Poll: Should Sam Allardyce get the Sack?
By Newcastle-Online On Fri 28 Dec 2007 |
There is one major topic on everybody’s lips at the moment and here at Newcastle-Online we thought it high time that we got your opinion on it: should Sam Allardyce be relieved of his duties as Newcastle United manager, or does he need to be given more time by Ashley, Mort and the supporters?
After the defeat at Wigan, where our away lads and lasses chanted for Alan Shearer, sang “We’re sh!t and we’re sick of it” and booed the team off the field, and with a trip to bogey ground Stamford Bridge next up, has time run out on Big Sam’s big plan for NUFC just 7 months into his reign?
Just like the last one, it’s as simple as “yes” or “no” over to the right of your screen… but if you’ve got the time, then we’d love to hear your reasoning for whatever answer you give in our “Comments” section.
I have a feeling this could be a lively one…
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why does everyone one refer to him as big sam,???? in what way.big ego yes but thats all, he continues to stick two fingers up at the fans in everything he does, and says, players he brings in, formations he plays and players he makes captain, one useless pillock for another, what about the long serving players, and now it seems he wants rid of the last geordie won’t give a half decent contract to taylor, and his continued arrogance says it all.five years he says he needs, five years of him no way (we used to have a waiting list of 150000 with him we’ll be lucky to get gates of that)for NUFC read Bolton North East. GET RID
Sent in on: January 8th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
mike ashley should not let Sam further embarrass NUFC’s reputation!!
what we need is an attacking minded man who knows how to spend money and enjoys playing respectable football / passing the ball!!!
with the money spent on average players like smith-enrique-barton-geremi, we could have signed the likes of maniche, motta, deco, aimar, van der vaart!!
letting a role model like SOLANO leave??? and SHOLA AMEOBI on his way for a few millions???? unacceptable!
ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY?? I dont know about you but i’m sick of watching this team struggling to pass the half line!! what patience??
for god’s sake, who needs time when u have a team like
given
taylor-beye-rozehnal-nzogbia
emre-deco(aimar)-maniche(motta)-milner
viduka-martins!!!!!! assuming Owen and Duff are injured!
mourinho plays it too boring
too early for alan shearer
i’d go for KLINSMANN or DESCHAMPS with shearer the assistant!..
Sent in on: January 8th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Since this was first published, we’ve seen Sam put out a 4-4-2 and it sort of worked (even if we did lose), so I’m a bit more confident that he’ll learn over time. I’ve not been a fan of his, but Fergie was crap at first too.
But there’s something far more important that we’re missing: he’s getting so much right off the field!
Look at Physioroom.com. We’ve moved from top to bottom of the injury table and things are looking good. Look at the scouting and the new, long-term strategy there. Same with the academy. Most of all, look at the bank balance: the interest we’re paying on debts each year would buy a new top-quality player every season! Getting our finances sorted is the type of long-term stability strategy that makes the difference between us and the top 4. And it takes years to get right.
We have to deal with a lousy or indifferent season while these underlying success factors are turned around. You don’t turn into a top 4 just by tweaking what goes on the pitch - it’s way more complex than that.
Simple question: would you accept two more seasons of mediocrity and turmoil for silverware after that? I would.
Sent in on: January 4th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I’m concerned that Ashley and Mort may be happy to balance the books and make a half decent profit and keep Allardyce in charge for the foreseeable future. We will remain mid table under his guidance as I dont think he has or ever will have the ability to break through into the top four. Its my view that teams who win trophies play fast flowing football with good movement off the ball NOT rolling your sleeves up and battling away. He’s here to stay imo. I’ve heard Matty Pattison is back as we wanted too much to sell him to Norwich !!
Sent in on: January 4th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
i don’t understand all these people saying that our squad is not strong. are you all stupid?? our squad is probably the strongest outside of the top 4 and mayb tottenham. there is quality all over the pitch given, taylor, cacapa, n’zogbia, milner, barton, butt, martins, owen, viduka and alan smith. i don’t understand all the criticism for alan smith yes he hasnt scored this season but hes played midfield for the most of the season. if you look at all the players that i have mentioned we have a great core of players at newcastle
Sent in on: January 4th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Lee - big sam was the best we can get?????
erm, what about sven, who said he’d be interested. what about ranieri.
what makes it even worse - despite our current predicament - is the fact so many have the second-best fat fred syndrome now - we’re “not a big club” etc.
what the hell?
bar arsenal, amn utd and liverpool, and chelski with their money, who is bigger, with or without backing. city? no. everton, the spuds, villa, pompey, blackburn, others?
don’t make me laugh.
we are not a big club - we are a massive club.
and it’s time the idiot contingent among the toon army got that into their thick heads.
sorry for the strong words - but it might be the only way of getting through to you.
Sent in on: January 2nd, 2008 at 10:30 pm
you are all mad if you think that sacking sam is the answer lads. its just not going to work like that. that is what we have always done and it just does not work. you have to look at the cold truth, what makes us so good in our eyes? why do we constantly think that we should waltz through each season? every team is spending as much as us - why should we think its our god given right to always beat the so called lesser teams. we really do need to take a reality check. so, we sack sam, then what? like sir alex said, who’s going to want to come to us, as soon as a manager arrives he has an axe over his head. we buy players with big names and as soon as they have a crap run of games we slag them off and boo them constantly. On so many blogs i see these huge football iconic names mentioned as either managerial or footballer saviours. do you think for a second that they would want to come to a st james that has changed so much since i first started watching when i was a kid. i am still there every home game and will always have my season ticket but WE AS FANS need to take some of the rap for our team. are we the great fans that we spout on about or are we nothing more than a monkey on our teams back? i was at the game last week against derby and we were getting drowned out by the derby fans with them singing ‘you only sing when you are winning’.
someone a little while ago was spouting on about we need managers like the top four have now, managers with great pedegrees - load of bollocks mate. pedegrees like sir alex who after three dismal years at manure was a game from the sack before it finaly kicked in? stability and patience is the key, whether we like it or not. give sam and the players support instead of grief constantly. give him our support otherwise we are the worst kind of fans. we will end up making the home games something less to look forward too than away games.
