In short
Football management and title-race debate, focused on Arsenal’s problems and whether Mikel Arteta’s “rigid” methods and public training innovations (e.g., AI/pens/pencil drills) could backfire. Guests also discuss “man management” vs overcoaching, leadership on the pitch, and why teams struggle to break down deep defenses.
Guests (and backgrounds)
Sam Allardyce, veteran manager of nine Premier League clubs and over 1,000 games managed; discusses his own stints at Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Blackburn, West Brom, Everton, and Leeds (briefly). Paddy (co-host) and others are present, but the episode’s guest spotlight is Allardyce.
Key claims
Arsenal lack top “match-winner” creative players to break down a 10–11 defensive block; they struggle in big games and even lost at home to Bournemouth. Arsenal also allegedly lack experienced leadership among players late in the season. Arteta’s approach can be too rigid/overcoached, taking decision-making away from players.
Notable examples
Arsenal 2-1 loss to Bournemouth; City’s second-half blitz vs Chelsea; City’s ability to break defensive units in cup finals; Pep needing more coaching recently; Allardyce’s own “man management” view using timely “bollockings” to raise second-half output.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOSam Allardyce's Managerial Journey
0:45 to 5:20
Discussion on Sam Allardyce's extensive managerial career in football.
“Yep Crystal Palace Yeah Everton Everton Sunderland Yeah That's it isn't it West Ham West Ham West Ham I've got the full list here Let's go down them here West Brom Leeds, West Brom.”
Unique Coaching Insights
5:20 to 6:00
Sam shares personal anecdotes and insights into the coaching profession.
“Taking decisions away from players, coaches, by not allowing to express themselves on the field.”
Arsenal's Challenges Under Arteta
6:00 to 9:20
Analysis of Arsenal's performance and challenges under Mikel Arteta.
“I really feel a negativity towards Arsenal.”
Comparative Football Strategies
9:20 to 13:20
Discussion on the differences in coaching styles and team management.
“an opportunity to create a chance to score.”
Pressure and Performance
13:20 to 14:00
Exploration of pressure's impact on player performance in critical moments.
Arteta's Unconventional Methods
14:04 to 15:00
Discussion about Arteta's innovative yet publicly exposed methods.
Arsenal's Strategy Against Man City
15:00 to 17:52
Analysis of Arsenal's tactics and potential outcomes in their match against Man City.
“I still think it's in their favour, yeah.”
Leadership and Responsibility in Teams
17:52 to 19:26
Exploration of the lack of leadership and player responsibility within Arsenal.
“But do you think that's confidence in the team and Arpheus might not have that?”
The Impact of Coaching Styles
19:26 to 21:06
Discussion on how coaching styles can affect player autonomy and decision-making.
Changing Dynamics in Modern Football
21:06 to 23:34
Insight into how modern football coaching has shifted player responsibilities.
“However, we didn't rely on him all the time.”
Show all 23 chapters
Arteta's Challenges as Arsenal's Manager
23:34 to 24:38
Discussion on the challenges Arteta faces and the expectations at Arsenal.
The Complexity of Managing a Football Club
24:38 to 28:01
A reflection on the difficulties managers face, particularly during transition periods.
“I don't think you can change that much, can you?”
Managerial Changes and Player Trust
28:01 to 29:20
Discussion on the impact of frequent managerial changes on player development and team success.
“Were they trying to buy instant success or were they not bothered about building?”
Financial Challenges in Football Management
29:21 to 31:40
Exploring the financial pressures and budget constraints faced by football managers.
“and I was building Bolton to where it was and didn't particularly want to leave because of the team we had.”
Resigning for Ambition: The Newcastle Case
31:41 to 33:50
Insights into the circumstances surrounding resignations in pursuit of better opportunities.
“We'd have been, with our budget at that time, we'd have been halfway.”
Recruitment Strategies in Football
33:51 to 38:10
Discussion on recruitment strategies and the importance of player relationships in transfers.
“The other side of the argument for me was, if I signed these, listen, it would probably be unlikely that I'd get three of them, but I think I'm almost certain I got two of the three.”
