Allardyce: We dealt with the chaos at Everton

Monday, 23 April, 2018 137comments  |  Jump to most recent

Sam Allardyce says he and his staff successfully rescued struggling David Unsworth back in November and cites his arrival as the catalyst for that important home win over West Ham.

The 63-year-old has been talking with the media ahead of today's meeting with Newcastle United at Goodison Park and is still facing questions from the media in relation to a survey that Everton sent to season ticket holders last week asking them to rate their trust in the ability of various components of the club, including the manager and his coaching staff.

His relationship with the club's fans, one which hasn't improved on the basis of the fact that many of them barracked him from the stands at the Liberty Stadium as the Blues gave up a 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 with Swansea nine days ago, is also a regular topic when he speaks with the press.

Allardyce reiterated his belief that the only way to keep the supporters onside was to win games, something his team has managed just five times in 17 Premier League fixtures since the last time they played Newcastle. He blames the challenges posed by a poor squad for the unspectacular results since he came on board while also seeking to augment his record by claiming credit for the 4-0 win over West Ham which was the highlight of David Unsworth's difficult interim spell in charge.

“You win fans over by winning football matches and winning them in style,” Allardyce said in The Telegraph. "You can only do what you do and work as hard as you possibly can with the squad and the players you have got to deliver what you can. That has been a difficult challenge.

“We have managed to overcome the chaos. Even David Unsworth said he could not wait for the new manager to be appointed. He was in for (eight) games and he was saying before the West Ham game, ‘get me out of this position, get a new manager appointed because I am struggling to cope and these players have got no confidence'. That is where I came from.

"I came in for West Ham and spoke to the players,” he continued. “It helped have a positive affect. David does the last game and he gets the win. We both benefit from that and move forward. Where we have gone from there, I consider it my contribution, which is 30 points from 21 games, rather than 13 games, 12 points.

"I had a contribution to play in the victory over West Ham that day. I spoke to the players before the game. The players reacted. I'm not saying they reacted to what I said but they certainly reacted to a new manager on the door.

“When a new manager comes in, even if he hasn't taken a coaching session, the players go out and respond to it. They think, ‘I have got to prove that I deserve my place in the side'. That contributed to what was a great victory.”

 

Reader Comments (137)

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Brian Wilkinson
1 Posted 23/04/2018 at 01:07:55
Just when you thought you had heard it all, Sam is taking credit for the West Ham win, talking to the players before the game and saying the win was because of him.

So if that is the case, how come in all his time in charge, we have come nowhere near the 4 nil win or performance.

I cannot wait for this guy to leave, please do it after the Newcastle game so we can at least have the few remainders with a caretaker manager and a chance to see at least one decent performance.

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 23/04/2018 at 01:16:41
I don’t deny this is what Lardiola told Bascombe. But, sorry, no. I don’t believe a word of it.

Unsworth scoffed at Allardyce taking any credit for the win. Let’s see what he says after the fat bullshitter is booted out the door.

Sure, he went in and said hello, and I’m watching and waiting to take over so impress me, or words to that effect. Sure the lazy arse players stepped up to play the best they played all season. I’ll give him that. But that’s the “new manager bounce”. It doesn’t matter if it was Mike Walker back, they’d have tried harder to impress the new guy.

The next match, Lardiola picked the same players in the same formation. With Rooney deep where Unsworth has been trying to play him for a couple of games, surrounded by the pace of Gueye and Davies and surprise surprise we won a few games, then he swapped stuff about and put his own stamp on the side and we went back to being shite.

Nice one Allardyce. Why don’t you own up to your numerous failures?

Kunal Desai
4 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:13:54
Seriously?? Just go now.
Trevor Peers
5 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:15:47
Unsworth looked the most relieved man on the planet when Sam took over and I doubt he will ever be asked to lead us again. He was completely out of his depth and that Southampton game proved it.
Philip Bunting
7 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:19:34
In many ways Sam is telling the truth. Although it's time to go.
Andy Walker
8 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:20:14
I believe what he's said. The problem is he's said it and that won't go down well with most fans. He doesn't understand that most of us don't like arrogant managers.

He does need to go in the summer, he's simply stirring up a hornets' nest with the fans every time he speaks at the moment. Just watch the abuse that will now follow on here.

Oh Sam, you do like to antagonise your team's fans, don't you? Maybe he's cleverer than I think and actually using the fans' reaction to him to force the club to pay him off.

John G Davies
9 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:26:38
Latest in a series of provocative statements from Allardyce. He is teasing the board to sack him. Probably due to a clause in his contract where he gets more money if he is sacked before a certain date.
Ajay Gopal
10 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:29:54
Unsworth was not out of his depth, he was hung out to dry by the board, similar to what is happening with Allardyce and the survey.

What we need is a Director of Football, who is well respected in the game and is aware of the history of Everton Football Club.

This may be controversial, and surprising coming from me (a known detractor), but David Moyes as DoF, anyone? Moyes and Eddie Howe as Manager may be a safe option, which given time and money and patience, may put Everton back on a solid footing.

Colin Glassar
11 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:32:45
You have sat here too long Sam. In the name of God go, just go.
Joe O'Brien
12 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:39:51
Ajay, I for one do not want David Moyes anywhere near our club again. The same David Moyes who strung us along for months with us not knowing if he was going to stay or go... when the snakey fucker had it all arranged secretly with Ferguson all along in the background.

He's after burning his bridges with me.

Jon Withey
13 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:39:52
Well yeah, that's why I wanted him in – self-belief in a dire situation.

It doesn't change the fact that he's done the required job now, does it?

Throwing Unsy under a bus doesn't do him any favours.

Vijay Nair
14 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:44:49
Sorry Ajay, but I'd have to disagree on Moyes as DoF. He may know the club, could very well still garner some respect in the game (though I very much doubt it), but part of the DoF's remit would be finding us players capable of taking the club forward. Something he is simply not capable of.

Bargain basement prospects from the lower leagues are not where our club is at right now.

David Hallwood
15 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:48:34
Although I want to see the back of Lardiola like all Evertonians, there's no disguising that there's a sickness at the heart of our club that must be eradicated.

I remember someone saying the same thing about Sunderland and look where they are. All three managers have presided over worrying collapses, from an expensively assembled team packed with full internationals.

And yes, the recruitment was all wrong and we didn't strengthen in the right areas, but I've seen Oster, Pembridge, Gemmil etc put in a better shift than the ‘rabbit in the headlights' performances we've seen this season.

Whoever gets the job, and let's face it after Lardiola's gone will have his work cut out, but what we don't need is a clear out-12 in, 10 out. Yes we need to get rid of probably as many as 12 players, but the squad's too big as it is so 3-4 quality replacements thank you very much.

Ped from ToffeeTV made a great comment that the way play reminds him of the times you turn up for a Sunday league game and play for a scratch team. We are a team of strangers – or at least play like it.

Allardyce for all his Trump-like bigging himself up has never managed a cohesive performance, and tbh that's worrying because that's what he and the likes of Pulis are hired for – not pretty football. Sacking him isn't the panacea but he's got to go.

Dave Newton
16 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:51:46
Well Rooney's been welcomed back like he's been away fighting in the crusades, so why not Moyes?

I wouldn't want him back as DoF simply because it's not the Moyes of 10 years ago. Now, his ability to do everything, including bargain hunt, seems to have eluded him. Just look at all the ex-Everton and Man Utd players he signed while at Sunderland because he didn't know where else to turn.

Paul Smith
17 Posted 23/04/2018 at 07:54:45
We run the risk of another Martinez or Koeman. Sam will maintain our Premier League survival but it's not enough... so twist it is.

Hope to fuck they get it right. And not Marco Silva please.

Colin Glassar
18 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:10:35
Quite a few of us have raised that point many times, David. There is a malaise at the heart of the club which started decades ago and is increasing with each passing day. No clear direction, lack of funding, ambition, standards etc... have all led us to where we are today.

We are an easy touch for managers and players and, until the man mainly responsible for this is run out of town, this sad situation will continue to fester.

Rick Tarleton
19 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:20:36
I'm very much with Colin Glassar – this isn't really about managers though four duds on the trot has not helped. The true problem lies in the Boardroom. In 2002 or 2003, I wrote an article on here about Kenwright being a consummate actor, a pretender of the highest order. He's still there pulling the strings behind Moshiri.

While this situation is allowed to continue we'll continue to drift, I'm completely sceptical that the move to Bramley Moore will happen and Billy Liar will be there till he decides to go or till he dies.

I await developments, but fear nothing will really change.

Kevin Tully
20 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:26:54
Who is running this club? Allardyce has stated Moshiri is busy with business interests abroad. Bill is said to be unwell, and no longer calling the shots. Elstone is supposed to be leaving his post.