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Good performance against chelsea, but that just papers over the cracks, Id love to see us play like that with some passion for the rest of the season, but I cant see it. I didnt like Sam when we got him, do people not remember what bolton were like, kick and run beat em up team. I remember we beat them 3-1 at home when glenn took over, keeping the ball on the deck and we just passed it round them. I hoped Sam wouldnt be manager and he is. I hoped he could change his style, and to be fair at the start he did, but after the Pompey game his attacking 4-3-3 has looked more like A 5-4-1 especially with faye as a holding midfielder (who did play ell against chelsea). My worry is Sam can only play this one way, which as Rich said would mean us selling oba, owen, charlie etc simply because they dont fit in to his ’style’ of play. Well be a team of 6′4′ sluggers running around at bolton. I admit with bolton he did well with what he had, but as he said he’d taken them as far as he could. Ask yourself deep down, do you want to see us play like that every week?? We realistically wont be challenging for top four for 4 years, hes right there, BUT lets show at least some signs we are moving on the right track! He probably has turned us round of the pitch, with respect to fitness and selling the troublemakers (apart from 1 obvious exception!!), cheers sam! but lets have someone to sort us out on the pitch. We were lucky to get points against derby, and lucky to win against fulham and birmingham. I dont expect us to play big teams off the park, but at least have a go!
he wants time, but we gave souness 2 n a half years and he ripped us apart, howay Mike dont make the same mistake again!
I know Shearer sounds a stupid appointment, because he hasnt any experience, and up until a few weeks ago I agreed. But, there is no managers of enough quality available til the summer, id be happy to give Shearer the job for 6 months, he understands the fans and the area, If anyone deserves time as a manager its him!
Remember the last time we appointed someone who had just finished playing for the club??? (he did have a few years break but still!)
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
If you want mediocrity then Sam’s your man, I mean, what has he actually achieved? You need look no further than the top four teams in the Premiership, they all have managers with a top pedigree. It’s quite simple, you get what you pay for. IF you are happy with mid-table or relegation battle with the hope of a decent cup run, then as I said earlier - Sam’s your man!
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I agree, in principle, that managers need time. This is for team gelling and such after the arrival of a new coaching team/playing personnel etc.
Give Big Sam time and he will eventually get it right, believe me. But only because he’ll throw out the creative lads from our team and build a new one that CAN play a defensive 4-3-3. Zoggy will leave if Sam stays… he clearly isn’t enjoying left back and, anyway, looks out of sorts defending. Martins and Owen will be off, so too Emre, Duff etc. When Sam eventually leaves, we’d be a top 6/8 or so team but with a horrible base of players for the next manager to inherit. Look how well Bolton have done with the same team without him. So much for long-term views…only 1 man can make the system work and he leaves when he’s done so!
Let’s get this straight - Sam is not a good manager, he’s a manager with a system that’s had (relative) success in the past. Sam needs to learn to adapt to become a good manager in my eyes, and I’m not happy about that learning curve coming at Newcastle. He’s Glenn Roeder mark 2 - great views for the club in terms of stability and youth development - limited tactical knowledge and no control over the dressing room.
As an aside, whilst I think he will make a terrific manager and I do want him here eventually, Shearer is not the man. Yet.
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I can’t vote “no”, it just asks me to choose a valid poll answer …. did you guys rig it so everyone voted yes? ;(
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I don’t know. The team has been sh*t, but it just seems crazy to get rid of a manager when the team is higher (just) then under the last manager & he’s only been here 6 months. My biggest problem is that everything Toon just feels dull at the moment. I remember the same feeling with Dalgleish, Souness & Roeder.
I always hated the idea of BS coming to Newcastle till about 3 months before Roeder was sacked. At that point I remember thinking to myself; ‘ok, I’ll happily trade any chance of good football for results for a while’, I was so hacked off with FS & GR.
Well we’ve got the sh*t football I expected but I’ve seen little sign of the results I was hoping for. I have to admit that I’m getting closer to giving up on Sam, but I’m not there yet because I still feel the club is in a massively improved status then just six months earlier.
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Sam has got too many poor players some of them he bought He does not want to win games and goes out to get a draw against teams who everybody else beats He is a manager with fear of defeat and a faint heart never won anything He should never have been given the job because he never broke eggs with sticks at bolton He reminds me of one Gordon Lee who when he came sold all our good creative players and left us with dross He built a second division side and thats where we finished up DONT LET SAM DO THE SAME DO SOMETHING NOW BEFORE ITS TO LATE Lets get amanager that recognises good football, gets the best out of his players and plays them in the right position
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 8:53 am
It does make me chuckle when i see ‘fans’ saying things like ‘Newcastle are a big club’ (please define big - i would think big is measured with trophies!) or ‘we should be in the top four’ .. (like its our god given right!)
Everyone’s an expert aren’t they? Yet we’ve had ‘real’ experts coming to the fore in the pastweek talking sense, people like Alex Ferguson, who says he wouldn’t touch the Toon Job with a barge-pole, Arsene Wenger saying the booing and baying for blood of the ‘oh so loyal and passionate supporters’ is nothing short of ludicrous’.
