Sam Allardyce, Newcastle’s new manager has given People Sport an extensive interview on what it will take to turn Newcastle United into a club challenging for the top. Unfortunately for Newcastle fans Sam thinks it will take a few years – at best. 🙁
We’ll take a look at what Sam has to say and try to fathom out what it means to Newcastle and their fans.
Sam Allardyce – Success at Last?
Sam Allardye told People Sport today:
“There is no magic wand I can wave.
“We have to accept that we are not quite as good as we think we are. I need time and I need patience and I need support from everyone at the club – and I will especially need support from the fans.
“The bottom line is that the club has not lived up to its expectations for many years now. The closest to bringing it to the level expected was Bobby Robson. But the club has not got to where people think it should be.
“We have to keep it low-key. We can’t just go out there and say if we don’t finish in the top six it’s a miserable season. “It took Sir Alex Ferguson, the best in the world, five years to bring success on a regular basis.
“Clubs who keep their managers longest have more success than those that change their managers on a regular basis. I would hope that I would get those five years. If I am here for five years it would mean I have got what I want and the club has got what it wants – that is a successful business on and off the field. Panic buys are the worst thing you can do.”
Well there’s two ways to look at that. Clubs that keep managers the longest may be because their managers are successful – that was certainly true in Newcastle’s case. To say that because we kept Keegan and Robson – and then they were successful – may be getting it the wrong way round. We kept them a long time because they were almost instantly successful. But we agree there can hardly be stability at the club when we keep changing our managers after a season or two – which Newcastle have done repeatedly.
Sam Continued:
“It’s not about the money, it’s about winning something and I hope most of the players who come here will be like that.”
“We have lost points and millions of pounds because of injuries at this club,”
“The training ground was a squash club. It doesn’t suit what you need to deliver with a group of highly talented individuals at this level.
“We have to make it suit us and we are adjusting it now to accommodate what I need to do to make the players grow. All computers at the training ground now will be scrapped and thrown in the bin and we will bring in a much higher level of technology.”
Certainly the way Sam is recruiting good players for small fees (and free transfers) says that you can build a good team with little funding – which he continually did at Bolton. Also when the training ground at Little Benton was opened a few years back we were told it was a world class center – well guess not. But we like Sam’s plan to reinvent the facilities at Little Benton and are all for his scientific approach to the game. His ex-players say the system Sam uses is frighteningly accurate – and he will take no nonsense from any player about using the system. If they are sceptical about it they are out. At the very least we can now see who really contributes to the team during these games.
Sam continued:
“Keeping information about what you do and how you do it through that technology is a massive part of helping players improve their performances and making a team more successful.”
” I have won championships and promotion and been successful as a player, but never won the Carling Cup or FA Cup.
“As a manager I have grown. Now at St James’ Park I can achieve something I have never done before – win a trophy.
“But it will take time.”
It will be difficult for fans to be patient after so many years of frustration. However, Sam is being sensible and sometimes we fans can be far too optimistic about Newcastle – and that may be a huge understatement :D.
However, we are already seeing Sam make huge positive changes in the way the club is to be run – and at least on this site we are more and more impressed with what he has done and what he wants to do. But Newcastle need to have some type of success – even limited – in the short term. That would be by competing in each game in the Premiership. Last season too many players didn’t turn up mentally for games and we often looked hopeless. We expect Sam to quickly change that mind set – and hope we can have a solid season. Then next summer’s transfer dealings will be even more exciting than is happening right now – and that’s exciting enough.
As Sam says we have to build the success at Newcastle together – we’re all for that.
Comments welcome.
8 comments so far
Craig
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Comment #1Everything Allardyce has come out and said so far has been spot on. He’s a realist and the reality is it WILL take three seasons at least, for us to be challenging for trophies and European spots again. I know us fans can be impatient and some of us will expect success overnight, but we must give him time to build the squad and backroom staff that has the hunger and desire to win, even if that means a few seasons hanging around at 7th and 8th etc.
