Sam Allardyce

[DotTV]

Having read the arguments for and against the potential appointment of Allardyce, I feel it boils down to this;

There are many Ireland fans who believe we have players of good technical ability and want to see good football delivered to them. Are supports of this theory (eirebhoy being one) willing to sacrifice qualification in favour of the side playing nice, attractive football, but ultimately unable to yield results.

The other side to this is that most feel Allardyce could indeed do a decent job for Ireland. But for a bad spell at Newcastle, and lets face it, he's not the only one to have struggled there, his track record is quite impressive. A sustained period of success with a side containg a few quality (Jasskelainen, Nolan, Ben Haim, Diouf), must mostly mediocre players (see Ireland), almost certainly ensure he would do a job with our national side. The question is whether this job, which may involve playing unattractive, long ball, vicious football, is worth sacrificing some of our more intelligent footballers.

My opinion, for what its worth is that I would prefer to be going to South Africa 2010, at whatever cost. We've had enough of failure, and we as fans deserve success, by whatever means possible.

Big Jacks brand of football was awful to watch and skilful players like Brady weren't used to their full effect...but we won games, qualified for tournaments and now no-one cares about the style of play, we only remember the good times.
I don't care how we play as long as we win. It's been total ****e for the last few years. We need that good feeling of stuffing one of the big teams again.

[The Owls]

Where was the graft against Cyprus, San Marino, Slovakia and Wales?

Probaly still wondering why they where doing keepy uppys for a warm up, Thats the prep they had. I coach an u15s and i would only let them do that for a laugh in a training session. There training was extremely poor. With Allardyce ypu would be guarenteed preparation of the highest quality!

[OwlsFan]

With Allardyce ypu would be guarenteed preparation of the highest quality!

On what do you base that fellow Owl?

Sam couldn't play a long ball with us because we have midgets for forwards unless Alan Lee is brought back. For those who say it was ridiculous to sack Sam after only 21 games, Stan was only given 12. There is no bedding in time allowed for an international manager. They must hit the ground running.

I'd say Allardyce is no worse and probably better than some of the names that are on the short list. I would prefer him to Venables, Brady, Giles, Hoddle and Houllier.

As I said before (at the Brighton Conference): whatever manager we pick, he will come with flaws and baggage. I just pray he doesn't come with a trainload.

[DotTV]

Probaly still wondering why they where doing keepy uppys for a warm up, Thats the prep they had. I coach an u15s and i would only let them do that for a laugh in a training session. There training was extremely poor. With Allardyce ypu would be guarenteed preparation of the highest quality!

Keepy uppy teaches great ball control. Not the thing for full internationals to be doing in a warm but I'd see it as more than just having a laugh for your under 15's!

[Wolfie]

But for a bad spell at Newcastle, and lets face it, he's not the only one to have struggled there........

Indeed. Newcastle is the poisoned chalice that other poisoned chalices call "The Toxic one".

[The Owls]

Keepy uppy teaches great ball control. Not the thing for full internationals to be doing in a warm but I'd see it as more than just having a laugh for your under 15's!

My under 15's are currently top of the league unbeaten, I would use keepy uppys as a team building exercise with the hidden value of ball control but not on a regular basis. Back to the point we may aswell appoint roddy collins as then atleast the supports will all agree on something! Hes ****e!

[The Owls]

On what do you base that fellow Owl?

Sam couldn't play a long ball with us because we have midgets for forwards unless Alan Lee is brought back. For those who say it was ridiculous to sack Sam after only 21 games, Stan was only given 12. There is no bedding in time allowed for an international manager. They must hit the ground running.

I'd say Allardyce is no worse and probably better than some of the names that are on the short list. I would prefer him to Venables, Brady, Giles, Hoddle and Houllier.

As I said before (at the Brighton Conference): whatever manager we pick, he will come with flaws and baggage. I just pray he doesn't come with a trainload.