Managers weren’t exactly banging the door down when the top job became available were they? Big Sam was the best we could get and i’m not suprised - who in their right mind would want to stand on the touchline at St.James’ and be surrounded by thousands of rabid dogs? Jose Mourinho? Don’t make me laugh! Alan Shearer? I nearly fell off my stool!
Time to wake up boys. We ‘deserve’ absolutely nothing and thats exactly what we’ll get unless you pull your heads out of your arses, start using a bit of common sense, stop living in the past where we ‘almost’ bought the title and get behind your team.
You’re living in a dream world. There are screams on this very post about ‘we’ve given Sam enough time’- who the hell are you to be giving time to anyone?
We’re mid-table with a manager who’s been in the job for next to no time, with a plethora of new signings who are also being beasted on a daily basis - i don’t think i would want to play for you either!
Suck it up buttercups - we’re exactly where we deserve to be. But lets sack the manager every six months, lets give the players jip every game, lets spout on about how we should have a top 4 finish handed to us on a plate because we’re a big club - thats the way to make progress, isn’t it?
Yeah, everyones an expert. pah!!
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 7:55 am
you have to give sam allardyce time to settle at newcastle if we are going to achieve anything in the next 5 years. if we just keep chopping and changing our manager then we are not going to get anywhere. sam allardyce is a good manager and when given time i believe within the next 3 to 5 years we will be fighting for champions league spots again and be a real force in the premierleague. SAM TO STAY
give joey barton time aswell!!!!
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 6:46 am
It does not matter what big Sam plays, he needs to convince us he is the right man, and do it quick ! When players are played out of position it is not very convincing is it. Yes he has inherited some bad players, and he has had to make his own transfer fund. When players come out of the tunnel looking lost it does not sit easy does it. I think a club our size should be where Keegan put us. The only way that is going to happen is if Mike Ashley wants it. No magic manager will do that for us, It will simply take money, and if we are not to make the same mistakes then a hell of a lot more than we have spent already. The real reason Freddy Shepard, and sir John Hall failed, is when we reached our peak, under Keegan £15 mil blew our whole budget on one player, after spending a fortune for the likes of Asprila. The gamble almost, but did not come off, and Keegan was the right man for the job, but the board could not cover the huge cost. That is why Dalglish failed. He had to get rid of players before he could buy, and when he did he had only one year to play unproven players. The media hyping up us fans do not help. Plus we were used to be fed on jam. The other time was under Bobby Robson. He had got us into the champions league for the second time, boy did we need to spend (nothing ) and out we went in the qualifying rounds. Sure over all Sheppard spent well, but not all the time. The final let down must be 50 mil given to Souness, who stripped the team for next to nothing, and wasted a last throw of the dice. The reason I have said all this is because Fergie and a lot of the fans, including some of our own do not think we deserve good football. I think if you have a huge fan base (ticked that box) You bring in a good manager (he has got to buck his ideas up) Spend huge amount of money, then not just us, but Liverpool, Man City, Portsmouth (sure hard to believe) can bring back football. The top four which we have broken into with three managers can be done. Tottenham should have if it were not for a bad ref decision.
Sent in on: December 30th, 2007 at 12:50 am
not playin the way we can like scootar for fatsam should do it take his fathead with him like
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
I Would have no problem with mid -table mediocrity. 1 Thing I can’t stand is a newcastle team who can’t pass to each other. No one knows where they are going. ALan Smith isn’t a a good player 6 million was a waste of money back when he was playing for Leeds. Emre is our most talented, creative centre midfielder, a mananger hould be able to use him effectively. Whether Sam plays negative I don’t care. Just think about this. Do you ever get the feeling he thinks sending out 10 defensive players will inprove our defense, when acually he’s inviting more pressure onto us?
BS is very limited in what he knows and is stubborn. That won’t work at Newcastle. Whats more, we are going to lose more players, Martins, Emre, Zogs, to add to Luque which I almost cried about he could have been great if given belief and games.
The current situation must end and Appointing me, Alan Shearer is not the answer. Just someone who is good at team-building first.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I was against the appointment of Big Sam but we need to get behind the team regardless of who the manager is!
I’m a season ticket holder and the noise from our fans has been getting quieter and quieter over the last few years, so much so that even a 1000 away fans drown us out now!!
I say, for the remainder of the season we should sing our hearts out for the lads, win, loose or draw!
I cringe when our (so-called) loyalist fans in the world boo any player in the Black n White so come on, this is a call to arms for the TOON ARMY - BRING BACK THE NOISE - SUPPORT THE LADS
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Sam is the scapegoat for a poor team and should not be sacked. He needs time to build his team. Toon fans think we should have a top 4 team by right and they are just deluding themselves. We have not won the league for 81 YEARS and the cup for 53 YEARS. Fans think that 52 thousand booing supporters every week entitle us to be a big team. A large (and vicious) support is the bare minimum to be considered a big team. We have no tradition of winning things. The last time we were winners was in the early EDWARDIAN years (1900s). They probably get 50,000 at some game in Togoland but they are no big either. We are not loyal but nasty supporters who deserve nothing.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
NO Sam should definitely not have the sack. He’s been here for just a few months and although the football hasn’t been pretty and just plain awful at times I accept, he simply hasn’t had the chance to build a successful squad.
There’s too much player power at the club, that is plain to see. We need to give Big Sam at least a couple of seasons to not only bring in new players, but also get rid of the sh*te. He’s already got rid of the likes of Dyer and Babayaro, so thats a good start in my opinion….
But he only came into the job just before the summer transfer window opened. He didn’t have that much time to get to know the players before the window shut again, plus he didn’t really have the chance to get rid of the crap players because of the lack of depth in the squad that has hit us so hard in the recent spate of injuries.