We can all see there is no clear leadership. Before anything else happens, then surely Moshiri has to put someone front and centre, so everyone knows where they stand. Elstone has only ever been a glorified accountant who does as he's told.

If we don't put a proper, functioning leadership structure in place, then how will we ever improve?

Say what you like about Allardyce, but I think he's correct when he mentions the "chaos" at Everton. You could see something wasn't right by the signings we made. Selling Lukaku and making Rooney our highest ever paid player being my particular favourite.

As per usual, everyone goes into hiding when things are going tits-up at the club. They really are a cowardly bunch. Step up and sort it Moshiri.

Tony Everan
21 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:52:46
Sam Allardyce knows he is finished here. His job is done. His methods have kept us up and now we can move onwards and upwards .

Time for a thank you and goodbye.

All this bigging himself up and Trump-esque pouting is Sam putting himself firmly in the shop window.

Sammy “safe hands” at your service.

He will get a £3M-a-year contract at West Brom or similar with a £3M promotion bonus. He has been in the management game a long time and knows how to play it.

John Davies
22 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:53:38
Big headed, deceitful, archaic, untrustworthy, fraudulent cheat. The man's arrogance has no limits. Never has there been a more unpopular, unwanted manager at our club and yet still the tosser remains as manager. Get him out, for God's sake!

What the fuck is Moshiri playing at and where is he?

Alan Johnson
23 Posted 23/04/2018 at 08:54:01
Chaos, surrounded by confusion, is what Kenwight's all about. Keep the fans guessing about what's going on. This is the way Everton have been run since he came in.
Len Hawkins
24 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:00:32
For Christ's sake, will people never give in with the "History of Everton" rubbish? History is yesterday — we need someone who looks for what we can do TOMORROW!!!

Getting someone who knows the History of Everton will either be someone who never puts a book down or someone older than Methuselah.

What is needed is a manager & DoF who can work together spotting players and blending them into a team — not what we have at the minute, a butcher, baker, and candlestick-maker who haven't a clue what each other does.

Bobby Mallon
25 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:01:40
Can someone tell me what the obsession is with having a Director of Football? What we need is a manager with full control over everything, transfers the lot, then there is no grey area as to who bought this or that rubbish player.

If we are to have a DoF, then we need a coach – someone who can coach any player bought for him.

Graeme Hodgkinson
26 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:10:12
Vijay @ 12: It feels like you put the cart before the horse. Moyes recruited bargain buys because that was all he could get – he spent every penny he could. If there was more money, he would buy a higher standard. But there's little arguing that he brought in some top quality that sub-£5m per transfer could buy: Coleman, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar, Baines, Jagielka, Lescott, Martyn(?), Howard, Donovan, Saha, Stones.

Personally, I'd be willing to give him a crack with the new found millions, and would trust him with it. But I know I'll get shot down for it.

Colin Glassar
27 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:24:06
Graeme, boom!!!

Ginger is done and dusted as far as teams with ambitions go. He is a younger version of Fat Sam these days. A man to call in an emergency although he screwed up at Man Utd, took Sunderland down and might do the same with West Ham. Not a great CV when you think of it.

Dave Abrahams
28 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:26:09
Yes, Sam, whatever you say, you came in to do a job, you did it, so fair enough, I'll say thanks for that. Thank you again but you are not a manager who can take Everton where we want them to be, you are a cheeky chancer, a wind-up merchant, an egotist of the highest order.

You had a great chance to prove you were a top class manager, which you have always promoted yourself as, Sam, but failed badly. I'd give you 3 out of 10 as a manager. For brass-necked cheek, you are the tops, an Arthur Daley without the slightest bit of humour.

Goodnight, God bless, Sam — your work is over at Everton.

Steven Jones
29 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:27:54
We need continuity and stability. I think Sam has stabilized the ship. Now let him move it to the next level. Changing for a whim is ridiculous and could put us in a Sunderland, West Brom, Aston Villa, Southampton situation.

Revolving door managers are not respected by the players. As soon as there is a run of poor results then the players switch off, the social media ranters and narks get going, and we chase another manager out.

Loads of hindsight, like "Well the board should have known he has a no Premier League experience", "Sack the board" etc etc.

As night follows day, if you get rid of Sam and get an alphabet-soup continental sophisticated swarf-looking coach in – they will get found out.

Brian Williams
30 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:28:04
Lose tonight and there'll be an announcement in the morning!

Maybe....

Pete Clarke
31 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:37:42
Is there a chance that Bill Kenwright is sitting amongst this chaos waiting for Moshiri to wilt and sell up and he can take the reigns again?

It's hard to think of a worse scenario but this is what chaos brings. We only have to look at who is managing the team for that.

The only thing Big Sam brought with him was a lot of luck in his first few games but, apart from that, it was the other teams at the bottom that saved us.

Iain Johnston
32 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:38:25
Now, now, Allardyce, we're not goldfish. We all have long memories.

Everything was nicely moving in the right direction until you started messing around with formations and the starting 11 after the Swansea home game. For no reason at all, you decided to change a winning team.

It was Rhino's starting 11 which gained us 4 wins and a draw in November and December, the rot set in when you decided to pick your own.

When you watch West Brom and start to think that McClean, Livermore, Phillips & Gibbs would seriously improve what we have and for a fraction of the cost, you know we have problems.

Bill Gienapp
33 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:39:11
Jesus Christ, that is NOT what Unsworth said. He basically told the board "Either commit to me or bring in a new manager, but the club can't persist in this state of limbo."

I can't believe this fraud can actually sit there and throw him under the bus by claiming he was begging to be relieved of his duties.

I've said it before and I'll say it again – Allardyce deserves ZERO credit for anything. What exactly has he achieved that's so special? Beating the likes of Huddersfield, Swansea and Brighton? Those are exactly the sort of matches Koeman and Unsworth were winning – bottom half competition at home.

Our road form hasn't improved in the slightest (sorry, but barely edging 10-man Stoke changes nothing), the defensive improvements were a mirage and we're worse than ever against the top six. Koeman lost to Spurs 3-0, Allardyce lost 4-0. Koeman lost to Arsenal 5-2, Allardyce lost 5-1. Koeman managed to get a draw against Man City on the road, while under Allardyce we get completely trounced at home.

Give Allardyce those same nine matches that got Koeman sacked and he would have done even worse. He took advantage of a favourable run of fixtures upon his arrival and has been doing the bare minimum ever since.

The only thing he can crow about is manufacturing a pair of cynical draws against the RS – who were barely even trying in the second derby. Wow, congrats.

It's almost reached the point that I hope we get creamed by Newcastle, just to bring the full wrath of Goodison down upon him.

Brian Harrison
34 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:47:36
Steven (#27),

You say that changing for a whim could put us in the same position as Sunderland, West Brm, Villa or Southampton. But in the case of Sunderland the owner Ellis Short wants out so has put no money into the club, in fact not only hasn't he put money in he hasn't allowed the managers to spend the Pickford money.

Southampton were unfortunate that they had 2 previous managers lured away who were both doing well. Aston Villa are now starting to rebuild again after years of Randy Lerner not putting money into the club. West Brom have for years struggled because of lack of finance.

But Everton have money to spend, but because of the lack of quality in their buys struggled. Also, if you try and bring 5 or 6 first team players in at once, it never works; it takes time. That is always assuming you bought the right type of player in the first place.

Chris Gould
35 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:48:57
I think he's feeling the pressure and trying overly hard to convince everyone that he's done a good job, as opposed to purposely provoking us.

I actually agree with his views about Unsworth and the West Ham game, but that's an old argument and nobody really cares anymore.

We need a young forward thinking manager who can unite the fanbase. Does that person exist?

Anyone that comes into this mess (it's still in chaos, Sam!) will need a lot of patience from a very frustrated set of fans. Nobody gets that these days and, for that reason, anybody who comes in will get criticised and written off by some within weeks.

We need to bring in a manager and give him a season free of criticism to sort out this awful squad. He'll need 2-3 transfer windows to get 'his' team, and he'll need... patience!

What top manager would want to come to us in the state we're in? We'll need to look at managers in the 2nd tier and hope that the one we get blossoms into something special. Does anybody have faith in our owner and Chairman getting this decision right?

I'm not even convinced they'll sack Sam!! Desperate times.

Sam Hoare
36 Posted 23/04/2018 at 09:53:37
"As night follows day, if you get rid of Sam and get an alphabet- soup continental sophisticated swarf-looking coach in - they will get found out."

Seriously? Because the likes of Wenger, Mourinho, Guardiola, Pochetinno, Klopp, Ranieri etc have all been found out?

Nationality or origin of a manager should not matter in the least. If he (or she?!) has won trophies or done good work at their previous clubs and seem like a good fit in terms of personality and footballing style for the club then they should get the job.

I'm certainly open-minded to the likes of Howe and Dyche but there are probably more foreign coaches than British coaches that fit this description above.

