I’ve finally discovered why I have much more time and appreciation for Sam Allardyce than I do for some of our past managers, and that bizarrely came from watching the League 1 Play-Off Final, local pub matches, non-league football and the news that came from after Chelsea’s winning of The Europa League Final. I appreciate this sounds strange, but if you continue to read on you’ll possibly see my point.
This past week Chelsea beat Benfica in the Europa League Final. A game that saw penalty drama, a last minute winner, a goal from Torres and John Terry hogging the limelight. John Terry wasn’t even on the bench and yet went to celebrate with his team mates at full time. Whereas I’d normally say there is nothing wrong with that, yet again Terry donned his full kit and celebrated as if he’d scored the winner. Worse still, he had specially made boots with the game and date embroidered into them. I’m unsure if I’m missing something, but I don’t understand the logic behind getting a pair of boots celebrating an event you’re not involved in. Maybe I should get ‘Monaco Grand Prix 2013’ engraved into the bonnet of my Nissan Micra this coming week?
And then there’s Sam Saunders. Sam is a Brentford player who played against Yeovil, coming on as substitute on Sunday in the Play-Off Final. Now, I’m all for players taking their opportunity and trying to make an impact in what may have been biggest game of his career, BUT when you’re warming up and waiting to come on, please don’t spend ages doing your hair. Football is already fast becoming soft and a non-contact sport, to make sure you look nice before coming on the pitch, to me at least, is laughable.
And THIS is part of the reason I like and respect Allardyce and the direction he’s taken us in. With Sam what you see is what you get. Other than Carroll and Tomkins, it’s very rare to see one of our players play with intricately coiffured hair. Carroll we can forgive as he’s 6ft 4 and an absolute brick outhouse of a bloke. Tomkins? Well he’s young and he’s always been that way. As it’s just him being a pretty boy, we’ll let him off. On a serious note though, Sam is a breath of fresh air. In a time where even at the poor level of six-a-side and local Sunday league, players have personalised accessories, hairbands and day-glo boots, Allardyce has a no-nonsense and successful approach to the game and doesn’t rely on players who flick their hair more than a football to do the talking on the pitch. I’ve seen linesmen wearing Predators, overweight goalkeepers in expensive gloves with their own names emblazoned upon them and players go down with ‘cramp’ in the dying minutes of six a side games to kill time.
When you think Sam has instilled our players with grit, determination and a no nonsense attitude, this is something that deep down we should be proud of. We are often labeled a ‘long ball side’ we win ‘ugly’ and we have stopped playing in an exciting way that us, the fans, had become accustomed to. Well, Newcastle are in fact the long ball kings of the Premiership. A team that battled with relegation for long periods of the season under the watchful stewardship of former boss Alan Pardew. For the sake of decency and concerns that Mr Pardew’s legal team might shut the website down, I am keeping my opinions of the ex-boss to myself. Sam’s West Ham had us beating Chelsea 3-1, dominate Manchester United for long periods over TWO games, have an excellent home record in our first season back in the top flight and at no point concede a goal against long-ball merchants Newcastle. At no point was there a threat of relegation and despite the media attention and bias, we played some really good, flowing football.
So, in closing and to sum up my thoughts in a non-rant manner, I suppose what I’m saying is I’m happy with the ‘ugly’ football. Instead of a wannabe-Ronaldo, I’d rather have a Joey O’Brien. Do we want to see a pretty boy skipping on to the pitch or the likes of a James Collins giving his all, heart and soul, fists pumping? Our results have not been fluke, there has been a higher rate of consistency than was expected from a promoted side and we have to look at the positives. Earlier this season I was bemoaning the fact that we didn’t have a maverick or a show pony, my opinion on this has changed. I’m more than happy that we have a team and not individuals. The traits and character of each squad member, to me, echoes back to the likes of David Cross, Billy Bonds, Julian Dicks and more recently Tomas Repka. If Sam has given our side this sort of identity and psyche as opposed to the ‘charms’ listed above that make my blood boil, then I at no point can complain aboout his contract extension.
And I don’t believe we play ugly football!
Peace out
Smudgy
@TheRobTaylor32
Did JT not play in all of the previous Europa league matches?
Many Many Many players have missed a final due to injury or suspension they still celebrate. And they still wear the kit. In fact in european matches it is the rule that you must be wearing your kit to celebrate.
Did john Terry bang your wife or something? cause that would give you a good reason to hold him to a different level of criticism then anyone else.. Or are you just a crap journo?