I find it absolutely ludicrous that some fans are calling for Sam to go. It makes me really angry that these fans are giving all Newcastle United fans a bad name for being a hungry rabid bunch of wolves who bay for the managers blood after two defeats in a row.
What made me laugh was reading Chris Waddle’s comments on BBC Sport website the other day. He said Newcastle United have the most loyal fans in the Premiership. That is total rubbish. I would say we have some of the most disloyal fans in the premiership, who are never happy unless either we’re beating every side at least 3-0 or the manager is getting sacked.
Its the PLAYERS that cross the white line every week. Its them that should get 100% of the flak. If they cannot cope with the manager’s training techniques and tactics (which have earned Bolton a UEFA spot for the last few years) then they should be disciplined or sold. End of.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
From a tactical point of view, I have never believed that containing the opposition really works, as it betrays a negative attitude. It allows the opposition the upper hand. I believe we should always be looking to attack, but should always avoid giving the ball away easily. We should seek to hold the ball, and pass to create openings.
Foreign teams are usually very good at keeping possesion, and are very comfortable on the ball. We should look to play like that, and then close down quickly when we do lose the ball. The main risk involved in the long-ball game is that you lose the ball far too easily, and it gives the opposition the upper hand. This leads to added pressure on the defense.
Bottom line, if you dont have the ball, you dont win the game. But to keep the ball, you need players who are comfortable in possesion. Perhaps Sam feels that we arent good enough to keep the ball, hence the long ball. That is trusting to luck. We cant develop like that. So Sam should go.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
The only solution is to clear out Sam and his minions.
I was appalled when Allardyce was appointed, as in recent years easily the most cynical boring team to visit SJP were…….Bolton!
I would love someone to elaborate on Fat Sam and his legendary successes? Survival at any costs, and to set out in each and every game not to lose are not why I spend hundreds of pounds a season to attend my beloved Newcastle.
As to squad building, we have acquired a selection of players who were, in essence, failing at thier previous clubs. Gone are the days when we bought players that were coveted by top teams, now we settle for dross that languishes on subs benches until we “snap” them up. I cant recall Man U or Liverpool entering a bidding war for Beye, Rozenhal, Cacapa and especially the reformed good boy Barton!!!! How can we give Sam more cash when all you need to do is look at his purchases?
League position is artificial, we have been shambolic at very best and at times look completely undone- Milner has endured half a season on the wrong wing, substitutions that beggar belief, tactical suicide game after game, more captains than the Enterprise. If not for some fluke late goals and teams being dragged down to our level then I fear that we would be sitting alongside the Gypsies Tramps and Thieves!
Final thought , I agree with Mr Collins above, lets terminate Bartons contract and improve our tarnished image. What kind of professional is he to be so frequently off the rails, and who gave him the right to criticise the Toon Army? A gross error of judgement by our experienced winning manager. Come on Mike do the whole job PLEASE!!!!
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
We’ve had all kind of managers, the soft ‘arm around the player’ kind in way of Robson and Roeder. The ‘taking no crap’ kind in Dalglish and Souness. The foreign angle in Gullit. The cavalier kind from Keegan and now the scientific approach by means of Allardyce. None has brought us any trophies,(too early for BS) so why hasnt 1 style of manager been able to deliver any kind of silverware? Who else can bring anything different to what we’ve already had? Even if Mourinho did come what would he do, ask for the cheque book because our current crop of players just arent good enough. There are the usual decent performers namely Milner/Zoggy/Given but the rest go unnoticed in games. What really annoys me about BS is that he plays people in the wrong positions and adopts the big hoof upfield tactic. We have more defensive midfielders than ‘defensive midfielders r us’. We have no attacking players except Milner/Zoggy but they are in different positions to their strongest, but no one that when they get the ball you think this lad can do something for us here like take people on and score or least a defence splitting pass.
What does the science/stats do to help BS learn what his players do on the pitch, he doesnt need it hes got 50 odd thousand fans telling him that most of them arent doing anything at all. If he does know that then why arent we seeing any improvement? Someone shouldve bought him the football manager game for xmas because playing martins on the wing is ridiculous. It hasnt taken Sven 3 yrs to turn City around and they were nearly relegated the other year!
I despair at the quality or lack of that our team is producing far too frequently and dont know if BS can do anything to change it. I dont expect us to beat the top teams yet but i dont expect to go behind twice at home to Derby then play lower clubs away from home and aim for a point.
Whats the lesser of 2 evils, getting ANOTHER new manager and going through ANOTHER transition period or sticking with BS and his zero entertainment and embarrassing team in hopes it turns out ok? I would stick with him until summer and see what he can do but lower the ticket prices to match the entertainment level. It seems Newcastle is no longer united and the longer this goes on our great club will have a reputation like shit.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
He is a good manager with a proven track record, he hasn’t got it right on the field yet, but give him time. I think we need to get behind him, let’s not rush into getting rid of yet another manager, there’s no burning need to sack him yet. Let him have time to try and get the best out of people and the best combination. What would we do if we sack him, who’s out there that could or would want to manage Newcastle, I think no one at this moment.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Cringe.
Read what Sir Alex said.
You lot are a fucking joke, and it makes me cringe, in a mega cringing fashion.
Worse than Mackems some of you.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Time to go big sam..
Time for some shearer magic on persuading mourinho to come and be our savior
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:37 am
A lot of people that support Sam, comment on how great a job he did at Bolton. What have they won? And where are they heading?
The man is a dinosaur, completely out of his depth, plays our best players out of position, is happy to scrap a draw, and plays the ugliest brand of football I’ve seen at this club in over two decades!
GET RID !!!!
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Give Sam more time? No way!
He have allready showed he’s the wrong man. And who can stand to watch the poor football been served from him thrue a whole season, or two.
