Sam Allardyce

So, what next?

  • IN. Give him a chance and see what he can do?

    Votes: 79 8.3%
  • OUT. Thanks but no thanks. See Ya?

    Votes: 758 79.3%
  • As ever. Cheese on Toast

    Votes: 25 2.6%
  • Er, I am a bit scared of us Evertoning this right up.

    Votes: 94 9.8%

  • Total voters
    956
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I think it's possible that we're maybe looking into the language used a bit too much. At face value it would indeed appear that his wording at least has many suggesting that he'll still be here beyond the summer and you can understand that.

But... the fact that it's still not totally clear is what's leaving the situation open to interpretation still.

A very clear and definitive statement from Allardyce would've/should've read something akin to.. "we had a meeting with Farhad and the board in London yesterday and they've made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that I've got their full backing to carry on my work here leading into next season."

So, without that, here's what we have to go on:
  • He entered the press room smiling, commenting on the poor weather and how much better it was "in London yesterday". I wouldnt've thought that there was too much in how he dropped London in there (think a lot of people knew yesterday that the meeting was taking place) but all said and done it wasn't an untypical Allardyce 'mood' going into it;
  • On the initial talk around the meeting, having watched it back, I got the sense that Allardyce kind of knew what he was going to say beforehand. He wasn't so much directly asked by the reporter about how the meeting actually went.. the narrative seemed to be sparked around his suggestion that he perhaps still hadn't received 'clarity' on his position going forward. That's the point where Allardyce somewhat rebuked that suggestion and confirmed that 'some clarity' had been gleaned;
  • Nowhere in the actual narrative that followed did Allardyce confirm, despite talking about 'our' plans for pre-season & player movement during the meeting, that he'd definitely be the one at the helm for this. Even at the end when the reporter followed up before moving on...
    • Reporter: "so you're all on board together and looking forward to next season?
    • Allardyce: "didn't I just say that?" [laughs] - well, not really Sam, hence the need to clarify..
    • Report: "just for the sake of clarification.."
    • Allardyce: [looks down] "clarification? yes"
I don't know really. As others have suggested he just seemed very understated in what he was saying.. you have to assume that if the meeting was unequivocal in establishing that he's done enough to be given next season you feel he would've made a bigger deal about it. As it stands it still leaves doubt over what he's suggesting actually went down.

His wording was as ambiguous as his formations and tactics......
 


There is no doubt a number of Evertonians on here will not go to the games next season because they don't go anyway. They probably watch the TV games and switch off if they don't like it. No problem for anyone else. The ground will be as full next season as this. The waiting list is large and no doubt will remain so.
 
Hoping to read something similar to when he was removed at West Ham 2 minutes after the final game of the season - Family Sam, remember the Family....

Allardyce insisted it was he who decided the time had come for a parting of the ways:

"I didn't want to stay, no. I suppose you could say it's mutual if they didn't want to give me one anyway, so that's a bit of tit-for-tat, isn't it?

"But it's done, it's dusted now, it's settled and we both move on. West Ham have a big job appointing a new manager and moving forward now - I have the job of seeing the family for a change, because it's a massive commitment. As a manager, you just ignore your family 24/7 when you do this job, and it's time for me to give the family a little bit of time and me to enjoy that time and see what comes in a few months' time.

"I thought it was time to leave, I thought it was the right time to leave. For me, four years is a long enough spell. You don't want to overstay your welcome and like I said, you have to commit your whole life to being a Premier League manager. You are under scrutiny all the time and you have to be totally obsessed with the job to get it right, and particularly your family, you have to ignore that side.

"They worry for you, they support you. They are down when you're down, they're up when you're up, so it does become a bit of a strain on them, particularly your wife, so it's time to have that break. It's leaving on a high for me - not a high today the way we performed in the second half - but leaving on a high, and walking away from a football club that has achieved so much in the last four seasons is something I am very proud of."
 

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