On another note, does Mike Ashley have the patience?
GraemeR
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Comment #2Fully agree with the senitments of BSA. For too long the bloater chairman has spouted off about hte ‘Geordie Nation’, how every player in the world wants to play for the Toon.
BSA has dealt us an overdue dose of reality and we have to admit that we are perhaps not as good as we think we are. This is certainly true of a lot of the players who for too long have been happy to pick up their wages without really busting a gut on the field. I was sceptical about the appointemnt of BSA but I have to admit I like the approach of BSA and cant wait to see a team of 11 commited players pulling on the shirt and playing for each other, the club and the fans !!!!.
Whilst other managers have chased the quick fix big signing, BSA is getting it right at the roots – his comparison of the training facility to a squash club is particularly damning. In this day and age you would of thought that any PL team would be nurturing their greatest assests (the players ) and ensuring that they are training in the best available facilites – its like buying Tevez and putting him in a pub team – dam WHU did that LOL
RANT OVER
Newcastle after Maceo Rigters, close to Edmilson deal | Soccerlens - Football News Blog
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Comment #3[…] Sport have conducted a lengthy interview with Sam Allardyce and we express our own comments on what he had to say. Naturally Sam is asking for patience from everybody at the club – but unless […]
Dave
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Comment #4Mr Ashley is very straight talking and will like Alardyces article, its honest, truthful and very realistic. the signings he is making are to cover us short term and building for the future. i think by the time Allardyce has his “Wor” room sorted and the training ground sorted NASA will want to move in!
On a more serious note this next week i suspect will tel the tale of our whole season. the Owen – Martins saga must be resolved and these could be the best bit of business Allardyce will do all summer!!!
Im not a freddy fan but i have to give the guy credit for the £10mill we got for Owen comp and getting Allardyce on board here. Freddy can retire (soon hopefully) happy he has got the right man after Bobby and Kev but soooooo many bad appointments in Kenny, Ruud, GREAME!!!!!!! and Glenn. Well done Freddy but still shame on you for those mistakes and those ridiculous release clauses. Personally i believe that the profit he has made he should take that and donate that to the club!!
I think there will be a distinct improvement on performances since the Bobby era (i disregard Souness he was never the right choice even my nephew who is 9 could of done a better job!) i think we could be stong in the cups and top half will be the target this season poss europe but not expected (i may be wrong here) and a run in the cup. We all know that to get what we want (the league) then it will take 3-4 years and the plans now need to be long term and Allardyce will get the backing of Mr Ashley he didnt build his empire in one year he knows it will take time, good management and MONEY!!! newcastle united will be the best run team in the prem in 3-4 years time and the success will then come, the flood gates could open!!
the future for our club does seem very bright as does taylor, milner, krul, nzogbia and carroll.they will be the future spine and service at this club.
let me know your thoughts and thanks for reading….
Simon
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Comment #5All I can say is WOW! SO glad Sam tells it how it is.
I was sick to death of Roeder trying to sugar coat everything and putting a spin on everything 🙁
Jade
Jul 1, 2007 at 2:45 PM
Comment #6Alex Ferguson=the best in the world…. the man obviously knows his football 😉 he will take Newcastle to new highs… you geordies deserve it
Rob Kirton
Jul 1, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Comment #7I agree Sam Alardyces sentiments. However I don’t think Mike Ashley will want things to take that long. I suspect he will be wanting to sell up at a considerable profit within 5 years. Sam is doing the right thing in terms of expectation management of the fans, how he manages Ashley’s expectations will prove to be interesting :0)
I still think that without significant improvement on the filed within the next 12 months, Allardyce will be removed post haste in time for next season.
What is best for long term stability of the club and what is best in terms of a medium term investment may prove to be contradictory, and I know which will win out.
Turkish Magpie
Dec 18, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Comment #8hi