I never wanted Sam. I was afraid he could infect, and put NUFC back in time with the clueless - bad looking -football. Get rid of him before it becomes reality!
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:12 am
just to condense all the comments, mr ashley & chairman mort cannot win, whatever the outcome they will be damned if they do & damned if they dont !!!! hard decisions are to be made sooner than later as the spiralling costs of sams buys & phenomenal numbers of backroom staff tell me sam is out of his depth at newcastle, so mr ashley now has to show to the fans that he can make the same decisions as he makes in the buisness world, “some of the people can be wrong some of the time, but all of the people cannot be wrong all of the time” all of the people being 5,000 at wigan including one owner !!!!. be damned and DO !! the city game could be the final nail for all concerned, players included, the dark days are looming.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:09 am
He should get the rest of the season then see, even though we are genuinely one of the worst teams in the league to watch.
His formations are negative
His team selections are baffling
We have no idea how to break teams down
We are incapable of putting any form of possesion together, as we all no while we have the ball they cannot score.
If i was a manager i would look at how the top teams play and try to learn from that, i see high tempo simple pass and move which is proven to work, not aimless long balls and slow pace of play.
I could go on and on about the negatives the only positive is that Sunderland and the Smoggies are bellow us.
Howay the lads
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 10:05 am
what is wrong with you people who want to get rid of sam??!!?? you have to give the man time… this whole debate is ridiculous. can you not understand yet lads that we can never ever get stability if we constantly act on knee jerk reactions. alex ferg is right in what he says in the papers today - why would any manager want to really come to newcastle?? they are all doomed, we are living and dreaming in the past still and thats the truth. stability is key, it has to be. we can not go on dumping a manager every season. then the new one comes in, demands loads of dosh, gets rid of loads of players, buys loads of new ones, they dont gel straight away and then we sack him too, and so it goes on. GIVE SAM AND THE TEAM TIME. i would even go as far as to say lets give him all of next season too. another question i would ask is are we really the great fans that we are built up to be or are we more like ‘a monkey on the back’ of every manager and player. i am a season ticket holder and have been for donkeys years. it seems to me more so than ever, we only sing when we are winning. if we loose a game we want to sack everyone, if we win a game we are all talking about bloody europe. we often get drowned out by the visiting fans too these days - have you noticed this?? instead of pointing the finger at everyone else, we need to get our own shop in order as fans too cos we are just not that good at this time. that sounds bad i know but its the cold truth too.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Yea i suppose we give him our backing till the end of the season. Yet Sam has done such a criminal to us with his retarded tactics/starategies & his side played so poorly. Please lock him up together with Barton until he is sane enough to know what he has been doing wrong.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 8:51 am
As well as the poor results, it is important to mention that Sam has brought in his own players, nine of the players who started against Derby were his own summer buys, yet his top performers remain players from the previous regime (Charlie, Milner, Butt and Oba) and in Charlie and Milner’s case he has managed to put arguably our best players in a position where we cannot utilise the best of their skills.
His top three buys, price wise, have been the following:
- Alan Smith: Sam still does not know what his best position is.
- Jose Enrique: Cannot make the first team
- Joey Barton: Has performed miserably so far, fallen out with the manager (Allegidly), done for assult again and still awaiting the result of a previous court case
Tactically Sam has also been poor, playing players in wrong positions, tactics that by the looks of things not even the players are comfortable with. Dodgy substitutions sometimes taking out players that are most likely to influence the game and amongst all this, there seems to be no place for one of our most creative players - Emre?!
The players look unmotivated and cannot raise their game against mediocre opposition. Am sure the fans won’t mind it that much if the team where getting the results out of these games, however this has not been happening and the football has been dull, unentertaining and lacking any sort of creativity. The players just seem like they have been thrown on the pitch for the first time every game and the tactics just consist of a big boot forward!!
How we have managed to collect 26 points so far I will never know. In the matches against Derby and Wigan we seemed like the relegation threatened team. I don’t see any of this changing soon as Sam does not seem to have a clue. Its not good enough for me am afraid, he needs to go!!
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 6:09 am
Under Big Sam we have gotten more dangerous infront of goal……its just a shame that its our own ! I like Sam i think he’s a top bloke, but his tactics are awful and so are some of our players. Beye just isnt that good, and im no fan on Faye or Capaca either. I think Roz could be great but its not happening, also same for Enrique. And lets not even talk about Barton. Off to jail he goes !
I say give Sam 3 games. And let us hope that in those three games he decides to start passing the ball along the ground rather than this punt it up in the air and hope some one can head it on to be punted back in the air.Pass to feet please Sam.
As i say 3 games then if it was me, i’d bring in either a top coach…..by top mean someone with a long history of winning things,…..or see if Bobby Robson would be interested in being Director of football and bring him and Shearer in together that way Shearer could learn the trade from a master and initial results wouldnt suffer.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 5:25 am
A lot of Toon fans had too high expectations at the start of the season, including me perhaps, and that is showing now. My own knee jerk reaction is “get rid of BSA” when we perform badly, but it IS irrational whatever anyone says. At this stage, we should back him.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 4:03 am
Good manager with a decent track record who hasn’t got it right on the field as yet. I’m far from convinced but i am behind him at the moment; keep him, there’s no burning need to sack him yet - like it or not. If he tries every single different permutation, just to find the right one, it’ll be worth a dodgy first season.
And even if we did chuck him, who the hell do we turn to then? Naff all available in the way of managers at the moment.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 2:35 am
We lost to Derby!
We lost to Arsenals youth team!
We lost the game against Portsmouth on the 11th minute at home!
We did not win the game against Sunderland.
