Allardyce ready to build his defence
Sam Allardyce is ready to build his England back-four around John Stones after claiming he can develop into another Gerard Pique under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Stones, who failed to make an appearance for England during the failed Euro 2016 campaign, has made an impressive start to life at City following his £47.5m transfer from Everton earlier this month.
And despite being regarded as, at the age of 22, a player with potential, Allardyce believes that Guardiola's influence at City will ensure that Stones's development is accelerated for the benefit of club and country.
“Potential?” Allardyce said. “See there's that word, but we don't want potential, do we?
“I want the thing, and right now. Potential is something that's going to be great in the future.
“But I want it right now and I think he (Stones) has got a great chance of becoming ‘right now' working with Manchester City, with all due respect to Everton.
“It's about the level he has to get to (with City), because you don't realise how much Pep Guardiola does focus on defending. It's not just about winning the ball back.
“Pique was a little similar at Man Utd until he went to Barcelona.
“Then he became a good defender as well as a great asset for Barcelona in possession. So he had both and that's why he has stayed there for so long.”
While Allardyce regards Stones as a developing force at the back, he admits that Jose Mourinho's decision to restore Wayne Rooney to an attacking role at Manchester United — Rooney played as a midfielder for England in France — has resolved the dilemma over where to deploy the current England captain.
“I think his best position is where he's being played now because that's the manager of Manchester United telling him where he wants him to play with Zlatan Ibrahimovic,” Allardyce said. “I think he's started well, the team has started well, Manchester United have started wellm so that breeds confidence into any United player who is selected to come with us. Wayne is England captain, he's the most successful England player for the last decade, he's broken every record at league level. THE INDEPENDENT