Allardyce is not one of them. He's won little or nothing, plays dreadful football, is known best for helping clubs avoid relegation, and loves nothing more than blowing his own trumpet – even when the fans are clearly dissatisfied with the fare on display.

Mark Dunford
37 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:04:54
There no longer seems to be a way of distinguishing truth from fiction in anything Big Sam says. Every claim he makes is debatable.

The victory over West Ham was apparently down to his motivational skills yet the dreadful defeats to Arsenal, Spurs and Man City were presumably someone else's responsibility. They were on a par with those at Southampton and Atalanta and clearly those were under someone else's tenure – unless he wants to manipulate history to claim those. The draw at City was a very good result, one of the best of the season – perhaps that was down to a simple anticipation that he may arrive at some point.

Judging by his increasingly odd and defensive statements, the pressure seems to be getting to Big Sam. For the sake of everyone, he needs to go. Perhaps, someone could then explain to him that it isn't a good idea to take a job for the money when you're not only not wanted by the paying public but held in contempt by some 93% (judging by the TW poll).

His initial reluctance to consider the post was the right call. The club's hierarchy made a bad mistake appointing this manager and it needs correcting. If nothing happens quickly next season will be worse than this, and - as we all know - this one takes some beating.

We now need an ambitious young manager with some experience who is willing to commit for three to five years. Fonseca, Howe or possibly Silva are the obvious candidates. There may well be others and it looks like Brands may be on his way.

The new appointments need to be balanced against a degree of continuity in the club. Unsworth must stay – not sure about Ferguson who seems to have an ill-defined role. Walsh should follow BS out of what has become a revolving door.

For the record, I was in favour of Martinez when he was appointed (I admit he lost the plot); I was lukewarm about Koeman who always seemed uncommitted, and I opposed to Big Sam.

Jerome Shields
38 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:23:54
The sooner Big Sam goes, the better. Unsworth has a better record than Sam. If Unsworth had been supported by the Board, Everton would be in a better position today.

Big Sam is trying to play up his meagre accomplishments by belittling Everton Football Club. Everton are in a worse state than this time last year, with no end in sight. No-one is looking forward to next season under this fraud.

Martin Nicholls
39 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:31:05
Bill Gienapp#31 - absolutely spot on! This man deserves nothing but the sack preceded perhaps by a large fine for breaching Club discipline in his public criticism of another part (Richard Kenyon and his team) of our Club.
Allardyce out!
Paul A Smith
40 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:33:09
I am sick of falling out with fellow blues. I love you all really.
It never sounds that way but I honestly do. The fact you can all still breath after a post, tweet, phone call etc about Everton is testament to everybody.
I think the club should do more surveys. Lets get a list of candidates (from the club obviously) and put everything to vote.
Let the fans choose our destiny. Then when it all goes right or wrong, we as fans take all the responsibilty.
Why let board members decide? They constantly prove they are not up to doing what you want.

Tell you what else i am sick of, players getting off the hook.

No manager tells Rooney to make that needless ball he gives away every game. No manager tells Gana to misplace almost every pass he makes.

I doubt they tell Bolasie to look like a break dancer tripping over a football either.

Justin Harvey
41 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:40:49
Every day he stays he further damages the integrity of the club. He must be cut loose before the summer.

I never actively want Everton to lose, and will be hoping for a win tonight but if you told me a loss would expedite his departure, I wouldn't feel too wounded.

Jack Convery
42 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:41:07
I pity his wife. what a twat this guy is. Please leave... please, please.
Dennis Stevens
43 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:42:41
Allardyce is so arrogant & shameless that he should be a kopite!
Darren Marsh
44 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:44:41
Bill Gienapp, well said Sir.

Agree on every point. Get this fraudulent bent fucker away from this once great club, hopefully after tonight. And he can take any numpty who supports him with him.

Brent Stephens
45 Posted 23/04/2018 at 10:48:00
"I came in before West Ham and spoke to the players... It helped have a positive affect".

"I spoke to the players before the game... I'm not saying they reacted to what I said but they certainly reacted to a new manager on the door".

Bit of a contradiction there?

“When a new manager comes in, even if he hasn't taken a coaching session, the players go out and respond to it. They think, ‘I have got to prove that I deserve my place in the side'. That contributed to what was a great victory.” So it was nothing you said or did!

And would love to hear what Unsie thinks about Sam's recollection of what he (Unsie) is meant to have said.

Ray Smith
46 Posted 23/04/2018 at 11:25:30
Dennis 41, I agree with you, with the exception of him being a kopite. They wouldn't have him!

I thought he couldn't sink any lower, and then he ridicules Dave Unsworth in public, tells Luke Garbutt he has no future at Everton in public, and expects everybody to pat him on the back.

He's looking to get the push, and the sooner the better for me.

No doubt its all part of the tactics to get paid off in accordance with his contract.


Tony Marsh
47 Posted 23/04/2018 at 11:44:52
Sam @34,

Klopp, Wenger, Mourinho, Guardiola all went to clubs with either a rich history of European football or big money or both. What does Everton FC have to offer a European elite coach or manager? Throw the horrendous Goodison Park in to the mix and 'appealing' is not a word that springs to mind...

I don't understand our fans still thinking we can put ourselves in the same bracket as Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City etc... We are as far away from the big boys in the Premier League as we have ever been. The Moshiri factor is now just like a sick prank being played on our club.

EFC is not attractive to big-name managers and the sooner we all realise this fact, the sooner we all wake up. If and when Allardyce is removed, all the silly delusional calls for this guy or that guy will start and, once again, our fans will be disappointed. It's the Everton Way, Sam – you should know this by now.

Daniel A Johnson
48 Posted 23/04/2018 at 11:54:49
So Fat Sam has so far thrown under the bus: the physio team regarding Sigurdsson's length of absence; The marketing team for the survey; and now Unsworth. For all Unsworth's faults, he's 500 times the man Allardyce will ever be.

Get this despicable egotist out of the club now. For all his gusto, he just needs to look at the results of his last 10 games.

Get out now, for Christ's sake, just get out and take your wad of cash with you.

Supporting this club sometimes is just so goddamn hard. Allardyce Out!

Paul A Smith
49 Posted 23/04/2018 at 11:55:11
Allardyce is coming across like he's singing his own praises but he does say 'we' and he's had no support from anyone that isn't around him day to day.

I don't care about any manager's feelings on a personal level but surely this is just bullying now. The man has had to defend himself time and time again. We have gone from the long-ball shouts to realising it hasn't been long-ball so now it's style of play.

But nobody is brave or real enough to say "Okay, I was over the top there." He got no praise for steadying the side.

I hear fans these days saying Sterling has been made better by Pep. Michael Keane was a disgrace until the new team came in after Unsworth. He's got a little bit better but still no offer of acknowledgement unless it matters to your agenda.

I didn't expect us to like Allardyce but the lack of class all around this club has stunk for a long time.

John Graham
51 Posted 23/04/2018 at 12:05:24
This is one of the few things he has said or done that I agree with. Getting in a new manager gave the squad a boost (or a kick up the backside) which wouldn't have happened if David Unsworth had been told to carry on. Performances since the initial boost have faded drastically and the style of play has left little to be thankful for.

I thank Allardyce for keeping us in the Premier League but it is now time for him to go and time to get someone in who will give us a more attractive style of play and who will not be scared of any opposition.

For me I would love us to get Wenger in with a younger assistant who would take over when he finally decided he has had enough.
Paul A Smith
52 Posted 23/04/2018 at 12:05:36
Where does this side finish if Pep is our manager? I would guess that, with Martina and Kenny as full-backs and Niasse sometimes up front, 8th at best.

And for a team with the 7th most expensive side, that's underachieving. Don't let this poor bunch of players off the hook.

Dave Wilson
53 Posted 23/04/2018 at 12:05:56
This is completely different to what Unsie actually said. Whether you believe he was the right man for the job is not the issue here.

When asked at the time if he was ready to take control of the club he answered with a very definite Yes.

Allardyce is a complete fraud. Let's hope the board are already looking very closely at his replacement.

Sam Hoare
54 Posted 23/04/2018 at 12:18:00
Paul, why 8th at best? Our players are not world beaters but I'd say we have a better squad than Burnley, or at least on par. Is Dyche better than Pep?

The recruitment has been startlingly poor. But so has the management.

Rob Halligan
55 Posted 23/04/2018 at 12:45:32
I had one of those "a mate of a mate" conversations last night.

Anyway, this mate of a mate is apparently mates with Sammy Lee, and Sammy Lee told this mate of a mate that Allardyce is definitely going and that Sammy Lee also expects to follow Allardyce out of the door.

This mate of mine is neither a blue or a RS, so I see no reason why he should make it up. As another mate said last night during this conversation, why would Sammy Lee go spouting this out when nothing has been decided (yet).