Lost 0-3 to Liverpool and 3-1 to Blackburn.
and recently we drew to Derby and lost to Wigan.
May i remind you that we have not played a single game against Man Utd,Chelsea.
And when we drew against Arsenal the media acted like we had won the game!
THIS IS NOT ACCEPTIBLE
Then some Watford fan and Ferguson comments on our success…since when do they want us to be successful.
If they would be in charge Souness would still be here!
Sam was a good manager for Bolton but not for us.
Sent in on: December 29th, 2007 at 1:18 am
does anyone really be wanting to watch that sort of garbage for another 2 1/2 years ? The guy is clueless when it comes to managing a big club and big players - on your way Fat Sam .
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Hmmm..this is a tight one..very finely balanced, but I think we should give him till the end of the season to get it right. Lets see where we end up in the table, and no, were not gonna get relegated. I just believe he is better than Roeder and Souness. He did buy well and we now have much better defenders than we had a few years back. OK so they still mess up badly at times but they are a completely new back four and I know we’re all tired of hearing it but..WE DO NEED PATIENCE. After all the failures in recent times during Fat Freddie Shepherds reign we’re are extremely frustrated of any success and we badly want it now. The bad news is we can’t have it now and we need a few more years till we get there. Whether it’s with Big Sam or not it doesn’t matter, the fact is we get worse every time we change managers so quickly. So lets give Big Sam time to get it right and lets be patient with his tinkering and dodgy formations..come May we can have another look.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
NO He is a decent manager and we are a decent team thhough neither of us are performing at anywhere near our potential. Give them time and give the man some more players. We need some pace for christs sake.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
There are two choices a manager must make:
Pick a style/formation, and use players who can play that style.
OR
Pick a style/formation to suit the players you have.
Sam is doing neither, he’s playing players who clearly cannot adapt to whatever system it is he seems to want to play. The fact that that system appears to be incredibly negative doesn’t help his case either.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
My initial response is not to sack him.There is far to much instant success pressure placed on managers/coaches and all of it totally unreasonable. Yes we’re waiting for success and yes, we’ve waited for over 50 years but getting rid of the manager so soon into his tenure is ludicrous. Surely those howling for his sacking did not expect us to be up the top regularly challenging Arsenal or even teams like Everton? An unrealistic expectation with a totally new back room staff and many new players. I too am incredibly disappointed in how we’ve performed but I’ve always maintained that any improvement over last season was a sign of progress. I’m still optimistic that we can achieve a top-10 position & that’s always been my base for gauging how well we’ve done this season.
Sacking Allardyce now proves what? It certainly would keep the line going that NUFC are too much of a knee-jerk club to be taken seriously. As for attracting a ‘top’ replacement - no chance.
I agree that something should and must be done but I’m at a lost to know what that actually is. I do know however, that sacking the coach is not the answer.
HTL
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
YES!!
sack Allardyce, but Shearer shouldn’t be our manager now, he must gain experience somewhere else, I always thought that Glenn Roeder is better than big sam, and I didn’t like some of his signings like faye, enrique, beye.
And we must sell owen (he doesn’t look happy at NUFC, he is only for the money, and he shouldn’t say that he is happy, he must demostrate it), and Martins doesn’t know how to pass the ball and he believes that he is bigger than the club he is playing for.
(Sorry for my english)
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I would write what I dislike about what he’s done since May, but I’d be here all day. He’s had since May and we seem worse. Here’s my main ones:
1) A good manager picks his tactics to get the best out of his team. Sam takes good players and plays them out of position. Hence they play badly.
2) He sets us up for games (e.g. Wigan away, Reading away) that on paper are 3 points, just to play for a draw. Overly defensive when we should win easily.
3) The media saying “managers need time” - True to a certain extent. But not here. His tactics and purchases are awful. And that’s plain for all to see.
I was in favour of him, but he has proved me massively wrong.
As for a replacement - Lippi?
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Ask yourself this question because it is what most managers will be judged on! How many of his signings are good players and better than we had before he took over?
I know Sam has to put the team together, of which he is making a pigs ear of at the moment but I personally like most of his signings.
Good - Faye, Beye, Enrique (given time), Smith (Squad player), Cacapa
Average - Viduka, Rozehnal, Barton (would be in the good section but the lad is a “tool” in the Bellamy/Bowyer mould)
This is, of course, only my opinion but he has strengthened the defence and if he can sign some forward/flair players he might just turn it around!
Keep the faith and hat’s off to you away fans. I don’t get to many now but it makes me feel proud nevertheless!
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
He’ll have to go if the performance’s do not improve or he does not realise that he cannot keep playing these tactics, the team he has inherited is full of players who have been playing and are used to playing 4-4-2 and that means playing players like Milner, Oba and N’Zogbia in their actual positions. Sam please please please play a 4-4-2 this weekend and give it a chance lets face it we’re going to get beat off Chelsea anyway (regardless of who they have out injured) so why not experiment and widen your tactical knowledge until you can get in the correct players to play your style of football. Oh and ps drop Geremi and Smith the former takes a lifetime to decide what to do with the ball and the later is not a striker or a midfielder. Howay the lads
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Get rid. I can bear defeat, but I can not tolerate defeatism.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
He’s got to go before he does more damage. We are rapidly going backwards.
His signings, tactics, man-management and in-game substitutions have all been wrong. I actually think that we are lucky to have the points we have, we’ve relied on some late goals to get us out of jail. And let’s face it, the fixtures have been kind.
The performances under Allardyce have been the worst I’ve seen since Ardilles probably, but at least he was trying to attack and play football.
Sam’s utter arrogance is the final straw for me. It’s not me, I’m great, it’s these players. The players that you signed? That you ‘manage’? That you select, train, motivate, organise, play out of position, slag-off in public, those players you mean?