Cultural Insights from Football Travels
38:11 to 39:50
Sharing experiences from traveling to various cities and their cultural significance.
“He was only supposed to come to keep us up and go and play in the World Cup and then be tired.”
Favorite Cities and Personal Experiences
40:21 to 42:01
Conversations about favorite cities and personal travel experiences among the hosts.
Travel Tales and City Preferences
42:01 to 43:22
The hosts share their favorite travel destinations and city experiences.
“lovely I had this shits all night and it's just got a negative thing with me now I think of Paris and I think shits go get over that yeah what's yours?”
New York Dreams and Prize Opportunities
43:23 to 45:36
Discussion about New York's appeal and a prize opportunity for listeners.
“Funnily enough, I don't go to Manchester that often.”
Reflections on Achievement and Regret
46:56 to 49:15
A heartfelt discussion about the importance of celebrating achievements and the regrets associated with not doing so.
“I was listening to, I can't remember, after Rory won the final.”
The Pressure to Win in Football
49:16 to 50:26
Exploring the pressures and fears associated with winning in football.
Mind Games and Managerial Tactics
50:27 to 53:05
Discussion on the mind games between football managers and their tactics.
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Welcome to the good, the bad and the football. Joining us on the show today, wow, very exciting. Over a 32-year career, a thousand games, over a thousand games managed and a manager of nine Premier League football clubs. Sam Allardyce. What are you saying to you, Paddy? Big Sam. Cheers, Sam. I couldn't believe there were nine. Nine, right. Oh, top of the league, are they? Yeah. Don't say it Don't say I'm going to test them Because I were thinking about this And honestly I think I got four I've been Bolton Newcastle West Ham Sunderland And then I'm thinking Blackburn Yeah Blackburn Yeah West Brom Yep Crystal Palace Yeah Everton Everton Sunderland Yeah That's it isn't it West Ham West Ham West Ham I've got the full list here Let's go down them here West Brom Leeds, West Brom.
0:59Leeds, West Brom. What was Leeds? Leeds was only three months. Leeds was four games. Four games, was it? With Carl? With Carl, yeah. I took you in, yeah. How was that? Well, you know Carl, don't you? I had him at Blackburn. Did you get word in? Well, you know, I had to stop him trying to be manager. I don't surprise me. Am I doing a session here, Carl? Or not? Can I join him? Can I join in? When you go to... Carl! I'm here. You know, when Leeds got in touch with you, did they say, Luke, you've got four games? Or did they sort of entice you in a little bit and go, Luke, if it goes well, we'll keep you on?
1:39Angus Kinnear, I went with West Ham. Angus was the chief CEO at Leeds at the time. And I rang him and said, look, give me the 12 or 14 games left. I'm ringing in here now saying just give me a chance I think I can save you looking at the team you've got like you mean and they got rid of the American coach yeah
2:10anyway that's my bad memory because of my age these days anyway unfortunately they went for Garcia I think it was Spanish coach and I was in Alex's office after the game. It's the first time I've ever said this, by the way. I haven't even said this on my own podcast. I was at the same time of the game and I looked at my phone and it's Angus. He went, when you come? I went, you ain't got four games to go. He said, I know, he said, we're desperate. He said, we've just got rid of him. He said, I've just recommended you. I said, yeah, you should have done that before. I said, yeah, I'll come. It's Leeds, innit?
2:51Yeah. So we had the four games. Thoroughly enjoyed it, apart from obviously not being able to be a bit more effective than we were. We were effective performance-wise, but not results-wise, like you mean. When you go in and it's four games, do you get a sense of the players that everyone's buying into it? Or do you ever feel like, I can see some of them are looking elsewhere now, there's only four games? No, not really. I thought the response was okay. But I mean, like, look, listen, I'm totally unique in too. So my first day was like, where did you have your teeth done? I mean, was it Turkey or what?
