Even by today’s current lifespan of football managers, being lauded as a future England manager one week to receiving a P45 the next is impressive. Yet, like Chris Hughton a week earlier, Sam Allardyce leaves Blackburn with his reputation largely intact.
Instead it’s the owners who, yet again, are justifiably taking the brunt of the criticism. When Venky’s took over at Ewood Park they came with apparently modest ambitions.
According to chair Anuradha J Desai the immediate aim was for Rovers to become a club around 10th-12th in the Premier League, with players leased in - or loaned, to you and me. On the face of it, Allardyce seemed a perfect fit.
In one swift move the Rao family have eroded a significant proportion their credibility. If Allardyce was genuinely sacked because he didn’t match the owner’s ambition then that statement was a lie.
If though, as stories seem to indicate, it was due to the involvement of the Kentaro agency in recruiting players then that is a worrying development and one Allardyce is well within his rights to stand his ground over. As Tor-Kristian Karlsen said on Twitter, sub-contracting a club’s transfer operations to an agency is not right.
Granted, Rovers hardly helped Big Sam’s position with an abject capitulation to Manchester United. But given their size and squad, Blackburn were holding their own.
What’s more, although the tactics weren’t pretty and were classic Allardyce, he’d been investing wisely and Rovers had more guile to their play than many gave them credit for.
Replacing Allardyce will not be an easy task. There are few available managers who would be likely to improve on Rovers’ current position. What’s more, with the players supportive of their ex-boss, the new manager will inherit a difficult dressing room.
Allardyce himself leaves with his reputation largely unsullied. Neither the man nor his teams may be easy to love but he was effective and was respected, even if he is certainly not the England management material some journalists have elevated him to be.
Football being what it is, Big Sam will probably be prowling the touchline again before too long, if not pleasing the aesthetically-minded. As for Blackburn, depending on who they appoint, they could find themselves rapidly reassessing their 12th place wish for something a lot more unpleasant at the bottom of the table.
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Tags: Big Sam, Blackburn Rovers, Sam Allardyce, Venkey's
It couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke. Ho ho.
I thought Big Sam was Manchester United’s assistant manager, he certainly acts like it. The Premiership will not be a poorer place without him.
Sort of agree with the article, and with Ben here. Allardyce just not likeable, and I can’t offer much sympathy. I don’t particularly like the way Venky’s have handled this, but mainly in the sense they should have ousted Big Sam immediately if they were going to do it at all, rather than in this back handed manner.