Tag: Sam Allardyce

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SAM ALLARDYCE TO STEP DOWN AS WESTBROM MANAGER AT THE END OF THE SEASON

Sam Allardyce said he will step down as West Bromwich Albion manager at the end of the season after Wednesday’s 3-1 home defeat by West Ham United in the Premier League.

Allardyce took charge in December after Slaven Bilic was sacked, but Allardyce was unable to save the Midlands club from an immediate return to the Championship.

It is the first time the much-travelled Allardyce has been in charge of a team relegated from the top-flight.

“West Bromwich Albion made me a generous offer to stay at The Hawthorns that shows the commitment of an ambitious club,” Allardyce said in a statement.

“After serious consideration I have decided not to accept that offer.”

Allardyce, who has a reputation for guiding teams to safety, took charge with West Brom already in deep trouble, having won only one of their opening 13 games.

He improved performances, and in April, after back-to-back wins including an incredible 5-2 victory over Chelsea, it seemed that Allardyce might manage a great escape for West Brom.

But a 3-1 defeat by Arsenal on May 9 condemned them to a second relegation from the top-flight in four seasons.

“The club have asked for my opinion on the qualities my successor will require, and I have been more than happy to offer my thoughts,” Allardyce said.

“The search for my replacement starts after the final game of the season at Leeds United.

“In the meantime, we will be concentrating fully on the preparation for that game and will do everything we can to finish the season with as many points as possible.”

Allardyce’s longtime assistant Sammy Lee and first team coach Robbie Stockdale will also depart the club.

Interviewed by Sky Sports after the defeat by his old club West Ham, an agitated Allardyce offered a rather ironic take on his decision to step aside.

“You all know I am a short-term manager, you have all seen me like that for the last six years,” he said. “That is me, that is where I lie and that is what you continue to think.

“I haven’t been more than that [a firefighter] for the last six or seven years because that is all you lot talk about.”

He also took offence at West Ham striker Michail Antonio’s description of West Brom’s style as direct.

“If you thought that was long ball today then somebody is deluded,” Allardyce said.

Sporting and technical director, Luke Dowling, said: “Sam, Sammy and Robbie came in at a really difficult time for the football club and worked tirelessly in their efforts to keep the club in the Premier League.

“Ultimately, we were unable to accumulate the points total required to keep us here, but Sam certainly restored pride with a number of resilient displays.”

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SAM ALLARDYCE’S WESTRBOM RELEGATED AFTER DEFEAT TO ARSENAL

West Brom’s Premier League relegation was confirmed as Arsenal returned to winning ways to sink Sam Allardyce’s side.

The Baggies are the eighth club Allardyce has managed in the Premier League but a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium means the former England boss has been relegated from the division for the first time.

The writing had been on the wall for some time and, despite a good start here, goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe had them on the ropes. Matheus Pereira reduced the arrears with a memorable strike but Willian’s first Arsenal goal from a late free-kick sealed the Baggies’ fate.

For the hosts, this was a positive response to their Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night and just about kept alive their hopes of securing European football in some guise next season.

It is an indictment of Arsenal’s own league campaign that, if West Brom had won in north London, they would have moved closer in the table to the Gunners than Mikel Arteta’s men are to second-placed Manchester United.

But it was not to be as West Brom returned to the Sky Bet Championship after one season back in the top flight.

Pereira went agonisingly close top putting the visitors ahead with their first opening of the game, bending a strike inches wide of Bernd Leno’s goal with the Germany international beaten.

Callum Robinson was recalled to the Baggies side and hit the crossbar soon after, only to see the offside flag raised.

Allardyce’s team were certainly on top and Pereira whistled another effort wide as they looked to give themselves an early lead.

Bukayo Saka, operating at left-back for the hosts, was once again the bright spark in their side and saw penalty appeals waved away after he broke into the box and was well challenged by Darnell Furlong.

West Brom may have created the best of the early openings but it was Arsenal who would break the deadlock, Smith Rowe slotting home from a Saka cross just before the half-hour mark for his first Premier League goal.

The home team’s lead was doubled six minutes later, Pepe cutting in from the right flank and curling home a fine effort.

Albion responded after the break and refused to go down with a whimper, Pereira running the full length of the Arsenal half before scoring past Leno to half the deficit.

But, while Allardyce had never previously tasted Premier League relegation, he failed to record a first-ever away win against Arsenal as a manager as a superb Willian free-kick in the last minute secured the points for the hosts.

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SAM ALLARDYCE STILL COMBING FOR FIRST WIN AS WESTBROM ARE DUMPED OUT OF FA CUP ON PENALTIES.

Sam Allardyce’s wait for a first win in charge of West Brom will continue after the Baggies were dumped out of the FA Cup by Sky Bet League One Blackpool, losing a penalty shoot-out 3-2.

Seasiders captain Chris Maxwell, playing his first game since December 19 after testing positive for Covid-19, saved spot-kicks from Kyle Edwards, Darnell Furlong and Matheus Pereira to give Blackpool their first FA Cup win over top-flight opposition since they beat Burnley 1-0 45 years ago.

The match had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with West Brom needing a slightly fortuitous penalty from Pereira with 10 minutes left to extend the contest after Jerry Yates and Gary Madine struck either side of Semi Ajayi’s equaliser.

Though Yates missed the opening penalty to hand West Brom the advantage, they could not take it as Maxwell saw his side through to the fourth round.

It is nearly 25 years since Allardyce was abruptly sacked by the Seasiders after narrowly missing promotion, and he will have felt little better on his way out of Bloomfield Road this time around after seeing his Premier League strugglers outfought by a side mid-table in the third tier.

