Sam Allardyce got a call from Leeds to save them. Photo: Sam Allardyce/Javier Garcia
These dreamers with hope for a new one So looking for De Zerbi or Bielsa and pushing the wage budget to the bottom half of a qualifying spot in the Europa League. Thus, they are returning to the last resort of those who are facing the biggest instantaneous drop in income in the world of sports, also known as relegation to the championship. Where did all these big dreams take them? Back to Big Sam.
Leeds United left him late. At West Bromwich Albion, where the spell was finally broken two years ago and Sam Allardyce finally took charge of the relegated Premier League team, he arrived just before Christmas. He joined Everton at the end of November 2017 and took them from 19th to eighth place. He arrived at Crystal Palace on Christmas Eve last year and secured himself by playing just one game of the season.
He's had the advantage of the January transfer window every time, and even if it didn't always deliver what he hoped for, the psychological aspect of the very possibility of Allardyce signing players cannot be discounted in and of itself. His last job before England's short reign was to save Sunderland after being appointed in October 2015 of that year. His record is impressive, but saving a season with four games to go could be the biggest challenge of all.
Leeds United, for whom Allardyce became the third manager of the season, is out of the relegation zone only because of goal difference. There will be no January transfer window. There is no way to greatly change the physical form of the players or seriously train them. The first test that awaits us will take place on Saturday away against Manchester City, perhaps the best team in Europe. After that, there are three games to save the season: Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham.
As befits a man of his longevity, Allardyce has already managed two of these clubs in the Premier League. At West Brom, his last job and arguably his toughest to date, it took well over three games to change teams. Allardyce had one win in his first 10 games and had seven losses. By the time the team secured their first pair of victories in a row, fans were already grumbling about the sacking of Allardyce's predecessor, Slaven Bilić.
only once relegated from the Premier League as a manager. Photo: Getty Images/Richard Heathcote
The appointment of Allardyce by Leeds shows that many clubs will return to the type of manager that was here before. Allardyce took over from Roy Hodgson as England manager seven years ago and both have returned to the Premier League. Hodgson was one of the season's appointments, with 13 points in six games putting Crystal Palace out of harm's way. They were one point better than Chelsea at the weekend.
Managers like Allardyce always believe that seasons can be saved
Hodgson has almost half a century of leadership under his belt, an incredible succession of positions across Europe and beyond. At 75 years old, the flames of rivalry are still burning strongly at an age where many enjoy watching from their living room. It's a rare quality, but considering how Hodgson has had to build his career without taking advantage of the profile that a playing career provides in an era when that was important, it's perhaps not surprising that the light never dims.
< p>As managers and personalities, Hodgson and Allardyce are very different. However, both offer what owners and chairmen are looking for in these moments of crisis. They want to make sure their players are good enough. That someone can solve their problems for them. It can take decades for managers to figure out exactly how to achieve immediate results.
Sean Dyche doesn't have the range and variety of work that Hodgson and Allardyce have, but there was something about the way he kept Burnley in the Premier League for five seasons that made him a survival specialist. His Everton side are one point behind Leeds and he was appointed just after the club failed to make any significant signings in the January transfer window.
There is no doubt about it that all three got their jobs under the most difficult of circumstances. Hodgson chose a team that went three games without trying to score a goal, and they scored nine goals in three games. He has been returned to the club he managed 18 months ago with the core team structure intact and plenty of room for some simple improvements that could have a big effect.
It has been much harder for Dyche to rally a club that is colliding with problems on many fronts. For Allardyce, at first glance, it may seem that he can influence little. However, for such managers, it is never so bleak. They always believe that adjustments can be made to revive tired players and save the season. This is an important part of why they are invited to take on the challenge — the power of faith. They never go down; they just ran out of games.
Свежие комментарии