According to the bookies, Sam Allardyce is one of the favorites for the managerial hot seat at Derby County. What exactly would "Big Sam" bring to Pride Park? His last job in management was in the 2017-2018 season with Everton. So we spoke to three Everton podcasts, The Unholy Trinity Everton Podcast and Toffee TV, to find out all about the former England managers' previous job in club management and what he could bring to Derby.
What were your thoughts when you first heard Sam Allardyce was coming to Everton? We you excited? Disappointed?
The Unholy Trinity Everton Podcast: Any time a side appoints Sam Allardyce, there are concerns about league position, due to his history in keeping sides up. It certainly wasn't an appointment met with excitement from both myself and fellow Evertonians, however I'd like to think he was supported initially. The expectation was he'd do a job and ensuring survival, then he'd be on his way. That's how it played out, despite the 18 month contract.
Toffee TV: I must admit I was fine with it as Everton where in a mess and I believed he would get us safe and leave at the end of the season, it was a sad reflection of the mess we were in, but it needed to be done.
Sam Allardyce has a reputation of not playing the most attractive football. What style did he play at Everton?
UHTP: Allardyce's style of football was never attractive. The fact we had a shot on target klaxon every time that happened, tells you all you need to know. Early on he certainly brought a bit of control back to the football. We obviously struggled under Ronald Koeman and David Unsworth, so possession stats showed an increase under him. He's never gonna have a particularly attractive away of playing though. This article is a decent read from early on in his reign about how he changed up things.
Here's his Premier League record:
Toffee TV: The football was direct but effective. It wasn't all hoof ball but the defenders didn't mess about and we played to our strengths. We defended much better too and ground results out.
Did you see an evolution of tactics from him at Everton? Or were his tactics similar to what we have seen before from him?
UHTP: I would say we got what we expected in terms of a style of play, so could argue we had seen it all before.
Toffee TV: Allardyce had better players than like Rooney and Sigurdsson, so he was helped by them, but he didn't mess about trying to integrate other players and stuck with hard working British players mostly to scrap results out.
Everton work with a Director of Football, how did Allardyce work with DoF Steve Walsh? Were they able to have a successful working relationship?
UHTP: The notable signings under Allardyce and Steve Walsh were Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcott. Both had an expensive outlay for very little return on the whole (although Walcott faired pretty well in those six months or so). Tosun is still with us but only because he suffered a serious injury which scuppered any move in the summer. The relationship, I'm sure, was positive for them, but those two signings were not particularly successful.
Toffee TV: It didn't really matter as they only had one transfer matter and both didn't survive the season, although he did say he didn't have any input in the two players brought in.
Derby have a lot of young players in their squad and a very good academy. How did Allardyce handle the academy and Everton’s young players?
UHTP: Bear in mind we had spent big money, youngsters such as Tom Davies and Jonjo Kenny saw a bit of action, but it was very much down to those signings. Maybe he trusts experience. However, if Derby are a young squad then he will have to do it with the hand provided.
Toffee TV: Allardyce actually made the most of our young players. He played Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Holgate, Tom Davies and JonJoe Kenny on a consistent basis. All four also received new contracts while he was at the club too, so he's not scared of playing youth.
Wayne Rooney was at Everton during Sam Allardyce’s reign, what can you tell us about their relationship? Did Rooney play a lot under him? Did Sam play to Rooney’s strengths?
UHTP: Rooney would always say he felt he could play up top, however he played deeper under Allardyce from memory. Very much a presence in the middle of the park. He did end up our leading goal scorer and maybe surprising to some that he wasn't there for any other year. He was certainly a trusted member of the side for Allardyce. Rooney played 31 times that season.
Toffee TV: Sam Allardyce played Rooney in central midfield and it actually got the most out of Rooney, their relationship started to sour slightly though when Allardyce stopped using him when Rooney thought he should be playing more or higher up the pitch. Allardyce actually used him too much and burnt him out.
Allardyce eventually got the sack at Goodison Park, what were the reasons behind this? Was the football not pretty enough, was it the lack of results or was it personality based?
UHTP: Allardyce went because it was job done, firstly. Secondly, the fans didn't like him or his style of football. We wanted better. Felt we deserved better as well. We should never have been in the position to appoint him. The size of the club and our history always comes into play with us fans and rightly so. Having Carlo Ancelotti is a breath of fresh air.
Toffee TV: We wanted more and he couldn't offer it, he also feel out with fans with his behaviour, as he started to mock fans and he also wouldn't take risks to win games once we were safe. We actually still had chance for Europe but he wouldn't go for it.
Would you call Sam Allardyce’s time a success on Merseyside?
UHTP: Allardyce achieved what he set out to do, so some may say it was a success. It still goes down as a stain on the history of the club for many though. I've never been a fan. You get the feeling that he is all about him. He loves the media attention and spends a lot of time away from the club training ground. Let's his coaching staff deal with training, etc. After one game in particular, the players were told to report for training on a Sunday after a shocking performance the day before. He let Sammy Lee deal with it and never attended himself. Says a lot.
What do you think Sam Allardyce could bring to Derby County and the Championship? Do you think he can adapt to the league or is he a yesterday coach?
UHTP: There's no doubting he knows the game. He's obviously got ability as a a manager and appeals to some quarters. I'm sure he'll do a decent job for Derby. Whether the fans like him or not though is a different matter. Ego is huge. Not sure if he could get you promotion. All depends on how long he stays around and how long you keep him around.
Toffee TV: His football is awful but it'll get you out of trouble, he could even get you promoted but his football is awful. Maybe its a sacrifice worth taking?
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