As I always say, stuff like this is only confined to the four walls surrounding Goodison, and I'll only believe it when I see it.

I just hope it's true though.

Paul A Smith
56 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:05:26
Sam, where then? That was the question and in my opinion with those full-backs for over half a season and Niasse up front is 8th at best. If you can see us doing better than that with considerations, tell me how.

Burnley had a better defence on show than we had for most of the season. The whole point is Dyche would probably finish 1st if he started and finished the season with Pep's squad.

Dick Fearon
57 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:22:21
Man or Mouse, Unsy?
Thomas Surgenor
58 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:33:53
Dick (#55),

Unsi is a professional who loves the club. He won't do or say anything to bring the club into disrepute. My guess is he won't comment in the press about anything said above. I still think he should've got the job.

Who's next on Fat Sam's radar? Will he take a pop at Ferguson? I get the feeling he is trying to stir the pot a bit and force the clubs hand. IMO he cannot recover or repair the damage he has dealt to his already fractured relationship with the fans.

David Benson
59 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:35:44
I am sure Allardyce knows he is going; these constant quotes are as others have said, trying to force the Directors to do the deed and pay him off with maximum compensation. I'd like to think that Moshiri only ever intended to keep him this season to ensure we stayed up but that Allardyce insisted on an 18-month contract so he'd get an extra 12 months pay when he was inevitably moved on.

Going back to the dark days of November, I had never wanted him but it had reached the point where I honestly thought our place in the Premier League was in danger, so I accepted that we had to take him. But now we are safe, it's time to go.

I was prepared to give him a chance and judge him on what I saw and not what I read (maybe he could change his style?) but sadly the evidence is he can't change. The final straw for me was the Man City game and this ridiculous tactic at every kick-off. 8 or 9 players line up on the left-hand side, pass it to Keane who hoofs it up and we lose the ball. Someone should tell him this is football, not rugby, the contrast with City's slick possession was embarrassing. I was always told if something isn't working then change what you are doing or you'll get the same result. But every kick-off, same tactic. The opposition all know it now as every game they all line up on one side of the pitch to defend it.

For that alone he should go. Get someone who is not stuck in the 1970's and won't embarrass our club.

Sam Hoare
60 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:36:52
Paul, we bought supposedly Burnley's best defender from them last season. For quite a packet. We also sold them a fringe winger who has gone on to make a fair few appearances for them.

Yet they are likely to finish 7th.

So I don't see why our players could not have finished 7th at least. Perhaps even higher given that Pep is regarded the best manager on the planet. I'm not suggesting that he might have challenged for the title but perhaps he might have taken over a mediocre Arsenal team. 6th?

Or maybe he'd have struggled with a team ill equipped to play his football?

Our squad is not great. But it's not horrendous either. If Burnley can come 7th and Leicester can win the league then I don't see why a top manager performing to his best could not have got top 6/7 for us this season.

Paul A Smith
61 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:44:34
So, Sam, you've seen us pushing for 7th with Martina LB. Kenny RB. Williams CB

Come on, lad, you have gone to all that trouble to argue over one place but still haven't considered we have had the worst defence I have ever seen at Everton for half a season.

Burnley played 24 passes in the build-up to beating Koeman's team 1-0, we were playing with no recognised striker and no shots on target. Not world beaters is an understatement. These players we have are lethargic crabs.24 passes and I am yet to hear any praise for Burnley's style of play. Or brand of football. Or whatever other buzzphrase fans want to convince themselves with.

Terry Smith
62 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:44:43
Yes he kept us up. But we can't go another season with that sh1te home & away. He wants a nice big pay off and wants answers now as WBA want him. Let him go ASAP. I would take Wenger all day long. He knows the league & the players & the contacts. Its a no brainer for me.
Phil Bellis
63 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:49:12
Thomas... your feelings reflect the "word on the streets" from the in-the-knows; but it's "should've"!
Steven Jones
64 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:49:36
Paul 47 – Spot on.

Unsy would agree totally with it – we saw him say so SA is only telling facts and defending his record and performance – who would not given all the criticism he is getting, despite steadying the ship for us and a relatively calm second half of a bad season.

Sam is a great motivator and has put some professional foundations in place – which need time to reap their rewards.

The people who write this non-factual bile, will be writing more non-factual bile at the next manager Kenwright, Moshiri, Rooney, any EFC target to vent their spleen and not help our great cub.

The last few performances have been solid and the fitness that we seem to be gradually gaining under Sam's team is getting us on top in the latter stages of games, we could have won both the Swansea and the LFC games at the death. It wasn't Sams fault the finishing didn't quite click. It was also not Sam's fault that Seamus screwed up a clearance to relinquish the lead.

Please show some class, as Paul has said, and let's get behind whoever is the manager of our club, till they fail through results and have to go. Yes, have a go on facts and real data but not twist everything to damage the atmosphere here on this great forum or in the ground.

Sam Hoare
65 Posted 23/04/2018 at 13:54:45
Paul, you've ignored my point about us buying Burnley's best defender. The insinuation being that a good defence is down in large part to good organisation and being well drilled.

Look at who Burnley's full-backs are: Steven Ward and Mathew Lowton. Not exactly superstars!

Williams was a highly rated CB a few years back that Arsenal were meant to be chasing. Kenny was one of the stars at the U20 World Cup. Don't you think a better manager might possibly have got more out these players?

Steven Jones
66 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:02:22
Sam (#63) – Burnley is fair game as a comparison. However the big differences are that they have had continuity, they even went down and came back up but stuck with the Management Team.

We have had the worst start under Koeman and we were in a free fall mess – chaos wasn't even in it – it was much worse – Sam has come in with that mess around him and got us top half.

If he can keep building and improving everything at the club – we may get that continuity and build on strong foundations not sinking sand.

Pete Clarke
67 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:07:35
We know Howard Kendall gave us supporters the credit for beating Stoke at the Victoria Ground by opening the windows for the players to hear us. In reality, though, Howard was just being clever as our away support is always vocal.

Sam taking the credit for beating the Hammers just about sums him up. Maybe, in reality, the players wanted to send Unsy out on a high and realised they had let him down.

What a fucking mess we are.

Steven Jones
68 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:09:41
In fairness, Sam made the point that it could and would have been any new manager that came in. And we are in a mess if we as supporters can't read what the man actually says.
Paul A Smith
69 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:27:26
Steven (#62), it's got too silly now, mate, as per usual. I could give you hundreds of examples of absolute bitchy obsessed stupidness.

What has happened to our great support? Them 2 absolute lunatics from ToffeeTV suggesting last week that the club should be gauging opinion from Twitter etc rather than surveys. That is an absolute pathetic statement to make.

One of these fellas actually won the Twitter crank award and wants the club to work from that lot. Wow!

I don't mind anyone's feelings, mate, but let's keep it real and stop making things up to fuel your own point. The hoof-ball style of play debate has summed Evertonians up...

Sam ,your point is irrelevant about Keane when Burnley's defence is better than ours. Sorry, mate, no offence.

Kristian Boyce
70 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:28:58
Allardyce's career has pretty much been a mirror image of what he's done at the club this season. He starts well and then gradually wears down the players and fans with his negative brand of football. If you look at his record at all of his clubs, it's basically the same, with a win ratio of around 35%.

Also, other than Palace and maybe Sunderland, he's been very outspoken towards anyone who's had a dig at him or his style. He has had running feuds with a number of managers over the years who've complained about him and his teams. One of them's Benitez, so it should be interesting tonight.

My concern with him and was when he came in, is that he's left clubs in a mess when he's gone. My mate is a West Ham fan and said that he sucked out any confidence of the players after he departed. Newcastle fans have also mentioned something similar.

My mate also said that he's very clever by manipulating the media to cover his tracks. Looking back at both the WHU & NUFC jobs, there was a ton of fan discontent at him, but if you remember the media blamed and criticized the fans for their 'witch-hunt' of him.

Look how he's turned things here like the survey and comments about Unsworth to make him look like the good guy. It's part and parcel of his management style and is damaging the club more and more everyday. The sooner he's gone, the better!

Sam Hoare
71 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:30:37
Steven @64, I certainly agree that continuity helps and that having 3 different managers over the course of the season does not help anyone.

But I'm not sure I agree that we were in free fall. Things were bad but I believe many were overreacting. The fact is that we had played a lot of the best clubs in the league at the start of the season, whilst having to meld a new team and deal with the Europa League as well.

Sam has fared no better against those teams than his predecessors, so its hard to say we have improved. Has he really saved us? Or did he just benefit from a kinder fixture list? Personally, I never felt in genuine danger of relegation and, as such, I don't feel any great gratitude towards the man.