Or is it the overly expectant fans? Or the local media? And I still think he’s being petty by not talking to the BBC.
The players are fine, with the squad we’ve got we should be up there with Villa, Everton, Pompey and City. And I’m sure we would be with the same players but with O’Neill, Moyes, Redknapp or Sven in charge.
HE’S GOT TO GO. Let Pearson take over temporarily, and find the right man, even if it takes until the start of next season to get them. But Allardyce can not be allowed to stay.
Let’s get the pride back to SJP.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Wow - I can’t believe how big Sam is being treated. Rome really was not built in a day. Think of the rubbish he has got rid of. His signings have undoubtedly improved the team for relatively little expenditure. Give him some money, give him some time and then judge him.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
two points.
sam, watford fan - sam did not work miracles with bolton, he did well, but not miracles. also - for the LAST time fergie, wenger etc were ESTABLISHED, EXPERIENCED and had WON things before.
you cannot compare them with sam!!
second, michael - asking for quality football from sam is like asking joey barton to keep out of trouble! he likes to compare his style with chelski, liverpool or whoever (the “long pass”, as he ridiculously put it). no! mourinho and benitez knew how to play the ball on the ground, to change formations when things weren’t going right, to play players where they’re meant etc.
also, is he one of the best managers in the country bar fergie and wenger?
what about grant, o’neill, redknapp even, sven, hughes, ramos????
i challenge anyone to give me ONE good reason why they see sam as the future of our club, what with the type of football that has been served up so far.
and this “takes time” argument is redundant too - look at spurs and city.
newcastle utd football club used to be run by a backward looking second-best settling man. looks like a fair few supporters have lowered their expectations so far that they too think this is the best we can do.
sad, sad times.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
He needs to go. HOWEVER, what we can’t afford another ’sack now, think later’ situation, which is what happened under Shepherd. He’d get rid of a manager (and yes they did need to go), but he didn’t think about what the options were first. He’d sack and then think ‘er, who do I bring in now?’ That meant we’d scramble around for another chump, they’d come in, be a shambles, get sacked, and the process would start all over again.
I’m definitely in favour of getting rid of Allardyce, ASAP, but that ASAP means having a plan and an idea of who or what we want as/from our new manager.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
How can you say we have given enough time for Big Same to turn things around. Peoplke are too quick to forget that we have been a failure as a team since the stability of Bobby Robson. Considering the foreign buys we are not doing too bad for Sams first season.
He is an experienced guy, probably one of the best managers in the premiership barring Sir Alex and Wenger he needs at least 1 season to settle his new players, and then a further season to bolster the squad. The sucess he had at Bolton came over several years.
If we are patient and stop being trigger happy in the sacking of managers (referring to sacking Bobby Robson 1 of the best managers weve had because of a few poor results) then we may become a ‘Big’ club once more.
Heres to next season where the quality football will begin.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Im a Watford fan but seeing the outrageous treatment being doled out by Newcastle fans at the moment to Big Sam I feel I need to stand up for the guy.
Seriosuly who do you think you are? When was the last time you won anything? Why do you feel you deserve to watch amazing football? If thats what you want then become Arsenal fans, there you can expect it. They have earnt the right for their fans to expect decent football.
Newcastle are 11th in the league, not great but not bad. Sams a new manager and he has to be given time. He worked miracles at Bolton but that didnt happen over night either. Look at Wenger, look at Fergie - time equals success.
So pipe down
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Any manager who travele to Wigan with a 5-4-1 formation or at best 4-1-4-1 is looking for one thing and one thing only. To not concede.
*uck that we’re Newcastle United not Bolton Wanderers. Let him go and work his miracles with teams that have lesser ambitions.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
This is in poor taste and shouldn’t be on the front page at all.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
First I like to say a was against him being our manager.
Second, We have to accept that he needs the right time to shine.
For me that time has passed.
To many of the players he bought in have had a poor season.
Geremi,Viduka,Smith,Barton,Enrique,Cacapa,Rozehnal.
Though I think the last 3 will perform when they have adjusted to the English football.
He wants to play Butt, A midfield player who is a very good tackler and great working rate, but can´t pass the ball!!
Who in is right mind would have that kind of midfield player?
I will not say that he doesn’t know that he is doing because he knows football very well.
For me exiting football comes first and then winning. I am watching football for the fun not for the glory and that´s why i support Newcastle and not some other team.
Big Sam does not have what it takes to play entertaining football but he might get us some glory if he should stay for 10 years.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
lets hoof sam out of the door,the idiot is clueless
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Sack Sam.
NUFC have wing attacks in the form of Zogbia (LM) and Milner (RM), in central midfield, we have solidness in having Barton, Butt, and Geremi, attacking prowess in Martins and Viduka, and a great goalie, yet they can’t beat the bottom teams. Instead Sam laid out defensive formation against these bottom teams. This shows that he has lost his plot and should be replaced.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
it’s embarrassing what’s going on on/off the pitch, but it’s almost as embarrassing that it’s taken a good few fans this long to realise what a dud we were sold by shepherd - the final screw-up of that man’s disgraceful reign.
shame on you all who backed sam up until now. strong words i know, but there’s no point in not being straight-up honest about it.
we were warned, let’s face it.
a shambles.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Id say give him until the end of the season but do not release any funds in Jan - I have always said stability brings sucsess - look at arsenal and Man Utd - however at the moment Sam seems to be content with playing everyone out of postion it beggars belief - I think he has a sufficent enough squad to take us forward if used correctly so why give him more money to waste - but I think we need to give him a year in the job at least and then review in May 2008.
