Allardyce pays price

Join the Sky Sports debate on Sam Allardyce leaving Newcastle.

Last updated: 9th January 2008

Allardyce Sam

Allardyce: Left Newcastle

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So Sam Allardyce has left Newcastle after less than eight months and just 21 Premiership games in charge at St James' Park.

Big Sam had always said he needed "three-to-five years" to bring glory to Tyneside, but the club's owners have obviously thought that enough is enough after a poor first half of the season.

Newcastle have won just two of their last 13 games, and their FA Cup draw at Stoke looks to have been the final straw, but should Allardyce have paid the price?

Newcastle have chopped and changed their managers over the past decade and with so many people saying the club needs stability, can another change in manager be good for them?

So should Allardyce have been given more time? Or should he at least have been doing a lot better with his current crop of players?

And what next for Newcastle? Is Alan Shearer the only option? Who would be big enough to take on such a tough job?

Join the Sky Sports debate by using the form below.

Comments

Daymon Johnstone (Newcastle United fan) says...

Big Sam should never have been sacked I was a fan that was giving him time and I know for a fact we would have been better against Manchester United. What hits me was that it was during the transfer window which means we may end up with less time to buy player. I hope that it is eaither Mouriniho, Keagan and Shearer, Houliaire or Jol that takes the job. I would like to wish Buig Sam all the best for the future and hope he has all the success he deserves.

Posted 10:10 14th January 2008

Matt Griffiths says...

Those who think all Sam Allardyce was a good manager need to get their head checked. He is an ancient manager with little or no knowledge of the modern game. Newcastle deserve a decent manager to giude them back to the top five at least.

Posted 01:29 14th January 2008

Dean Collins says...

Big Sam should have been given more time but i would like to see Glenn Hoddle succeed Big Sam because he likes his teams to play attacking football.

Posted 20:34 13th January 2008

Don Owen says...

I am sick of reading about how good Sam Allardice is/was.........what did he ever win...? He was manager of quite a few clubs, the first I can remember was Notts County - did he ever win anything with any club...? He has a big reputation but no class - the one thing I hated most of all was his swearing on the touchline...!!! How can players have respect and want to play for a Manager, yes, a Manager - one who leads by example, when he is no better than some thug on the terraces...Also, his dodgy dealings - whether true or not, we all know that he must be capable of the acts even if not found guilty on 'that' occasion - there is no smoke without fire...!!! My preffered choice to become the next Newcastle Manager would be Ottmar Hitzfeld, who will be a free agent in the summer due to Bayern Munichs appointment of Jurgen Klinsmann.

Posted 11:20 12th January 2008

Paul Dale (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...

Time and patience! Thats what Allardyce needed and thats what Newcastle and their fans did not give him. How long did it take Allardyce to make Bolton into a respectable Premier League Club? It took him 8 years. 8 years! Not 6 months! When will Newcastle, their board and especially their fans realise this? I don't think they will for a long time, and Newcastle will be nothing more than a mediocre mid to lower table finish team. The future does not look bright for Newcastle.

Posted 22:07 10th January 2008

Karl Cope says...

when will newcastle utd stop believing that they are a massive top four club they havent won anything for a LONG time!!! sam IS a cracking manager who just needed time to settle and sort out things his own way just 24 games to change a team is no time at all!! To be a winning big club takes time and hard work it don`t happen over night!!! Bobby robson was the best manager apart from keegan you had 2 top 4 finshes and champions league football he was leading you the right way and then sacked him!!

Posted 20:28 10th January 2008

Terry Bell (man utd fan) says...

Big Sam did wonders at Bolton, a side with average players and little or no money to spend. He went to a club that have underachieved for years and been given no time to work. How many managers will come and go before it sinks in that the players aren't pulling their weight.

Posted 18:36 10th January 2008

Andy Wallwork says...

All the fans of other teams coming on here saying Sam should have been given more time, and Newcastle fans think they have a divine right to this and that makes me laugh. Would they put up with their team serving up the dross that has been served up to our fans so far this season?? I doubt it. And the majority of us don't think we have a divine right to anything, maybe bar disappointment and heartache every season. Don't like to see anyone lose their job, but Sam wasn't right for the Toon. Long ball might work elsewhere, but not here I'm afraid.

Posted 18:00 10th January 2008

David Bleasdale (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...

Sam was never Mike Ashleys choice of manager and as such it was only a matter of time before things came to a head.If it was over how the team was performing it would of been over the amount of money Sam would have wanted for transfers. I also belive the players a resposibility, as much as the manager can come up with a game plan, there are eleven other players on the pitch trying to stop you playing as you want so the players have to adapt to how the game is going whilst on the pitch,remenber these are not Sunday league players(no disrespect) and as such they should be able to adapt to what ever is happening.

Posted 17:18 10th January 2008

Kevin Mcdonnell (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Firstly, I think Sam deserved more time. I don't however agree about the lack of money he had to spend as being such an issue. After all, his main strength was getting the best out of a club with limited spending capital, i.e. Bolton. He was picked more for his man mangement than his shrewd buying ability. This proved to be his downfall as recent lacklustre performances from the Newcastle players proved that perhaps his motivational skills were dwindling. I think the Newcastle fans need to realise that they are not as big a club as they think they are. Their fan base is no bigger than Sunderlands, and they haven't won anything in over half a century. I think they over expect from their team and particularly their managers. It's time to be realistic and realise that mid table is the best they can hope for in the next five years!

Posted 17:13 10th January 2008

Richard Richards (Sunderland fan) says...