I've seen very little evidence that the fans or the players or indeed the board see Sam as anything but a short-term fix. Perhaps if there had been genuine signs of improvement or some exciting football or genuine cohesion he may have stated a case but its been grim stuff. He's done what he came to do and will leave well rewarded. The proper building starts when he goes.

Dave Evans
72 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:36:34
Dinosaur managers are unambitious in order to save their skins by pandering to some dinosaur fans who want 'stop the rot' quick fixes. We are bottom third for pass completion and relegation material for completed through balls.

I can't recall watching another team this season that has been so lacking in confidence about passing and moving or going forward. It is obvious we need an overhaul of coaching. We need a (progressive?) manager and staff who can advance basic ball passing and player movement.

If the miracle happens, we as fans can play a part in by encouraging and really valuing each step of improvement we see in games. Young Wenger likes would do or even the old Wenger.

Alan J Thompson
73 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:38:18
What a manager! Before he'd even arrived he knew what the caretaker manager was saying to the Board. Pity he hasn't heard what we supporters think and say about him. And the Board have to discuss if this man should stay? Makes you wonder how long it will take to discuss a replacement.
Scott Hall
74 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:40:05
I'd also like to thank Big Sam for the vital role he played in us winning 4-0 against Man City last season, for the 2-1 win at Anfield when Kanchelskis bagged a double, and for the 1995 FA Cup Final win over Manchester United.

Thank you Sam.

Sam Hoare
75 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:41:11
Paul:

"Sam, your point is irrelevant about Keane when Burnley's defence is better than ours. Sorry, mate, no offence."

No offense mate, but it isn't. You say the manager is irrelevant because Burnley have a better defense than us. Yet we bought Burnley's best defender. Who has looked shite. Because of the manager!

Clearly the success of a defense isn't just related to the skill of the individuals involved. It is down to how the manager drills and set them up (and many other things). Can you at least admit that or am I wasting my time here?

Brian Porter
76 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:42:02
No way did Unsworth say what Sam is quoting him as saying. All he said was that the manager's position needed sorting out quickly so the club could achieve stability.

Allardyce makes it sound like Unsworth was waving his hands around in a panic. What an absolute bastard he is.

Ed Fitzgerald
77 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:48:14
Paul A Smith

You should do PR for Allardyce, unless you are on medication and I therefore apologise as the side effects are obviously affecting your mental health and view of reality.

We have attained the following points under our three managers this season

Koeman: 0.89 points per game; GD -11
Unsworth: 1.4 points per game; GD -0
Allardyce 1.4 points per game GD -4

Is this steadying the ship???

Plus he has had £50 Million to spend in the window and has at least had Coleman back for the last couple of months. I am not advocating Unsworth as manager here. I am just pointing out that there isn't really any improvement.

This is particularly pertinent when you consider we played Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea away and Spurs and Arsenal at home in Koeman's first nine games.

If Allardyce stayed, god forbid, his current level of performance would yield us 53 points over the course of a season. This isn't going to make any difference to challenging the top six or even getting 7th.

His win percentage is currently at 35% with us (league) as opposed to his career average of 33% so I will grant you something, Paul – that is an improvement. I suppose we could win our last four games... (Yes, I just thought I saw a Pig fly too!)

Darren Marsh
78 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:50:05
I can't believe there are people who are praising and even more scary, prepared to let this envelope-snatching bent fucker continue at this once great club.

We have had the worse defensive record since the late seventies, football that is so terribly poor and outdated, ffs the West Brom game at 3:15pm we had gone 4½ hrs without a shot on goal.

Whoever thinks this arrogant, egotistical charlatan is our saviour, well, you need to lay off the crack pipe. The twat is in the same bracket as Pardew, Pulis, Warnock... Hopefully he gets fucked off after tonight.

Brian Wilkinson
79 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:55:09
Paul @69, you're spot on about idiots wanting Twitter instead of the survey.

What part of the Survey is sent to season ticket holders, whereas Twitter, anyone can respond, even non-Evertonians. What are those people not getting?

Paul Kelly
80 Posted 23/04/2018 at 14:55:57
Steven Jones, “Sam is a great motivator and has put some professional foundations in place.”

Would you like to elaborate on this comment? his great motivational skills would be blaming the players when it goes wrong and reaping the awards when we win? professional foundations-enlighten me?

You then critique fans with spouting bile and then come out with this shite, ”We could have won both the Swansea and the LFC games at the death. It wasn't Sams fault the finishing didn't quite click” — (deep breath and sigh). You obviously didn't see the rest of those games, did you? If you did, I'm assuming you neglected those reasons from your post for argumentative reasons.

But the best one is this, and I quote, again,”The last few performances have been solid”, really? Utter and total fucking literal wank juice.

Brian Wilkinson
81 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:02:12
Scott @74 – after such an awful season, one thing you can guarantee is a fellow Evertonian lifting your spirits, you hear it at a game, heads in our hands, then the lone voice of reason bellows out in your section and cracks you up laughing.

Your comment is up there with them and certainly made me laugh; credit where credit is due, a good one that Scott.

He is blaming the players and the pothole at Landsdown Road for us blowing the double in 86, players ignored his instructions, straight from Sam's mouth.

John Daley
82 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:08:22
Paul (49 & 52),

You say Allardyce has had to defend himself time and time again, yet he hasn't. All he has ever had to do is sit back and let results and performances provide a suitable retort for him, but he hasn't been able to rely on either stemming the rising tide of discontent because both have been dire, for the most part, since the end of December.

The stuff about early shouts of 'hoof ball' now shifting to shouts about "style of play" to suit, makes no sense to me whatsoever. They are the same shout, aimed toward the same target, prompted by the same shite being served up. Just phrased slightly differently, is all. It's like someone saying to a waiter that the 'Soup of the Day' tastes like cat sick strained through Shakin Stevens colostomy bag and then shouting on the way out that his 'starter' was wank. Obloquy over the "style of play" obviously encompasses the manner in which the ball is moved about the pitch.

If people have now "realised" Allardyce doesn't actually play "long ball" and the thought he ever did was a figment of their imagination, then what the fuck are those speccy lads who compile the Opta stats counting when they list Everton as playing the 4th most long balls in the Premier League this season? Do they have "an agenda" as well?

Let's run with what you suggest and posit Guardiola could not garner more points than Big Sam with this bunch of players and an identical finishing place was on the cards. Would a team under his charge have gotten there playing fearful, slow-paced, safety-first shite offering a subterranean level of entertainment to the paying supporter? Would he have elected to play the exact same players as Allardyce, whilst excommunicating those Sam did also?

Is it inconceivable he could have coached just a few to conceal their carthorse tendencies, lifted their confidence and freed them to concentrate on what they can produce rather than worrying about what the opposition might? Would there be the same arid stench of apathy amongst the crowd on a match day, or the same lack of even a slither of hope for what lies ahead in the summer and beyond?

It's not simply the likely finishing position in the table that has led to such widespread fume.

Steve Brown
83 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:12:54
"We need continuity and stability. I think Sam has stabilized the ship. Now let him move it to the next level."

Steven, I actually think you are a troll, but go on I'll bite. Allardyce doesn't have another level. What he has offered us this season is all he has ever offered any club he has worked for — lowest common denominator, negative and dismal football.

What was new for me was the unexpected level of cynicism he has shown — undermining, criticising and ridiculing the team, the fans, the medical staff, the director of marketing, David Unsworth — all to justify the appalling job he has done. Not only a diabolical failure as a manager but a complete turd of a human being.

Pete Clarke
84 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:19:32
If and butts and whatever else but can anyone come up with a suitable sentence that Sam would come out with should we have lost to West Ham that day!

I will try one: “David Unsworth had said to me before the game that things were fine so I didn't go into the dressing room.”

John Pierce
85 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:23:44
Allardyce's utterances have been ramped up to the max this weekend. A media offensive if ever there was one.

Chris Gould, (#35). I agree with you in believing the pressure and fervent dislike of him has finally gotten to him. He is speaking out on anything and trying to frame any question as a chance to show himself in a light worthy of retaining his job.

The self-promotion is shameless and the denigration of everyone else graceless.

Be gone!

Paul A Smith
86 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:25:36
To all those that like to miss the point, I am not arsed how you feel its entirely up to yourself. Just stop believing someone else could do better with these shit players.

And to the person who mentioned the £50 mill in January... Was that not money well spent?

Paul Kelly
87 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:29:28
Mr Marsh, you say:

”I can't believe there are people who are praising and even more scary, prepared to let this envelope-snatching bent fucker continue at this once great club. We have had the worse defensive record since the late seventies, football that is so terribly poor and outdated, ffs the West Brom game at 3:15pm we had gone 4 1/2 hrs without a shot on goal. Whoever thinks this arrogant, egotistical charlatan is our saviour, well, you need to lay off the crack pipe.”

Just thought I'd repeat the notion, for the ‘uneducated', because it's bang on the money!