3:33You're asking Paddy there at all. I'll be asking for my money back where he's going. I've got to say that because I've just had mine done, but I haven't had them done in Turkey. Oh, well, look, I thought it was something different. It looks well. Even I've had my own done. But all I'm doing is breaking the ice, like because they're wondering who's this like another one fourth one is it fourth this year and uh and like you said before took kyle robinson in like i mean so and and uh robbie keen oh so we are robbie's done great yeah brilliant you know i mean he's great and uh and i think that kyle's all great as well by what we by just by what we what we do we just say look it's got to be you know lift it lifting it not the depressing side of it or try and organise a team I mean that's something to what Deserby said after the series game did you see his comments about saying he needs to be more of a brother or a father to him yeah of course you do do you think
4:32Paddy McGuinness:that happens when they're in such a bad place that your arm around them needs to be loved because I'm saying that about obviously before Michael went to United it was a bit like that wasn't it it didn't look like they loved the players don't care who you are you might just to love you and put your arm in and tell you the best things in sliced bread. Yeah, they do. In this day, even more so this day. Yeah, so temperamental compared to what they used to be like. I mean, can't handle a bollocking. No. You know, you just put some right on the back foot like you mean. But I think that it's being a man manager, you know, I've talked about this for a lot of time, like I mean, that utilising your skills as a man manager is one of the most important things when you're in that position.
5:16Too many people go on about coaching. It's all about coaching. It's a bollocks, really, isn't it? No, yeah. A little bit overcoached. Overcoached. Taking decisions away from players, coaches, by not allowing to express themselves on the field. Now, there's organisation in your team. Coaching, for me, is organising your team to go against the opposition for that particular game at the Premier League level. When you say about coaching as opposed to man management, just looking at Arsenal at the weekend, and obviously we're going to get into this now because very exciting for the neutral. And weirdly, I see a lot of stuff online.
5:59I feel as though a lot of people are willing Arsenal to lose it. I really feel a negativity towards Arsenal. I mean, it's a weird one. People do that naturally. They do that. They're always at the top. They get that. I think people want it to go to the wire now. A bit entertaining. Man United were for there that long that it was the same with Man United and the same with Liverpool before that, wasn't it? But I've never felt that with City, though.
6:22Paddy McGuinness:Weirdly. It was a neutral. I kind of felt like... Oh, yeah. Do you reckon? I think when you've won it a couple of times, people get fed up with you. They get fed up with you winning it. Well, just with regards to the coaching versus the man management, when you look at that game, Arsenal lost 2-1 against Bournemouth and people were saying Arteta's been too rigid with them, he's not letting them express themselves. Do you see that as a manager when you're watching them, how he's set up and how they played the game? I see it. I see the discipline in his team and the discipline about how he wants to play and how he wants to do it.
6:58I think there's always been the downfall that they haven't quite got as many top skilful players that Manchester City have to break down a defensive 10 or 11. Yeah. And I think we saw that, I saw that for the first time in Man City in the last few games. Prior to that, I hadn't seen him being able to break down a defensive 10. Yeah. You know what I mean? But certainly against Chelsea particularly and then against Arsenal in the cup final. I saw Man City come alive with that ultimate ability to break down the defensive unit that they faced with nine times out of ten in the league. You know what I mean?
7:47You just feel like City have got more creative players. Creative players. Players that can go win a game. When you look at the difference with the first half to the second half at Chelsea, again, you're going, bloody hell, they come out and just absolutely blitzed them, didn't they, in second half? Yeah, they were going in, I think they mentioned it yesterday, and the Paps probably had a right word with them yesterday because before the game, it was like, you know you're trying to win a game not coaching that's my mind he's just going in and he'll have blown his top like I mean because he's a bit old school whatever you say about him he'll go give him what for saying what you think you're playing at yeah you know what I mean you could see the reaction I mean people talk about reaction he is he's an old an old time we monitor we monitor players like everybody said you'd you do too much like but you take out of it what you can if I abolished a team the first thing I'd do would look at the stats and say what was the input to input to me bollocking the team mmm on the physical side tactically you talk about bollocking the team at the right time means you've got an increase in output in the second half it might die off late on because again tired but so So I'd look at the first two.