Why is everyone thinking allardyce is going to play long ball. Hell play to the ability of the players i didnt see much long ball at Newcastle or Bolton, Myth made up the lies of arsene wenger and jose who couldnt physically match his team. And Owls Fan Jewell played a very small part in wednesday demise. It was all Danny Wilson!!!!!!!

[eirebhoy]

Then how do you explain the stats? How have Bolton gone from an average of 66% pass success rate to 73% since Sam left? I wouldn't mind if Bolton were really struggling last season but they finished 7th. It's pretty obvious to me that they're trying to keep the ball on the ground a lot more this season. Sam was succesful with the long back at Bolton but as I said, I'd rather we played our most technically talented players.

[Block G Raptor]

What a lot of People on here are missing, is IMO the single most important atribute which Sam would bring to the Job and that for me is personality. He has what it takes to motivate the Player's, the Fans and I think the media would also take to him, for me it's a toss up between Houllier and Sam. with Sam just shading it

[Philly]

Why Sam over Houllier?

One has won loads, the other done grand at Bolton but when it came to managing a team with real expectations flopped.

So far the only manager being linked to the position that is anywhere near world-class is Gerard Houllier.

[Block G Raptor]

Why Sam over Houllier?

Because

[Sligo Hornet]

I think we are getting carried away in our notion that any of the "good canditates" ( including Sam ) will automatically be interested in us......none of them need the money ( all get great compo packages when sacked ) and they know they just have to bide their time before someone else gets the boot at a Club they like, and then throw their hat into that ring.

[NeilMcD]

Because

How do we know this is true.

[passinginterest]

What a lot of People on here are missing, is IMO the single most important atribute which Sam would bring to the Job and that for me is personality. He has what it takes to motivate the Player's, the Fans and I think the media would also take to him, for me it's a toss up between Houllier and Sam. with Sam just shading it

I don't but into the players liking him thing at all.
It was fairly well known that he wanted to get rid of Given at Newcastle, hardly going to motivate him. The Times article linked earlier also suggests that Damien Duff wasn't exactly delighted with his methods and diet changes.

[Oink]

What a lot of People on here are missing, is IMO the single most important atribute which Sam would bring to the Job and that for me is personality. He has what it takes to motivate the Player's, the Fans and I think the media would also take to him, for me it's a toss up between Houllier and Sam. with Sam just shading it

Yeah thats great... an when he leaves its all back to square one with nothing learned.

We have young squad and the most important thing for the new manager to do is impose an attitude to play the modern international game. We lose most internationals becuase we have no game plan, no ethics and no idea of ourselves. The approach to the modern international game has changed and we haven't caught up. With such a young squad we have an excellent oppertunity to instill a new approach to the way Ireland play and are percieved.... we need the right manager though.

Ireland have never encouraged the development of young players in regards to the national squad, we always check who's big at premiership club level and draft them in.... look at any of the other small Central European sides who don't have the resources of the top international sides, they have focused on the development of their international side by adapting to the way modern international football is played and coached a style of football begining at underage sides all the way through to the senior squad. They don't have great players but they know how to play, how to work as a team and know their roles.

When the french where at the height of international success, did you ever wonder why? It's because they worked hard for years on the development of underage players with focus on how football has changed. The same happened with dinamo kiev at club level under Valery Lobanovsky, who pretty much set the standard for modern european caoching.

Not one player who has been brought through the senior squad has developed well and progressed at international level for Ireland over the last 10years... We need to build all the way through from youth level and progress.

[paul_oshea]

lads some good posts here, makes ye think outside the box a bit :!

[DotTV]

My under 15's are currently top of the league unbeaten, I would use keepy uppys as a team building exercise with the hidden value of ball control but not on a regular basis. Back to the point we may aswell appoint roddy collins as then atleast the supports will all agree on something! Hes ****e!

Maybe we should appoint you!

[The Owls]

Maybe we should appoint you!

Ill do it for €100 a week and ill even bring me own bibs!

[Block G Raptor]

Ill do it for €100 a week and ill even bring me own bibs!

Are you steve staunton by any chance

[The Owls]

Are you steve staunton by any chance

No i have completed the FAI Kickstart courses!