I don't agree with last sentence comparing him to other useless, possibly retarded, managers. He's much worse than that!

Brent Stephens
88 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:34:36
So there's no better manager than Sam? Barcelona beckons. Or will he turn them down to stay with us?

I can't believe any other manager would have persisted with Schneiderlin – the most cowardly midfielder I can remember.

Steve Brown
89 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:37:19
Someone else could definitely do better with this squad. Bar Lukaku (missed) and Barkley (not missed), this is the squad that qualified for the Europa League with significant additions.

It has been our misfortune to have brought eight new players in and then suffered two terrible managers completely failing to mould a tactical setup or style of play that was remotely recognisable.

Pete Clarke
90 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:40:55
Perfect article on ESPN by Luke O Farrell on Everton and Allardyce.

One of my biggest issues with the likes of Allardyce is the millions they make for being below average. He was lucky to be free at a time when our naive owner panicked and yet somehow he will make himself look like a saviour and that's hard to take because he is just a horrible personality that does not deserve to be associated with our club.

Johan Elmgren
91 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:43:45
Kristian Boyce (#70). You are absolutely spot on with that comment.

Paul Smith, "Just stop believing someone else could do better with these shit players."

That comment shows you don't know anything about the dynamics of football. You know it is more to football than just picking 11 players on the pitch each game? But that's about all Allardyce can manage...

Allardyce out now!!

Steven Jones
92 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:45:16
Paul Kelly, I find you comments offensive and recommend you are removed from the forum. It shows your mindset and lack of class.

"Utter and total fucking literal wank juice." really clever insightful bile - that is what I am talking about – it is taking our club into the gutter.

Stating facts – we had both with Calvert-Lewin and with Tosun two great opportunities late against Liverpool and we hit the bar late against Swansea. This is a positive emergence of our ability to last the 90 mins and go after teams later in the game. We all want it all the way through from the start and hopefully tonight will show more of it.

The move for the Swansea goal was superb – these are all facts – the rest of the game was not great, good or promising – just solid against a Swansea team that had been playing out of their skin and beating the Likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.

The fitness, training, stats room and Psychology elements he has set up is the professional foundations I was talking about. These take time to come through.

When you wise up and relent to others having an alternative perspective then I am sure you will apologise for your comments. Till then people on here would see you as a beacon of the sort of behaviour Paul and I have raised. The bitchy non-factual bile does no favours for our club.

Martin Nicholls
93 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:52:13
Paul Smith – you love the man and seem to think it fine for him to publicly attack others within our Club. I don't, so we're never going to agree.

However, you repeatedly refer to him having to play Kenny and Martina as full-backs with Williams at centre-back. Would you not agree that, even with Coleman and Baines (plus Jagielka) back, as well as the addition of Walcott and Tosun, there has been no sign of improved performances?

Steven Jones
94 Posted 23/04/2018 at 15:57:36
Steve Brown (#83) – No I'm not a troll and won't say anything offensive to fellow fans.

I do find it tiresome when social media is used for bullying and trolling – I have seen Leon Osman consistently vilified, Moyesy, Kenwright, Elstone, Moshiri, Rooney, Schneids, Williams, Barkley, Martina, Lukakku and now Big and Little Sam – no Everton manager or footballer is immune to the trolling and the bullying that is going on right now on social media.

I have a rule to myself – and it is if Brian Labone wouldn't say it, don't press the button.

If anyone thinks it doesn't have an effect they need to think again. It is negative to the player, their family, friends and all the other click bate media now report negative comments on fans on Twitter as though it represents the main base of our fanbase.

Bigotry is all over social media – taking any feature of any interview and twisting it against the person they are campaigning against. This is what is happening to Big Sam.

Accusing me of trolling is hypocritical and smells of bigotry.

David Barks
95 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:00:47
Wow, Steven Jones is declaring himself the judge for who should be thrown off the site.

Well sir, then I am offended by you calling out others for saying the “bitchy non-factual bile does no favours for our club.” How dare you use such language.

Also, I'm surprised you would criticize somebody else as being “bitchy” while defending Allardyce's constant “bitching” over the past week.

John Pierce
96 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:16:45
The whole episode around the state of the club is caught inside a bigger picture of the state of the game.

Allardyce won't or most probably cannot entertain us. The whole ethos of his kind is not to lose, and build a reputation for keeping clubs in the league and the chairman delighted with the Premier League cash cow.

I firmly believe looking at many other clubs that the tide has turned. With many resigned “establishing themselves as a Premier League club”. There's a phrase which breathes mediocrity if ever there was one! The average fan knows success as we once knew trophies and cup runs is unlikely. Most of those club's fans pay such a heavy price to watch games, entertainment is now the priority.

You will hear many voices to the contrary but the general swell against Allardyce stems from his abilities to attack a team and induce excitement.

Chairman see the Premier League as a holy grail but do fans? I watch a lot of football and honestly we are not the only club in this division being short-changed, in many many ways.

Hopefully the world is catching on, and the premier league will see a different breed of manager capable of creating more entertainment.

I really hope the death knell is sounding for Allardyce, Pardew, Hughes, Hodgson, Pulis, Moyes and their grim turgid brand of football where the fans are divorced from the club they still love but that connection is ever getting weaker.

Kevin Tully
97 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:28:30
John (#96) – Agree with most of what you say, but I would remove one from your list of managers that you quite rightly name as being content with "survival football."

Roy Hodgson deserves the manager of the year award if he manages to keep Crystal Palace up. Seven losses on the bounce at the start of the season, without scoring a goal. Palace have also provided twice the entertainment that we've served up this season.

Don't forget, he also took Fulham to a Europa League Final. Not my type of manager, but a miracle worker if he keeps Palace up.

Pete Clarke
98 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:38:46
Probably correct there Kevin with regards to Palace. When we played them at Goodison they had half a team missing but if Benteke had been on form he could have had a couple. In the end it looked easier than it was for us.

Hodgson had his day 25 years ago with Inter and Sam had his with Bolton. Time for both of them to move over and let some younger managers give it a go.

Tony Everan
99 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:43:28
I thank Big Sam for getting us to top half; he has done his job – now he needs to go.

I have always looked at Sam as being some other clubs' manager. Always a lesser more unfortunate club than us. Even after 6 months I can't get used to seeing him in the home dugout at Goodison.

It's ridiculously irrational but, to me, he just doesn't belong at our club. He is a hired mercenary. He has executed the military action – now he needs paying and moving on to his next job.

Steven Jones
100 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:46:13
David Barks (#83) – so you are condoning Mr Kelly's "But the best one is this and I quote, again, ”The last few performances have been solid”, really? Utter and total fucking literal wank juice."

You raise my “bitchy non-factual bile does no favours for our club.” – I think you will find it is not aimed at anyone individually, and is a generic comment. You can be the judge of what is bitchy non-factual bile – as no-one can deny that there is a lot of it around, including Mr Kelly's attack on myself.

If you have posted something you feel is bitchy non-factual bile then I can understand you could feel offended, but I have not noticed any posts from you that qualify – so I cannot see why you would get offended, sir?

Ed Fitzgerald
101 Posted 23/04/2018 at 16:58:19
Steven Jones,

Are you the love child of Richard Dodd? I think this could be the reason for your reverence of a manager who is reprehensible, boring and useless. Your condescending tone smacks of the kind of trite nonsense that Dodd would invoke, much to the amusement and derision of all on TW.

Dave Abrahams
102 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:08:58
John (#96) – a very good post. I think a lot of football fans all over the Premier League would agree with you.

Entertainment is what I crave from Everton.

Paul Kelly
103 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:17:37
Steve Jones, you find my comment offensive? I'll repeat, for the sake of arguement, this, “Paul Kelly I find your comments offensive and recommend you are removed from the forum. It shows your mindset and lack of class.”

Great, well done. While I find your comments offensive to any normal, football knowledgeable Everton fan, or any football fan in general, I'd never recommend the removal of a fellow Everton fan for an alternate view, no matter how warped from the genuine consensus (that's reference to you, by the way, just in case you're too stupid to figure it out). For sensible fans! You are what's wrong with the club, backing and supporting this regime and a dinosaur of a manager with stupid trolling comments.

Top trolling, lad (nobody worth their salt would bother) but I'll bite anyway,”

Stating facts – we had both with Calvert-Lewin and with Tosun two great opportunities late against Liverpool and we hit the bar late against Swansea. This is a positive emergence of our ability to last the 90 mins and go after teams later in the game. We all want it all the way through from the start and hopefully tonight will show more of it.”

Is that your match report mate, the best we should aspire too? Three shots in two games in the last few minutes of each match? Easily pleased ain't we? And the rest of the games? Win, loss, draw record?

