3 reasons why Sam Allardyce is the perfect fit for Everton
Published:Big Sam on the verge of taking Toffees job
Everton are in crisis at present. The Toffees have won just once in 12 games. Knocked out of the Europa League in humiliating fashion and sitting 17th in the Premier League, something drastically needs to change at Goodison Park.
However, a turning point may have arrived. The club now look set to appoint Sam Allardyce as the club’s new manager.
While Big Sam might not be the most glamorous appointment, the Coral News Team believe he’s exactly what the club need. Here’s why…
He’s a master at staving off relegation
As Newcastle United and Aston Villa have proved in recent years, no club is too big to suffer relegation from the Premier League. The drop is a very real threat for an Everton side who have shipped the most goals in the division – 28 in 13 games.
In that regard, Allardyce is the ideal fit. Despite taking over at several Premier League clubs in dire straits, he’s never been relegated from this division.
That included his great escape with Sunderland in 2015-16, as the seemingly-doomed Black Cats took 12 points from their last six games to secure safety.
It doesn’t tend to be pretty, but the 63-year-old knows how to make his sides tough-to-beat and bring confidence back to players who have lost belief. Based on Everton’s recent collapses against the likes of Southampton and Atalanta, that boost in self-belief is something they desperately need.
Savvy operator in the transfer market
To say that the money recouped from the sales of John Stones and Romelu Lukaku has been misspent is putting it lightly. Big-money signings like Gylfi Sigurdsson, Davy Klaasen, and Sandro Ramirez have all failed to impress in L4 so far.
However, the former Trotters boss is likely to inherit a decent budget if he does take the job – and would be sure to spend it more wisely.
He’s made one smart signing after another in previous jobs. During his time as Bolton Wanderers boss, Allardyce brought in the likes of Nicolas Anelka, Kevin Davies, and Jay-Jay Okocha.
And he continued that feat elsewhere, with buys like Jose Enrique (Newcastle) and Gael Givet (Blackburn).
With the Toffees’ ageing backline in particular need of a boost, he’d be a good man for the Goodison board to trust with the cash in January.
He brings the best out of ordinary players
The poor transfer business under Ronald Koeman has been mentioned previously. But while those players are unlikely to become Everton legends, the current Toffees squad are likely to improve significantly under Allardyce.
Time and again the veteran boss has turned ordinary players into consistently excellent performers.
Bolton legend Kevin Davies is perhaps the prime example. Allardyce transformed the target man from a top-flight flop into a bustling aerial threat who proved a nightmare for defenders.
The 63-year-old has also prided himself on reviving the careers of ageing players – think James Collins at West Ham United, or Okocha at Bolton.
With talented but struggling older pros like Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka and Kevin Mirallas struggling for form, Allardyce could be just what they need to thrive again.
Next up for Everton is a meeting with West Ham on Wednesday night. The Toffees are 13/10 to take maximum points against Allardyce’s former employers.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing