Big Sam leaves Bolton

Necronomicon

.........according to Richard Keyes :eek:

Wow, I know there were rumors but didn't expect that. Guess he wasn't really sick yesterday??


Edit: Sky.com have it now as well:

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=463962&CPID=8&clid=30&lid=4161&title=ALLARDYCE+STEPS+DOWN

Sam Allardyce has stepped down as manager of Bolton Wanderers.

The 52-year-old took charge at Bolton in 1999 and transformed their fortunes, turning The Trotters into a solid Premiership outfit.

Reports on Saturday suggested he had opted to head for a new challenge, with it being claimed he had agreed a deal with prospective Manchester City buyer Ray Ranson to take charge at Eastlands.

Allardyce oversaw Saturday's draw with Chelsea, but it has proved to be his last act as he has confirmed his resignation in a statement on the club's website.

"After nearly eight privileged years with Bolton Wanderers Football Club, I would like to announce that, after careful consideration and dialogue with my close family and senior officials within the football club, I will be resigning as manager of the club with immediate effect," said Allardyce.

"It was mutually decided that I step down now rather than at the end of the season, to give my successor the ideal opportunity to experience the preparation and build up of matchday in readiness of next season.

"The decision to leave the football club, which has been my spiritual home for over 18 years, as both player and manager, is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life.

"However, after guiding the team into a position where the club is on the verge of qualification for European football for the second time in three years, which has been the accumulation of almost seven years of strategic building and hard work across all areas of the football club, I feel it is the right moment to step down from my duties and welcome a new exciting era for the club under different leadership.

"I feel the club is in a great position to continue its upward trajectory with a talented internationally recognised squad, supported by an excellent Academy programme across all ages working under the guidance of a highly-skilled football management team.

"I believe the foundation of the next phase for the next development stage of the club is well and truly in place. It is with this knowledge that I feel confident that I am moving on with my life content with a legacy that I have tried to create for this special club and I wish the owner, chairman, staff, players and above all the fans every success in the future."

Chucky the tree

Taken them as far as he can. Expect him to go to Man city or Newcastle.

PiE

Bolton will probably sink like a stone now. Can't see anyone else getting the same level of performance from that group of players. Which is fine by me, I hate them anyway!

bucks73

Seems the story is that he was promised the city job when/if his make took it over and handed in his resignation to Bolton the other day. Now it looks like the Thai PM is going to buy city and he may end up with nothing. For a short while anyway.

Necronomicon

The Manchester City job was at the top of the rumor list, but that take-over is hardly a done deal. Strange, really didn't expect this within 24 hours or so of hearing the rumor.

Agreed with above, Sam Allardyce really got so much out of players that seemed to be coming to the ends of their careers. On paper it's hard to see how that team has been mixing it with the top 4 or 5 teams in the last two seasons, he's done a terrific job.

Zebra3

Sky Sports News said "tributes pouring in for Sam".

Did he die after he announced his retirement? :rolleyes:

Kojak

PiE wrote:

Bolton will probably sink like a stone now. Can't see anyone else getting the same level of performance from that group of players.

I agree, they could be struggling next year - he seemed to have an un-canny knack of getting the best out of players who seemed to be at the end of their careers like Djorkaeiv (sp??), Ocokha to name but 2.

Its also strange timing that he leaves now with only a few games left until the end of the season - if he was going to leave, why not wait a few weeks

Also, if he is leaving to possibly take over at Manchester city, he is taking a risk because that supposed take-over bid hasn't been finalised yet.

leninbenjamin

I wonder how well he'll do with a club that has slightly deeper pockets, and will they play as ugly? I think Sam is still hurt over the FA picking McClaren over him, and that he wants to go onto another club and prove it wasn't a one off success. It'll be interesting to see how gets on, and whether he continues his strategy of old heads and physical-direct football.

Royale with Cheese

I'd say any manager would be upset if Steve McClaren was picked ahead of them. Allardyce should have got the England job, he's proven at Bolton his ability to get the best out of his players. McClaren had proven absolutely nothing.

LegacyUser

I reckon that is it too. He was kind of like the spokesman for English managers during that whole fiasco saying they should give Englishmen a chance and he was throwing his name in the hat a lot. He is 52. He needs to get a move on if he is ever to manage a big club.

redspider

Here's what reallly happened.

Big Sam as you know, was part and parcel of the recent bung culture, and his hands are dirty, whether or not the FA/Premier League charge him. The owners of Bolton didnt like that one bit as it cost them money so they came to an amicable solution that he would leave (resign) at the end of the season.

Note that he is not being sacked. Very few managers resign these days, why should they as they are contacted to get pay-offs if they are sacked, and as Bolton have had such a succesful season and will most likely qualify for the Uefa cup, why would he resign?

His resignation was leaked by someone so Allardyce couldnt face it anymore nor could he or the club deny it, so he's decided to quit sooner rather than later. The Bolton players are shocked as there is still a bit of football to play, and its not what either the Bolton owners nor Allardyce himself would have wanted.

> "I feel it is the right moment to step down from my duties and welcome a new exciting era"

pure bs that .....

Read between the lines folks ....

Redspider

mike65

Agree with redspider, ever since the BBC expose this has been coming, it was just a question of the parting being done smoothly. I'd not quit with my team in European competition.

I imagine the new manager will be ready to step in very quickly. Who it is though remains open to question.

Mike.

DMC

He threatened to sue the BBC after the Panorama bung porgramme, but like all threats, it was huff and bluster.

I suspect that was the real reason.

syngindub

You heard it here first.
I reckon there could be a chance

The Muppet

The reason he resigned is because he has another (bigger)club lined up. There is no way he was pushed form the Bolton hot seat. What chance have they of replacing him with a manage a good as he is . None.

syngindub

He's after bringing Bolton to 5th in the table.
The only bigger option that now remains as far as i can see is being lined up
A. For one of the big four
B. The England Job
C. Job in spain, Italy

He may well end up in the likes of City but i can't see his reasons for doing this.

zAbbo

bungtastic Sam, it was coming.

el rabitos

good news. sick of liverpool's dainty spaniards being battered by rfu bolton. maybe now they'll start playing football, they suck at that.

all credit to sam though, he found a style that works. dont see the logic in resigning to take the man city job though (if the rumours are true), bit of a step sideways, if not backwards imo.

Raskolnikov

el rabitos wrote:

maybe now they'll start playing football, they suck at that.

Awfully ignorant comment :rolleyes: Then again, I'd expect as much from someone who would put Luis Garcia on a par with Cristiano Ronaldo.

It's true Bolton have always been a physical team who use the long-ball often. But under Allardyce, there is far more to Bolton than that. Eidur Gudjohnsen, Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha, Stelios Giannakopoulos, El-Hadji Diouf, Ricardo Vaz Té, Nicolas Anelka, etc, are all quality players who are capable of playing decent football.

Dodgy or not; Allardyce is probably the best English manager around at the moment. Hope he can find a bigger club that can take him to the next level.

el rabitos

Raskolnikov wrote:

Awfully ignorant comment :rolleyes: Then again, I'd expect as much from someone who would put Luis Garcia on a par with Cristiano Ronaldo.

i put who in the what now?

liverpool v utd already? in a bolton thread?

ok, lemme see...we have 18 leagues, 5 european cups, several fa .... zzzzzzzzzzzz

on topic, i hate watching bolton under big sam, its route 1, its 1 dimensional, i find it boring, and they beat liverpool too often. so i'm happy.

Xavi6

And to the City of Manchester he goes. Delighted with the news that he may be our new boss.

Boring football = European spots, wins over top sides, great bargain basement signings. Yes please.

Now just to sack Pearce.

PHB

I think he should go to Newcastle.
With their resources and squad, if he can get them playing, and bring in the right defenders, they can challenge the top 4 next season imo.

jank

How about the united job?

Fergie to step down knowing he has the premiership in the bag!
You heard it here first!

The_B_Man

lol are we all jsut guessin wheres hes gonna go next and puttin "u heard it here first!" at the end? whats the prize if we get it right?

Goin by the fact that we all heard a rumour that he was stepping down to go to City, and then 24hrs later he steps down, i'd hazard a guess that its jsut that straight forward. Why would one half of this rumour be true and the other half false?