You are a joke, mate, you go on about fans having different views but publicly slate me for a ban for disagreeing with you!

where is the evidence for Big Sam's revolution and I'll quote: “Sam is a great motivator and has put some professional foundations in place.”

What!? The foundations he's laid (apparently anyway) are reaping rewards ain't they? Loaning our youth out, playing shit/unfit players, cunting the team off constantly, blah blah, I don't need to go on – t's been done to death by everyone. But obviously you know better. I've never seen a fan base so united in wanting someone removed.

Steve Ferns
104 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:21:01
Sam Allardyce is the worst manager we have had since Mike Walker.

His record is abysmal. Not only his failure to win more than he's lost here at Everton, something unheard of since Walter Smith. And dear old "Disappointing" Smith never had such expensively purchased players. And this isn't a one off. He as never ever won more Premier League games at any club he's managed. Not one. Not even Bolton. His record is utter shite for a manager paid £6M a year.

Tactics. He does not know a good formation. He chops and changes. He listens to the press and then reacts in such a way it's like a Schoolboy picked the side and we get ripped apart. There's no structure to his system.

I thought Allardyce would be similar to Moyes. I was expecting him to get that defence drilled. That he would work and work and work on them and that they would stop shipping goals and we would have a lot of clean sheets. Not so.

Unsworth never had time to train his players. He had two games a week. It was relentless. He was going from recovery session to preparation session and so there was no time to address the defence, there was no time to try anything different in training, there was no time to make any changes.

Allardyce has had the opposite. We've had plenty of time. One game per week, and even two weeks between games (without internationals) and a jolly to Dubai. But ironically, since he had the time to work on the side, they got worse!!!

Cohesion is a major factor. They play like strangers. They have no idea where to run, where others will run, who's covering who, who's doing what. It's a complete mess.

He's not made any players look good. Sigurdsson maybe, but I would argue that he's settled and started to take command of the side, after Allardyce finally played him central.

Backtrack to Unsworth, and he clocked on that whatever you told Rooney and wherever you played Rooney, he would drop deep and charge about and try and change the game. The lad cares and that's what he does. Legs gone or not. Unsworth finally picked up what others had said and thought, okay, let him get on with that, and play others to make him look good, and then West Ham happened.

No-one else could make these players get better than 8th? What's the point in getting a manager in on £6M a year, let the tea lady pick the side. Of course they could. Guardiola is the best manager in the league, but without time to coach, I doubt he'd get the blues better than 7th, but with time he'd get these players into the top 4, because he's that good.

Mourinho on the otherhand, if he could get back to being the old Mourinho, got a set of similarly talented players and misfits to winners of the European Cup (Porto) and so I reckon he could do even better with this lot. Maybe the title would only come with luck, but he could crack the top 4 easily.

The next manager is a crucial one. Get it right, and a dynastic type manager (that's only 5 seasons these days!) and we can push on. Get it wrong, and maybe Moshiri loses interest and then that's when we worry about becoming the next Aston Villa or Sunderland.

Liam Reilly
105 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:22:40
Never heard Unsworth say that he was struggling to cope; it was more on the lines of "back or sack me" because the players weren't performing under the cloud of uncertainty.

Still nice of Sam to take credit again - reminds me of John Terry lifting the Champions League trophy in his full kit despite being suspended for getting sent off in the semi. Two tossers, but at least Terry could play a bit.

Paul Armstrong
106 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:28:13
Tony (#99), I totally agree. The 18-month contract was window dressing. Sam has had a 6-month job with a further 12-months salary as a bonus.


Steven Jones
107 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:28:52
Paul Kelly – Class act.

Calling others trolls for having a different view – Class act again.

Go and have a look at what the meaning of a bigot is and then come back and apologise for your abuse. Be factual and reasonable and support our club – don't fling abusive bile at fellow supporters of our great club.

Dermot Byrne
108 Posted 23/04/2018 at 17:45:40
Steve Jones, mate: each of us has our own style of expression and argument.

If some talk about "wank-juice" to express themselves whilst others say it in a perhaps more nuanced method of disagreement, in the end it's nothing more or less that an argument about football.

Bottom line (careful DB!) is the argument. My experience is TW self-polices quite well and some of those you may see as the most offensive become parodies or caricatures of themselves. The argument tends to lose impact through the shouty CAPITALS.

But equally those who are offended tend to get little sympathy and as a group we tend to fight for each other's right to fling wank-juice across threads.

Now, with my last sentence above I have offended myself and lost my thread... not that I want the yucky thing anymore after it was on TW.


John Daley
110 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:01:53
Steven Jones,

Do Paul Kelly's comments really represent more of 'a personal attack' than advocating he should be chucked off this site for basically calling something you said nonsense?

That he did so in more colourful terms doesn't change the fact he was merely saying he thought you were talking crap, just as you blithely claim those who criticise Allardyce are talking bitter bollocks due to some continual need to "vent their spleen". How does a blanket dismissal of the opinion of a large number of posters as "non-factual bile", before calling for another to 'be banned forthwith' serve to promote a better "atmosphere on this great forum"?

It always amuses me when someone comes on here to post a confrontational blanket condemnation of supporters/critics, only to curl up and begin to bleat the moment one has the temerity to bite.

Now, it's possible the retaliatory comment may earn Paul Kelly the ban you were pushing for from the start, but I can't really stomach the provocateur painting himself as the 'classier' supporter simply because his claim of "fellow supporters of our great club" talking shite was more cushioned.

Kieran Kinsella
111 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:06:11
Regardless of whether Sam is good or crap I think his comments are out of line. Unsworth publicly said he wanted the job. He also said publicly the lack of a permanent manager was problematic. I assume his comments to Sam were therefore meant as a “I am glad the decision has been made, it is tough being an interim boss.”

That being said, even if Unsworth said “I am not up to the job”, Sam going public undermines Unsie. Owners of lower league clubs may think twice about offering Unsie a job if there is a perception that he cannot handle it.

Moreover, we have first team players like Davies and Kenny who have publicly praised Unsie. What are they to make of Sams remarks? It sows discord.

Also, we have this Dutch guy saying he is coming on board. Where does that leave Walsh? I think he has done a poor job but I also think on a professional level he is entitled to know what is going on.

It is like the Hibbert and Osman situation again. It seems to me, that Mosh has big ideas but lacks the time to run the club. He has a few cronies on board who have no real power. Kenwright is there day to day but isn't kept in the loop.

We have a marketing department seemingly doing their own thing with surveys. We have Dan Meiss hosting talks about a new stadium, ready in four years, while others are planning statues at the existing ground.

Moshiri needs to just bring in a David Debi type who he trusts to run the club, who can coordinate things without having to wait on him to make the calls when he is free.

Paul McCoy
112 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:10:14
The sooner Sam fucks off, the better.
Kim Vivian
113 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:14:18
Reading through this thread, are most of you contributors of a mind that you would take a spanking tonight if it got rid of Sam Allardyce tomorrow?
Steve Ferns
114 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:16:41
No Kim. Never. We have to win every game. Some clouds have silver linings and our failure to recover 7th will see Allardyce sacked, which is good. But I'd still want maximum points and still want a win tonight as much as ever.
Darren Hind
115 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:19:28
Well said, John Daley @110.
William Cartwright
116 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:19:34
Steve @ 104:

Well that pretty well sums up Mr Allardyce. I must admit I have never been focused on the detailed statistical side of the game that much, but your revelations about his managerial history performance-wise is startling. Makes you wonder how on earth he was selected for the England (Okay, perhaps not!) but that's another story. Thanks for enlightening me.

His latest outpouring of grief is not surprising and as I have mentioned on another thread he will be gone soon, possibly after tonight's match?

I am waiting quietly for Mr Brands to be announced, and then Sam's replacement to follow. I can't imagine Brands considering the job at all unless he had some prior understanding that Allardyce would not be a part of the re-building process.

Meanwhile, for Allardyce, the silence coming out from the Board must itself be deafening. The fans' grumblings in the media and his responses are the only communication open for him now and that is a telling fact in itself.

Think back to the style of the dismissal of Roberto and Ronald, and it was clear that Moshiri doesn't do media driven polite notices of manager removals, and after the fiasco of Ronald's replacement, he will not allow another repeat. His move will be done when all the pieces are in position as he sees them. Which may not be exactly in line with the opinions expressed here, but I doubt it will be too different.

The respectful silence of Messrs Kenyon and Unsworth, both proven experts in their own respective fields, and the silence from Kenwright following his personal 'apology' to Allardyce, all show him (Allardyce) up to be isolated, thrashing around with the media, probably trying to abstract every last ounce of his severance deal. It is undignified (Allardyce doesn't do dignified) and is a tad embarrassing for the Club in the short term, but whatever, there are many positives.

Moshiri and his key closest advisers have had a steep learning curve. We do have the basics of a good squad, and with some tweaking and the right management structure, and progress on the stadium, I for one am looking forward with confidence to the new season. The confidence is borne out of Allardyce's recent behaviour, his actual poor performance as you have highlighted, and ultimately my faith in the Club.

One thing that has probably built up Moshiri's confidence to persue with us has been the selling out of the season tickets after such a dreadful season. He knows Everton has history and fantastic support. These, together with the business profitability of the even bigger picture, and we will be fine. COYB

David Barks
117 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:35:01
Now even the Echo has come out and called bullshit on this claim by Allardyce. The man is as arrogant as Mourinho without any of the success, which is quite amazing!!
Steve Ferns
118 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:40:38
William, you make an excellent point on the selling out of season tickets. I believe Moshiri will be very pleased at that – the fans are with the club, if not the manager and the players.

I hope Moshiri will adhere to the field of dreams mentality: if you build it, they will come. Go on, Moshiri, build as big a stadium as you can realistically afford.

Did 1860 Munich not used to be the biggest and most successful Munich side until Bayern got the Olympic Stadium?

Is it not possible that we can reclaim our crown (held for a good 60 years?) as the biggest club in Liverpool? And surely a big iconic stadium at the dock is key to that.

John G Davies
119 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:46:38
Not on when ToffeeWebbers ask for people to be banned.

Equally not on when ToffeeWebbers ask the eds to delete posts when people respond in a like for like manner.

Pack it in please lads.

Trevor Peers
120 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:52:55
Steve @104; So your saying Fat Sam is worse than Martinez, if Rubbertoe would have taken over after Unsworth we would now be relegated, no argument. He was the biggest blag merchant in our history, he makes Allardyce look like Honest John.

Different situations require different solutions; if you can't see that, you need some enlightenment. Continually baiting Allardyce serves no purpose.

As far as most of us are concerned, he kept us up; your hatred of him borders on the obsessional. That's from someone who wants him replaced in the summer.

David Barks
121 Posted 23/04/2018 at 18:57:59
Trevor,

Martinez has won a trophy, won our record points tally in the Premier League, and was given the Belgium national team. Yes, he’s a better manager than Allardyce.

Trevor Peers
123 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:02:51
It's all a matter of opinion, David. He won sweet FA for us and would have been a disaster after Unsworth.

No, he was the worst coach in our history without a doubt.

Steve Ferns
124 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:03:18
Trevor, let's see:

FA Cup or Irish Second Divison. It's a tough one to call.

Or how about the fact that one guy got 72 points, the fourth most we've ever got, whilst the other has is 58?

Allardyce isn't fit to polish Bobby's Brown shoes, and Martinez might even win something in the summer and get another shot at a big club to win something else. He's still quite young.

Trevor Peers
125 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:07:16
Steve, your judgement is not sound... after all, you think Unsworth could have led us to the promised land... haha! Dream on, son.
Tony Abrahams
126 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:08:30
Fair post, Trevor, but I don't think it's just Steve who hates Allardyce, it seems to be nearly everyone.

I can't believe that Sammy Lee, never told his mate that it doesn't work trying to rub scousers up the wrong way, but maybe he did, and maybe this fella doesn't care?

It's the same with trying to get people thrown off ToffeeWeb, especially after saying that they lack class...

John G Davies
127 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:08:43
Allardyce a better manager than Martinez? 😁
Steve Ferns
129 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:11:46
I never said Unsworth would lead us to the promised land. How could I? He's never managed before. I still think he's a good young coach who could come good if given the right opportunity. That should come in the Championship.

What I wanted in the autumn was to see Unsworth have a chance to claim the job whilst we were patient and got the right man in.

But it's all worked out so well by panicking and getting Allardyce in hasn't it?

Dave Abrahams
130 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:13:08
William (#116), I am not one for stats, but David Prentice in tonight's Echo points out that Allardyce is now claiming the West Ham victory as his win, which makes his points percentage better than Unsworth's.

If Unsworth is credited with the victory, it makes his points percentage better than Sam's... no wonder Sam is trying to claim the West Ham win as his.

Grant Rorrison
132 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:30:06
How is he our worst ever manager with our highest premier league points total and also managing a feat that hasn't been done since 1984 in getting to both cup semi finals?

We played some fabulous football in his final season, scored way more goals in the last 15 minutes than we conceded despite the absence of 'Moyes fitness levels' and but for the rub of the green and shooting ourselves in the foot a bit defensively, we could have had our best season since the 1980's. At one point we had only lost 2 games in 3 months in all competitions. I'll take that 'shambles' over the current mess any day.

Christy Ring
133 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:35:42
Sam does talk a load of nonsense, and taking credit for the West Ham win sucks. I'm not a fan, and the sooner he's gone the better, but cannot fault the purchase of Wallcott and Tosun. His continued selection of Schneiderlin, Rooney and Bolasie, and again tonight, shows how set he is in his ways. We'll never know if Unsworth would have secured safety, but we were the worst team in the Premiership this season under Koeman, who for me, was every bit as bad as Walker.
John G Davies
134 Posted 23/04/2018 at 19:38:41
I hope we can find a charlatan to get us 72 league points next season.
Seb Niemand
135 Posted 23/04/2018 at 21:11:27
He's a lying sack of shit and should never have been allowed to befoul the club with his presence. Whether or not he is a better manager than this fellow or that is not at issue — there is a certain quality of human being the club should lend its brand and imprimatur to and Allardyce fails that test at every level. A vile stripe of a man and a sad joke as a manager.
James Hopper
136 Posted 24/04/2018 at 00:25:23
Jesus Christ, how stupid is that man? Is he so arrogant and thick to not notice that these kinds of comments only serve to further alienate fans and jeopardise his position?

I don’t want a man (or woman) with so few working brain cells in charge of our team!

Tony Stanley
137 Posted 24/04/2018 at 01:35:07
Has he gone yet?
Alan J Thompson
138 Posted 24/04/2018 at 04:53:11
Martinez seemed to ignore the defensive part of the game while Allardyce doesn't seem too concerned with attack.

This thread does show how devicive and divisive this manager is.

Paul Armstrong
139 Posted 24/04/2018 at 15:38:55
The perception of FS before he was appointed was that his style was dull, unimaginative, boring but, when it was needed, effective. With no other apparent takers and the threat of litigation starting to cause concern the board opted for the FS route. We knew what we were getting and boy did we get it. We are now safe from the drop and playing football that is dull, unimaginative but, just about effective. FS 'does what it says on the tin'. Apart from his unfortunate go at Unsie I have no criticism. He is what he is. The job is done - now go - and let's see what the powers that be are made off now the pressure is really on.
Dave Ganley
140 Posted 24/04/2018 at 19:48:07
Fuck me, we are reduced to comparing Martinez and Allardyce? They are both not good enough for out club. It became apparent that Martinez benefited from the Moyes organisation that was still evident in his first season. He just let the leash off while the team still retained their defensive shape.

You can see what happened when Martinez finally made his mark on the team... disaster. Even in his first season he managed to fuck up 4th that should have been ours. You can talk about him leading us to 2 semis but who the fuck did we play till that point? Shite teams.

As soon as we played a proper team we were comfortably dispatched so let's not rewrite history for Martinez. His legacy was awful team spirit, no backbone in the team and a fully porous defence.

Allardyce is just shit. Should never be anywhere near the club. He isn't the cause though just another symptom of terrible decisions made since Moyes left. We should have had a proven manager when Moyes left who could take us forward instead we got Martinez who took us backwards at full throttle when he put his stamp on us. Belgium with all their talent are now questioning him as they are going backwards.

The blame for this lies squarely with the board for making such shocking appointments with absolutely no homework done on who they appointed. Now we are reduced to enduring Allardyce.

We are back to square one now to the point at which Walter left. Who we can get in now is anyone's guess. A good up and comer will be our best hope I suspect.

But to be arguing about who is best Martinez or Allardyce – for fuck's sake, how low can we go?

Steve Barr
142 Posted 24/04/2018 at 19:54:20
Martinez possibly winning the World Ciup with Belgium illustrates how overrated this manager/coaching lark is.

You have the best players in the World then you'll probably win something regardless of the clown in charge!

Paul Mackay
143 Posted 25/04/2018 at 11:47:40
Unsworth's final game was a resounding 4-0 thrashing of West Ham.

(TV replays showed that Allardyce got a slight touch on it and the dubious victories committee awarded it to him. Good work, Big Sam.)

Mike Allen
145 Posted 26/04/2018 at 19:56:27
The man has as much respect for us as we do for him, he's a smart mouth and brilliant at winding people up. The guy is laughing at us – its a win-win situation for him.
Pat Waine
146 Posted 03/05/2018 at 21:49:08
Don't forget that Koeman wrecked the club and not Sam Allardyce. He, however, is no solution but he is the net result of bad management by Koeman.

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