Pride amid prejudice is Big Sam’s strong suit
SAM ALLARDYCE went for smart casual on his first day as the England manager yesterday. Brown brogues with red tongue, dark suit open at the neck and crisp white shirt underneath.
Modern yet stylish – a good look when seeking to make the right initial impression.
It was only when he reached out his arms to stress a point he was making that something odd became apparent – blue lettering on the cuffs of the shirt. Closer inspection showed an ‘S’ and an ‘A’ stitched in.
What to make of a man whose shirts have his own initials embroidered upon them?
There was no questioning Allardyce’s pride in landing the England job yesterday. It seeped from every pore. To reach the top of such a competitive profession is a commendable achievement for a dyslexic kid raised on a Dudley council estate.
There was also, though, a striking degree of self-regard.
“I think I fit the chair,” he said, without the slightest scintilla of self-doubt at the FA’s St George’s Park base yesterday.
He has his own swivelling recliner already, having evicted FA technical director Dan Ashworth from his office on day one in the job. There are plenty of critics who believe he is fortunate to have landed the post. Some were asking him the questions yesterday.
“I’ve dreamed about this job,” said Allardyce. “I am a lucky man because nearly every dream I’ve had I have fulfilled, so I am exceptionally lucky. Or am I exceptionally good? You’ll decide that along the way.”
His own opinion was obvious through his response to a question on why he had not been judged good enough to be made manager when he applied 10 years ago. He said: “I was good enough so I don’t know.”
The self-justification continued with a boast about managing more clubs in the Premier League than anyone else – curious crowing given the number of sackings it implies.
If Brian Clough was Old Big ’Ed, Allardyce could rightly be described as the New Big ’Ed. Allardyce would no doubt enjoy the comparison and think it just that he be mentioned alongside a man who won the league and European Cup with Nottingham Forest.
Never mind that Allardyce’s trophy cupboard resembles Old Mother Hubbard’s – he has never won a domestic trophy and never even coached in the Champions League.
In one sense, Allardyce’s bountiful self-assurance is good news for England. Self-doubt is highly contagious in a team environment and if a leader is suffering from it, his team are doomed from the start.
England’s players need a figure capable of rebuilding their shattered morale after their Iceland checkout at the Euros and he will not fail on that front.
Bluster will only take a manager so far, however.
Allardyce’s assumption is that his personality and
‘I am exceptionally lucky. Or I’m exceptionally good’