Pepe LeFrits

PHB wrote:

I think he should go to Newcastle.
With their resources and squad, if he can get them playing, and bring in the right defenders, they can challenge the top 4 next season imo.

I suspect he'd get rid of quite a few members of the Newcastle squad first.

If ever there was an Englishman that Newcastle should throw the cash at to get, it is him. Proven pedigree.

The_B_Man

Sammy Lee
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=464080&CPID=8&clid=30&lid=2&title=Lee+named+new+Bolton+boss

Chucky the tree

Bolton for relegation.

_blank_

Newcastle have a manager already.

~Rebel~

The_B_Man wrote:

lol are we all jsut guessin wheres hes gonna go next and puttin "u heard it here first!" at the end? whats the prize if we get it right?

In that case, BIG SAM FOR THE IRELAND JOB!

(...you heard it here first..)


Id agree with PHB, the biggest job out there that theres a chance of him getting is probably Newcastle, just because they have the money, the stadium and the support. He could build his own team with far less budget constraints then at bolton or city. Another one would be Spurs, but Jol is likely to stay as manager there id say.

PHB

Newcastle have a manager already.

They do well to hide it.
Their squad is incredible to be in the bottom half of the table

herbieflowers

oh come on! They've been ravaged by injuries all season! What do people expect?!

Limerick Dude

yeah but unfortuantely roeder has less tactical awarness than a fcukin egg.

kinaldo

PHB wrote:

I think he should go to Newcastle.
With their resources and squad, if he can get them playing, and bring in the right defenders, they can challenge the top 4 next season imo.

We don't want him. Like Souness and Dalglish before him, he's not our type. Twice bitten, thrice shy!

Juan Pablo

Xavi6 wrote:

And to the City of Manchester he goes. Delighted with the news that he may be our new boss.

Boring football = European spots, wins over top sides, great bargain basement signings. Yes please.

Now just to sack Pearce.

Agreed! Dont particularly like Allerdyce but he'd be a massive improvement over Pearce who makes Glenn Roeder look like Fabio Capello in the tactics stakes. Anelka to return "home" on his annual move of clubs?

Rollo Tamasi

seansouth wrote:

Newcastle have a manager already.

While Man City have a...?

Sam for Fulham (you heard it here first)

Necronomicon

kinaldo wrote:

We don't want him. Like Souness and Dalglish before him, he's not our type. Twice bitten, thrice shy!

You'd rather play exciting football that doesn't yield as much results than play like Bolton and compete in the top 4 or 5?

BlackWizard

Has anyone linked him to Chelsea yet?

If not, Big Sam for Chelsea

(heard it here first :rolleyes: )

Pepe LeFrits

Necromomicon wrote:

You'd rather play exciting football that doesn't yield as much results than play like Bolton and compete in the top 4 or 5?

I think Newcastle fans are afraid that they might actually win something with Allardyce. They're comfortable in the underachieving mediocrity!

PHB

Hey, Newcastle do not play exciting football. This season, Bolton have been more entertaining to watch than Newcastle.

Also, I think if Sam had the money, he could put together a nice enough footballing team. When you have such limited resources, you do what you can with them.

p.s. I'm pretty sure you'd take Mourinho/Benetiz over Roeder, they plays pretty boring as hell football too.

herbieflowers

But I think the fact that he's had limited resources has shaped what kind of manager he is. I don't think him having funds would really make any difference, he's fundamentally frugal in the transfer market, effective on the pitch, he'd still probably buy the same types of players as Bolton have, retain that same style

ciaran76

Heard some rumour from a Bolton fan that Big Sam will be off to Arsenal as Director of Football. He told me this yesterday morning.

kinaldo

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

I think Newcastle fans are afraid that they might actually win something with Allardyce. They're comfortable in the underachieving mediocrity!

and Allardyce has even come close to winning what exactly? (league cup final doesn't count for much).

Necromomicon wrote:

You'd rather play exciting football that doesn't yield as much results than play like Bolton and compete in the top 4 or 5?

I reserve special disdain for Bolton and their style of football under Allardyce, despite the fact that they actually have some quality players. Worse than Allardyce is the thought of Diouf following him.