What a joke. You can't expect instant success with a new manager. Allardyce wasn't even given half a chance. Yeah, the team hasn't been playing well, but its up to the players aswell to get results. Shearer isn't going to want to do it. And if he did I know for a fact all of the toon fans would give him all the time in the world to turn the team round, because he is idolised by the Toon supporters. Stability brings good results in the long run, sacking a manager 21 games into the season during the January transfer window, will not do any good. All the best Sam!

Posted 10:55 10th January 2008

Brian Kearns (Manchester United fan) says...

This is a ridiculous decision, Sam has proven his ability as a manager over the years, Newcastle was in poor shape before he got there. Fans have got to be more patient, as a Man Utd fan im thankful that Fergie was given the chance to continue despite a mediocre start. I would like to see Newcastle up challenging again but the fans have got to realise the team isnt good enough, a manager needs time to rebuild. If they cant accept that then they dont deserve to be successful.... and good luck on Saturday.

Posted 10:48 10th January 2008

Gareth Draisey (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I'm shocked that Big Sam has been sacked! He should've been given more time. 21 games is just not enough, although with the signings he has made I can see a little why the fans were on his back from the get go. As a Spurs fan i would love to see Martin Jol go to Newcastle. I think he is excellent and he will bang some heads together and get them playing as a team again.

Posted 10:44 10th January 2008

Richard Johnson says...

Big Sam wasn't given enough money or time to bring sucess to St James' Park but i would like Jose Mourinho to suceed Big Sam

Posted 10:31 10th January 2008

Mark Smith (Newcastle United fan) says...

New board,same stupid mistake! The fans that have forced this deciscion are morons,we do not have a devine right to success,we needed stability and Sam could have given us that.We had to put up with Souness for a year, so why not give Sam at least that.Shearer is a superstar,but he would be stupid to accept the job.I don't know where we go from here! Who is going to want some idiot screaming,"you don't know what you are doing" after only 21 games in charge?Well done to you mindless few.I thought you were beyond contempt for your treatment of Sir Bobby but you have really done the club proud this time!

Posted 08:33 10th January 2008

Laurence Middleburgh (Wigan Athletic fan) says...

I saw Newcastle at Wigan a few weeks ago and they were auful -probably the worst team at the JJB this year. I am glad Sam has been sacked -perhaps his big head might now shrink to normal size

Posted 08:33 10th January 2008

Roy Collins (Newcastle United fan) says...

Mike Ashley, as a hard-headed businessman, will have given this decision a lot of thought before coming to the inevitable conclusion that Sam Allardyce was never the right choice for the Newcastle job. Of course his achievements with Bolton are to be admired, but at the same time his approach to football was always better suited to a smaller club punching above their weight rather than a club with genuine top 4 aspirations. Quite simply in modern footballing terms Allardyce is a tactical dinosaur who didn't even deliver his perceived strengths of organisation and making his side difficult to beat. Had there been any signs of progress then I'm sure Newcastle fans would have been more forgiving, but the simple fact is there were none and arguably we have regressed. And to those smug fans from other clubs who criticise the haste with which the board have acted, I say be grateful that you have not had to endure the desperate standard of football that we have had to put up with week in, week out this season. I don't think it is unreasonable to attend a football match in the hope of seeing something resembling entertainment. As a Newcastle fan I am certainly not conceited enough to say that we have a divine right to success and am well aware that for anyone to succeed in the job a reasonable amount of time must be given, but I would back the board's assessment that this was never likely to happen under Allardyce. Better that this realisation was made now rather than 2/3 wasted years down the line.

Posted 08:24 10th January 2008

Tony Simpson (Newcastle United fan) says...

Big Sam should have stayed. given more time and money. The squad he had were potentially very good (but obviously not all of them want to play for newcastle. What should have happened is to have a one on one session with all the squad players to asked them where they thought they could play best, a lot of them would probably say any other premiership club. Viduka. Past his best and lazy if the ball is not played to feet or head he is not interested. Butt still sprays the ball around well from midfield, unfortunately most of the time it goes to the opposition or out of play. Faye. Looks like hes getting the B syndrome (Boumsong / Bramble. Lack of concentration and interest. Owen Has still got it but does not have the service. Duff (enough said!!!) Smith Contends for everything and determined to get himself booked without putting anything into the games. Now there is talk of releasing Emre who i think gives 100% whenever he can play. Give Taylor a decent offer as he is a good future prospect in defence and can play upfield. Most of all whoever takes on the managership needs to be given time and any knee jerk reaction from the board / owners should be avoided at all costs.

Posted 08:22 10th January 2008

Anthony Mckeown (Newcastle United fan) says...

I'm already sick of hearing how Big Sam should have been given more time and the board is a disgrace. Allardyce was appointed by the previous muppet chairman that was thankfully replaced a month after Big Sam was appointed. Therefore, he was never the new ownerships choice, and I don't see how anyone can defend his record with Newcastle in the time he was there. And I get annoyed when people use Ferguson as an example of why you should give your manager more time etc etc. Football is a completely different beast now, and pressures on and off the pitch do not afford any manager that kind of time any more. A club of Newcastles size and turnover should be competing at a higher level in the league and unfortunately Allardyce was not the one to lead us forward. It takes more than just a manager to rebuild a club, and I strongly believe we have the board and owner in place that genuinely wants to see that happen. I just hope Shearer doesn't want it!!

Posted 08:08 10th January 2008

Paul Oxley (Newcastle United fan) says...

How can you sack a First Class manager after 8 months? It's pure lunacy. And as for some of the fans that have booed him these past months; what did you expect? Freddy Shepherd destroyed this club and for anyone to expect instant success from a new manager is a nutter. He needed time to rip the club apart and start again. Like he said 'three to five years'. The club is a shambles and needs a total overhaul. This won't happen in one or even two seasons! Who's going to want the job now?

Posted 08:03 10th January 2008

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