On the matter of Joey Barton - given the clubs recent sleazy history I think Mr Barton should be sacked so to make a point that things like this are no longer tolerated at NUFC
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
OK SAMS NOT THE BEST BUT NOT THE WORST THE PROBLEM IS HALF AND HALF THE PLAYERS THINK THEY CAN GO TO DERBY AND WIGAN AND WIN THE GAME WITHOUT TRYING OK THE FORMATIONS HAVE BEEN STRANGE AND YES PLAYERS PLAYING OUT OF THE POSTIONS THAT SUIT THEM BEST WHY DOES SAM NOT PLAY 442 AND BRING IN SHEARER INTO THE SET UP I THINK THIS WOULD PLEASE THE FANS AND GIVE HIM THE TIME TO PROVE HE IS THE RIGHT MAN IF NOT SHEARER WOULD BE THERE READY TO TAKE OVER
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Were poo like and I blame fat sam hes gotta go if you ask me he can borrow my scootar if he wants send the fat c@nt on his way like
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Yesterday, my patience was wearing thin, and Allardyce was on his last chance, although I was still hoping he could turn things around.
Then came the news of Joey Barton.
This is the final straw for me. I hold Allardyce personally responsible for bringing this thug to our club, and it makes it worse to think that he paid £5.8m of the clubs money in the process.
Barton should certainly be sacked by the club, and I’m glad that he is behind bars tonight as it shows that law and order still works in the United Kingdom.
I’d be even gladder though if Allardyce followed him out of the door.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
This is a tough one. You always want to be as loyal as possible but it’s obvious that some strange decisions have been made. At the same time, the NUFC players’ work rate is about 10% of that of the top 8 teams. No effort whatsoever at times. It’s painful. I blame the players as much as Sam. They clearly don’t trust his tactics but instead of having a little trust and giving it a real go, they don’t try and their effort would make any tactic look terrible. I feel a little sorry for Sam but he’s on a tightrope at the minute. Problem is, i’d rather it wasn’t the fans who pushed him off. If the fans support him then the players would be forced to follow suit, if they didn’t then we should let the non tryers know exactly what is thought of them. Too many are here for the money. Whatever happens, I hope NUFC settles down and we can finally move forward with a team of hard working, entertaining players. Just can’t see it at the minute though.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Allardyce will not chance his playing ways, and it is not the way we as toon fans want to see the game played. Over the last 40yrs the managers that have had some sort of sussess have been linked to the club ie. Harvey Player, Keegan Player, Robson Supporter. Over to you mr Shearer Player & supporter.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I am split. If we sack him who will come to a club that goes through managers like an ice cream man on a spanish beach/
However, should there be no improvment tomorrow (i.e. effort, attacking football, possession, no long balls, 4-4-2 etc etc etc) then my vote will be to get rid of him regardless.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Big Sam??? a legend in his own mind is a total waste of space, blames everyone and everything but himself, has players playing out of position with no idea of formation,and then slags them off, sticks two fingers up at the fans and long serving players by making geremi and now smith captain. and now everyone who said he was a prat by bringing in barton has been proven right, for gods sake mort get your head out of the sand and get rid of him
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Sam should stay , he needs time. I am fed up with our so called know it all fans .In truth they havent got a clue about football
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Sack him enoughs enough
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
No, but he needs to stop being so stubborn and get his head around what managing a ‘big’ club is all about.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
lets not be to hasty.sack sam and who do we get.shearer seems the fans favourite,he will bring passion, but lacks the experience.look at the mackems and smoggies,both have got young managers who were fantastic players but look at the state of their teams relegation fodder.stick with sam till the end of season then lets take stock.meanwhile support the lads and manager and remember rome wasn`t built in a day.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I was all for sticking with Sam, but I’ve just been nudged over to the other side of the fence. Main reasons:
1. He buys African players and then whines about losing them in the ACN. Frankly, he whines about everything, all the time, and I’m sick of it. People who do that are never up to the job.
2. His signings and selections don’t make any sense. Joey ‘Stubber’ Barton? Zog at LB and Martins wide right? WTF??? Round pegs and square holes too many times to be put down to experimentation. This is pure stubborn arrogance.
3. He never takes blame and is all too keen to blame others while bragging about his time at a club that nobody here wants to emulate.
I am now thinking that others were right and that he has that combination of ignorance and arrogance that will never let him try anything else than his gawd-awful, cynical, non-football system from Bolton.
I hate to do a u-turn on this one, but I think we got the wrong man, and no amount of time will be enough to get sense past his ego. We should keep his back-room lot, though - I’m all for his approach there, and you have to admit the injuries rate is already improving dramatically. Amazing given the strain inflicted by all those long balls and running like headless chickens…
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
BSA should be sack now and the most sensible person to replace him right away is Martin Jol. He plays some attractive and attacking football, just like what Toon Army wants. He just unlucky at Spurs in my opinion as he didn’t get enough backing by the board. Come Mike Ashley…get him now please..
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Sam needs time.
Of the big four clubs in England, none of them chop and drop managers as quickly as NUFC.
Any club who wants to be a big club needs to build a firm foundation.
Stick with Sam, there’s no other good managers out there anyway.
I’m a huge fan of Shearer and would love to see him at the helm, but not now.
We are looking like sh$# right now and we will look like bigger sh$# if Sam is sacked.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
We are being way to quick to judge Big Sam. Everyone has seen what he did at Bolton with limited resources but he had time to build a team to win football matches. Give him untill the end of next season by which time he will have his team, playing his way, and if were not in european positions then, then we can think about a replacment.
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
we give enough time to Sam already.The player have shown their vote from the performence and hence,its time to leave,SAM!
Sent in on: December 28th, 2007 at 4:27 pm