to the England job in 2006 then went about further destroying British managers reputation, with a disastrous tenure in charge resulting in failure to qualify for Euro 2008. In came Fabio Capello, the legendary Italian coach to revive England’s fortunes. But after his nightmare World Cup campaign, everyone seemed to realize the nationality of the coach was irrelevant – England will always disappoint. Why not give the British managers another chance?
A coincidence perhaps, or maybe an example of clubs jumping on the bandwagon? Nevertheless, Allardyce is back impressing plenty with the job he has done at West Ham, winning them promotion in his first year and now overseeing them playing like an established Premier League side.
Pundits have even noticed West Ham are capable of playing some decent football, rather than just the long ball game Allardyce has built a reputation for using to death. It may have taken a while, but Allardyce may finally be getting the recognition he feels he’s deserved for so long.
With Jose Mourinho struggling somewhat at Real Madrid, I just hope we don’t lose Big Sam to La Liga in the coming months.
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