Big Sam. Do you love him yet?

[old fart]

Let's see whether or not he becomes the first Manager to deliver us a plus goal difference in the Prem

[snooperpooper]

Lest we all forget Sam is often endorsed by his peers as being one of the first proponents of sports science in football, something that Gary Speed (RIP) credited with extending his career to the point of becoming one of the Premierships leading appearance names.

For those who knock his perceived arrogance I think it can also be viewed as extreme confidence, something that obviously filters through to all his team.

Sam has given us a fit, strong, passionate and committed side who believe they can win every time they walk out onto the pitch and the results support this.

Keep up the good work Sam!

[kthammer]

Let's see whether or not he becomes the first Manager to deliver us a plus goal difference in the Prem

I agree that is as good an indicator as any other. I suspect he will. I don't think we're going to get mullahed by anyone and I think with all these strikers we will score more this half of the season than the last.

[Upton Larks]

As I said in a previous post, footballing wise I can't believe there is even an argument to be had. He has been simply magnificent. He has delivered above and beyond my hopes on his appointment.

However, on the traditions and culture of the club aspect I still remain sceptical;
http://www.kumb.com/article.php?id=2881
In terms of creating a new Legacy akin to Ron and John, i'm just not sure.

[DICAN10]

If he sells Tomkins I will detest the bloke.

hope its just media bull**** because I actually love Big Sam

[Jedi Al Khalaas]

Does he not overplay players? is that part of the secret?

He didnt play collison until he was right ( last season he had to gamble to play him)

He keeps dropping demel when necessary.

[carnage]

If he sells Tomkins I will detest the bloke.

hope its just media bull**** because I actually love Big Sam

You would change your opinion of him based on the sale of an unproven defender?

[DICAN10]

You would change your opinion of him based on the sale of an unproven defender?

he's not unproven, he's proven to be a good defender with massive potential. Built by west ham for west ham.

[carnage]

He is still unproven at this level and I don't reckon Sam rates him that highly.

[Rocketron]

He is still unproven at this level and I don't reckon Sam rates him that highly.

I think you're wrong on both counts.
Na an na na na.

[East Belfast Hammer]

Yes I love him

[Logarithm]

Perhaps the 4th best manager in the league? After Ferguson, Wenger and Moyes.

[richneal]

If he sells Tomkins I will detest the bloke.
hope its just media bull**** because I actually love Big Sam

I'd like to see Tomkins stay, too.

I'm definitely not among Sam's biggest fans, but to be fair to the bloke, it's hardly all his fault if players get sold these days . . . players seem to come and go and that's just the business of football today. Money, agents, and employment law all combine to make the shelf life of most players far too short for most of us fans. Add to that the various financial pressures facing most clubs and we get the situation where most clubs - big or small - seem to have revolving doors. As far as I understand, it's pretty hard to keep a player who wants away. And no, I haven't got a clue if that is the case with Tomkins . . .

[mywhufc]

Perhaps the 4th best manager in the league? After Ferguson, Wenger and Moyes.

Benetiz, Redknapp, perhaps,

[Perth_Hammer]

I started supporting the hammers around 2006 so I've never experienced the glory days or the 'West Ham way' for that matter. In my opinion we haven't looked this good in all that time. Not anywhere near this good. Sam has transformed the club & it blows me away that some fans still havent accepted him. I dont see longball & I dont see him being arrogant.

[claret parrot]

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the word "love" in this context but I do think Sam has more than exceeded all our expectations. I'm old enough to remember when we really did play the "West Ham way" and as exciting as it was, we were incredibly inconsistent. I remember losing 0-4 at home to Man City and then winning 5-1 at Maine Road (or was it the other way about?). Sam has bannished the WHU soft underbelly which has been a part of every West Ham team in my lifetime. We have never been this big, this fit, this organized, this tough, this determined.

To my mind the best signing we could make in this January transfer window would be get Sam to sign a long contract extension.

I did post on here when he joined that I thought he was a proud man who felt stung by the anti-football allegations and probably saw West Ham as being the job where he could finally show his football credentials and lose the perennial long-ball tag. I think he's well on his way to doing that although there are those who will never acknowledge the truth. I might not love you Sam but you have my respect, my trust and my affection.

[Tin Hat]

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the word "love" in this context but I do think Sam has more than exceeded all our expectations. I'm old enough to remember when we really did play the "West Ham way" and as exciting as it was, we were incredibly inconsistent. I remember losing 0-4 at home to Man City and then winning 5-1 at Maine Road (or was it the other way about?). Sam has bannished the WHU soft underbelly which has been a part of every West Ham team in my lifetime. We have never been this big, this fit, this organized, this tough, this determined.

To my mind the best signing we could make in this January transfer window would be get Sam to sign a long contract extension.

I did post on here when he joined that I thought he was a proud man who felt stung by the anti-football allegations and probably saw West Ham as being the job where he could finally show his football credentials and lose the perennial long-ball tag. I think he's well on his way to doing that although there are those who will never acknowledge the truth. I might not love you Sam but you have my respect, my trust and my affection.

[Turns to Stone]

The big thing about Allardyce for me, regardless of his successes or failures, or arrogance etc. Has been the fact that his reputation has kept David Sullivan's nose out of things. Under Zola and Grant you never really knew how much power the manager had. You never knew with Zola how much say over transfers he had, or how much say over style and formation etc. You also get the impression that he had been brought in purely because he wouldn't have kicked up a stink when he saw his best players sold from beneath him and replaced with cheap foreign imports.

Similarly with Grant. He was brought in as a man who would take the players he was given, give them instructions, but not get involved in the goings-on behind the scenes. He was also someone who was kind of in last chance saloon in the English Premier League as well so he was in no position to throw his weight around.

Since Allardyce has arrived. It's been his team. His club if you like. Ever since he brought in Kevin Nolan as his Captain, you really do get the feeling that the final sign-off on most things lies with Big Sam. This means that West Ham's success and failure lies at the door of Allardyce. During Zola and Grant's reign's. Myself and many others wrote extensively on this site about how West Ham's issues lay not at Grant's door, but with the fact that he'd been chucked in at the deep-end with 51% of control over playing staff and signings, a sh/t squad that had been put together by a collective of managers, agents, directors of football and owners, and tasked with motivating performances out of them. This is Allardyce's team. It's Allardyce's squad. It's his arrogance and self-confidence and excellent track record in management that allows him to tell Sullivan to keep his nose out of team affairs and away from the limelight. If Sam doesn't like the way things are being done, he'll tell them. That means that players know that their performance is important. It's judged by one man and one man alone. They know that if they're not cutting the mustard, they'll lose their place in the team. They also know that the owners and fans trust the manager. And that if it comes down to player vs manager, Sam will win. That's vitally important in a football club, and that's one of the main reasons why I think we've turned things around.

[davids cross]

He has managed to get Brady & Sullivan Snr to shut the hell up for five minutes.

For that, we should be very grateful.

[dplus91]

Loving his columns in the ES. Here's this weeks:
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/sport-comment/sam-allardyce-exclusive-team-spirit-was-worse-than-rock-bottom--now-were-rock-solid-8447249.html

Particularly like the observations on team spirit.