HE COULDN’T MAKE IT UP! Rollercoaster life as Big Sam would be best-selling book
His Crystal Palace side are just four points ahead of Hull in 18th with two games to go. Big Sam’s role in the current fight to avoid relegation is the latest chapter in his colourful career and if he beats the drop one more time it will be payback to the club who gave him a new lease of life. Allardyce will complete a truly remarkable year if he steers Palace t o s a f e t y – wh i c h t hey c a n guarantee this afternoon if they avoid defeat at home to Hull. He s t a r t e d this season as England manager only to lose that job after just 67 days. Despite t he t urbulent nine months he has endured, Allardyce said: “I am still smiling. It’s a remarkable story, a great book. “There are about 10 chapters on this alone but there are a lot of disclosures I can’t make because of confidentiality rules that would really make the book a best-seller. “But what’s happened in this last 18 months is quite remarkable, to say the least. “Getting back i nto football was the main aim for me because it’s what it’s all about. “It has helped me get over the disappointment I felt after losing the England job.” Stunning triumphs over Liverpool and Arsenal looked t o be moving t he Eag l e s towards safety but a slip-up MICHAEL DEAN was last Saturday. Our focus is always just on the next game and we believe we can get the result we need.
“It is a fight between us, Swansea and Crystal Palace.
“I have always said that the fight would go on until the end of the season and we will continue our fight until then.
“Every game is like a final at the moment and it will be the same for our opponents.
“The players have worked hard all week and understand against Burnley and a 5-0 walloping by Man City means they are still looking down.
But do not think for a second that Big Sam is getting hot under the collar.
He said: “You can’t relish pressures of the game but I have this overall feeling that I’m the man in charge and I’m responsible for the outcome and I live under that pressure.
“You deal with it and the satisfaction is trying to make the team better. It’s worked for me for many, many years. I just hope the players think as positively as me this weekend.”
Allardyce always thought 38 points would be enough to avoid falling into the Championship but with his team stuck on that number, he may need to revise his thinking.
And the fact he cannot yet put this campaign to bed and start to plan for next season is frustrating him.
The ex-Sunderland boss said: “I think there has been a little bit of a feeling after beating Liverpool that we’re okay.
“Obviously, we have to start planning one way or another so we are pencilling things in and we hope to make sure we’re in the Premier League.
“But at the moment it’s all about the Hull game.
“Our focus has to be totally on this game, that’s our job.
“We’ve got ourselves in this position and now we’ve got to get ourselves out.
“I don’t think we’ve switched off that much, it’s more the injuries we’ve had that disrupted us and we have been getting nervous, particularly in the game against Burnley.
“Now we’ve got to handle those nerves and use our experience to deliver a performance.” what they have to do differently compared to last week.
“I want the same attitude and commitment as last weekend but with the end ingredient added.
“Of course we have a tough game and this is clear to us as we face a very good opponent with good individual players as well.
“Crystal Palace have an atmosphere and a stadium that TONY STENSON isn’t easy to play in and they only really need a point. “But I don’t think they will play for just a point. “They are very strong in attack and cause problems for all teams. “We have to keep our focus and stay strong with our defensive organisation. “Then we have to play our game to cause them problems. We will play to win this game and this is normal.”