Oh come on mate, there is celebrating with the team that won the game and there is taking over. As for the kit side of things there were others there in suits on the pitch celebrating. (Wasn’t Demba Ba involved on the pitch without playing) As for Crap Journo, as your only commen. Jog plastic.
Demba ba did not feature for chelsea in the europa league. he was cup tied with newcastle.
Week journalisim, just trying to get more readers by talking about Terry, or Terry banged his missus and he has a grudge : )
John terry played a massive role in Chelsea winning the Europa cup. He got Chelsea eliminated from the champions league!!
Really good read mate and I think most if us feel that way, but the minority are always the more vocal. In truth we see our football heritage through rise tinted glasses and used to look down our noses at big SAMs teams as his football is direct and uncultured. We don’t play long ball but we ate more direct, we play traditional English football that no one moaned about but loved on the 70’/80’s/90’s. unfortunately There seems to be a lot more snobbery in football nowadays. I also like our football at the moment and liked Bolton when the likes of ococha, djorkaeff and campo played. I was for Sam getting the job when he did cus I was sick of the shambles that our club had become. He’s performed absolute miricles in the last 2 years and we are fortunate to have him and our chairmen running our fantastic club. Trust they will do the business again in the transfer window and think another top 10 finish will ensue next year which would be a success in my opinion. Coyi’s!
I agree on the majority of your post, however I disagree on the “playboy style” approach to the game. So what if someone wants to look the part, if their tearing the opposition apart and scoring goals then whats the problem? I mean, I’d rather have a fashion conscious Ronaldo than a useless no-nonsense Lee Cattermole.
Well written and totally agree that big sam has done a great job for us,especially as we still have 10 of the starting 11 from the play off final ! speaks volumes for the strong togetherness he has instilled in us,as for JT cant really blame him for celebrating with his team mates,stitching in the boots a overboard agreed.COYIs
I’m glad to see someone agree with me – I have been ranting on about this fancy football lark since long before we got relegated.
Sam gave the lads what they needed discipline & along with fitness & integrity – I am so pleased Sam is staying – & Andy Carroll I don’t care about his hair its his feet & scoring goals that I’m concerned with.
Well said & written Smudgy. It’s always great to know when someone admits to being wrong & for that respect must be given by the bucket load.
I’ve stated in the past when Big Sam was manager of Bolton, that I hated him because I was mad that a club like Bolton could beat us……….Every time we played them. I always felt that we had a divine right to beat them (which was Nonsense), but beat them I felt we should. I was wrong for believing that and deluded. I suspect many supporters up and down the country hate him for those very same reasons and tag him Unfairly with the long ball tag. He plays a mixed “BRITISH” game which utilises many aspects of our game. As has been noted, there are other teams that ACTUALLY play a long ball game but are not tagged for it by the fashion conscious media.
There are many things I like about Big Sam, his honesty is a major plus, but what I like most about what he has done for our club, is the fact that we are no longer SOFTIES!
I remember seeing a West Ham TV interview of Joey O’Brien when he managed to earn a contract at the club, he was beaming from ear to ear, he was so chuffed. That guy epitomises the spirit and never say die attitude that Big Sam has instilled in this club. Long may it continue!
COYI
Rarely has a piece got it so right! JT is and always will be a wank! And Big Sam has finally been given the recognition he deserves! Happy days! COYI!
For Christ sake, stop moaning! I notice you like to finish up with “Peace out” Maybe you should take the “Peace out of yourself” Your rants are as old as my jokes!
Well written and agreed with. The way we have played (and won) matches has been fine. And in any case, where did prettier football get us? Give the man a chance and let us see just how good the football can become over the next few years.
Our side, our club were an absolute travesty on the brink of collapse when the chairmen moved in. Mistakes were made, but they were the first part of a jigsaw which will ensure that we never have to consider bankruptcy again. Then our players were not playing as a team. They were dissolute, unhappy and had been for a long long time. When Sam arrived, I was horrified like many others and I cannot believe I was such a bloody twat to do so.
Within days the atmosphere changed. I love seeing the players smiling , good natured.. aye and the atmos within the squad vs Mr Rooney, Sralix and the rest… Sam comes across as a genuine, honest, lovely bloke and I am bloody glad we have him. My favourite moment of the season? After THAT goal, tv swings to Sam’s face…….. and his joy, his face. Well he cares more than we do, doesn’t he?
Terry: won’t waste breath on him.