Having said he wanted his fringe players to state their case for more Premier League playing time, Allardyce made seven changes but still named an experienced side with Branislav Ivanovic in defence and Jake Livermore returning as captain following a three-match ban.

Blackpool, now a decade removed from their own stint in the top flight, did not look overawed however, enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.

West Brom were playing without a recognised striker, asking Filip Krovinovic to lead the line the best he could, but struggled to test Maxwell as the hosts created more.

Krovinovic proved more of a threat when he shifted out wide midway through the half, twice cutting inside as his first attempt went narrowly over before a second was palmed clear by Maxwell.

But few could argue Blackpool were not worthy of the lead as they struck five minutes before the break, Yates stepping in to sidefoot home an inviting low ball from Bez Lubula.

The Baggies pushed forward in greater numbers after the break and needed a little over five minutes to draw level as Ajayi headed in Kamil Grosicki’s cross from a short corner.

Grosicki and Conor Gallagher passed up clear opportunities to take the lead for West Brom and it proved costly as Blackpool struck again.

Yates should have had his second when he somehow turned Ollie Turton’s cross wide from close range, but the Seasiders would lead with 66 minutes gone as they hit West Brom on the counter-attack, Madine’s sweeping finish capping a fine move.

Pereira, the latest man to lead the visitors’ attack, fired a first-time effort over in response but the Baggies lacked a real cutting edge.

Instead they were gifted an equaliser as Grosicki’s cross struck the arm of Ollie Turton and John Brooks, after a pause, pointed to the spot from where Pereira brought them level.

Both sides had chances in extra-time, with David Button denying Madine early on, but the extra half an hour could not separate the sides. It would take Maxwell to do that instead.

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SAM ALLARDYCE BEGINS WESTBROM REVOLUTION WITH ROBERT SNODGRASS CAPTURE.

Robert Snodgrass is expected to be unveiled as a West Bromwich Albion player on Friday after boss Sam Allardyce confirmed that he was due at the club’s Walsall training ground for a medical.

Winger Snodgrass, of West Ham United, has been on the fringes of David Moyes’ squad this season and he has been granted a move in order to secure regular minutes elsewhere – that path has led him to The Hawthorns.

Snodgrass, 33, isn’t short on Premier League experience – something Albion as a collective have desperately lacked this season – and he knows plenty of players in the current dressing room.

He is expected to agree to an 18-month deal, provided there are no last minute hiccups. Depending on when the paperwork of his deal is ratified by the footballing authorities, he could travel to Blackpool for the FA Cup third round tie at Bloomfield Road this weekend.

That is at the medical stage,” Allardyce confirmed via Zoom on Thursday afternoon. “As long as the medical goes alright, by tomorrow [Friday] Robert Snodgrass will be a West Bromwich Albion player.

“I am absolutely delighted he has chosen to take up the challenge with us and that we will be adding some much needed Premier League experience and quality into the squad. I’m delighted he has said yes.”

It’ll be more than what Snodgrass can bring to the table in terms of his experience and quality that Albion are set to gain from their recruitment of the Scottish international.

It’s widely known that Snodgrass is a big personality, while remaining a dedicated professional. Those at Aston Villa speak highly of him still after his loan spell there, while he is revered by the likes of England international Declan Rice in the Irons squad.

He tells me recently he has played in central midfield in a left of a three as well as wide left and wide right,” Allardyce continued. “He is flexible in terms of the number of the positions he can play which I think is very important – and I’ve heard from many people he is exceptionally good in the dressing room which is a great bonus on top of his ability.”

As mentioned, Snodgrass is familiar with plenty of Albion names already; Sam Johnstone, Jake Livermore, Matty Phillips and Grady Diangana have all played with him previously, as has coach James Morrison.

Their recommendations and references made Allardyce’s mind up.

“Because of his character he became the first name on my list, and past relationships sometimes work in your favour,” Allardyce added. “David Sullivan, at West Ham, because of the years we spent together was a help in moving the situation on.

When all parties come together as they have done, with Robert committing himself to us as he has, I think it’s a fabulous signing. His character in the dressing room will be very important as will his experience and quality on the pitch.

I am really looking forward to him arriving and hopefully the players will see what quality he has got, and if he can help with the team spirit in the squad that’s going to be great.

“You can tell by his experience and where he has played. He has got great quality and a huge amount of experience, and he never gives up. Hopefully, that will run off on some of the other players. Hopefully, he will lift standards.”.

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ARSENAL ARE JUST LIKE US – ALLARDYCE.

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce insists Arsenal are in a relegation battle just like Westbromwich Albion, his new team.

The Gunners are 15th in the table having lost five of their last seven Primmer League matches.

Allardyce, who has never suffered relegation with his seven previous top-flight clubs, replaced Slaven Bilic at the Hawthorns last week.

The Baggies are five points from safety after 14 games and host Arsenal on January 2.

Asked if he views the Gunners as a relegation rival, Allardyce said: “If they are in the bottom eight at the moment, yes, absolutely.

They’ve only won maybe one in the last 10 or so, and it appears their big results have come in the Europa League.

“And of course getting beat again last night, even though it’s not in the league, as it does with our players, drains the confidence of Arsenal’s players, of course it will.

Because they’ll be wondering what has hit them, why they are down there, and what it is going to take to get out of that position.

“I know what it takes, I hope I can convince the players to respond to what I say on what it takes to get out of it.

I hope we can push on Arsenal when they play us because they’ve got a lack of confidence, and try to beat them – or anybody in the bottom eight.”

He added: “[Arsenal boss] Mikel Arteta would not think they’d be in that position at this moment in time, but he seems a strong character, seems to not move away from what his beliefs are – which is what we all have to do.”