9:04What effect did we have from the first half to the second half? Well, the second half gave us a bit more energy, a bit more high-speed runs, a bit more sprint distancing, a bit more, which brings you back in the game. And then you've got your talented players to try and give you an opportunity to create a chance to score. So it has its place when, and you've got to decide when it's needed. Yeah. That's your job. That's man management. you decide when when you do and when you don't when you make a substitution when you do and when you don't now you have to be the bravest man in the whole of your team to make a substitution because it's your responsibility when do you make a substitution?
9:48well before the opposition are going to score if you see it coming not after they've scored yeah like most managers do most managers go they've scored you're going to see a substitution well that's a bit late isn't it? it's a bit late I think Pep's had to coach this team in the last six months more than he's had to coach for years and years. If you think about it, the teams he had, he could just sit back and watch. Now in his last six, 12 months.
10:13Paddy McGuinness:You can imagine what he's saying to his team now, can't you? You can imagine him saying, we're going to go on and win this league. He's the likes of Dock here and the likes of Cherk here. All of a sudden he's got players he's got to talk through games a little bit. He's not really done that for a while, has he? He could just sit back and enjoy it. but now as it proved yesterday he did something at half time that was different do you feel the momentum is with him I know obviously Sunday coming is the main one in it but I still I still think Arsenal win the league well they should do yeah I mean he threw it away last time didn't he and that's the worry about the Arsenal fans because he was what seven points clear last time in a similar situation and his team his team started losing and drawing games sometimes on winning positions and Man City took the...
11:03What is that though? Is that just a pure pressure thing? Players, players. You look at, listen, I watched, it's a different subject, but I watched Rory nearly bottle it yesterday. Yeah. Oh God, yeah. You know what I mean? It was only his short game in the end. His short game round the green, which everybody says if you play golf, it's all down to your short game whether you win or lose, like I mean, was it? driving for show putting for dough you know what I mean and at the end of the day when it comes to the crunch you know a little bit it's right a little bit of what Arsenal are doing they're not playing very well Rory didn't play very well yeah but got it done
11:42Paddy McGuinness:yeah will Arsenal get it done I'm not so sure if you look at Arsenal I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure there's only one that's won the Premier League in the whole squad yeah that's a big factor I think it's Jezus I think it's the only one that's won the crowd City and I think they've been there they've been in that situation until you've won it until you get over that hurdle it is a nightmare literally like that every time it comes to the end you just think I'm going to let him down again your mind starts running away with it and you can see that happening now with Arsenal especially with City chasing him with Pep in charge because the amount of times he's won the league I just think Arsenal have gone man I just think all the momentum is with City and Arsenal at some point you've got to beat your rivals to win a league I've not seen them do it they don't win big games I mean losing to Bournemouth at home you can't be going for a title you can't be going for a title and losing to Bournemouth at home you can't you can draw anyone can draw but to lose it's like you're not giving a chance I can't say anything other than a City winner on Sunday I just can't also you know we've talked about it on here about set pieces and they rely on them a lot Arsenal this season yeah I used to get slaughtered for that I was going to I was going to he's a genius I should have thought do you reckon teams now like Bournemouth when they went because you'd expect Arsenal win there wouldn't you but are they now kind of going we know what they're going to do all the time you know there's not that fleur and flamboyancy and someone doing something a little bit different on the pitch that's what I've said about Arsenal I'll see that they can't win big games against the big rivals and struggling against the likes of Bournemouth now when they're not scoring set pieces now when I look at our team when I look at City's team over the time there was match winners all over four, five possibly six you could bring two lads off the bench to win you a game I've never seen it in this Arsenal team I just don't think there's enough So Alex Fergie when he was you played with him when he was in winning positions he'd go to win more yeah whereas you know being a centre-assist half if I'm in a winning position I'm likely to go and put about five on yeah hmm you know but probably though there's a factor of that because my team probably wasn't good enough to go and do that and put the subs on but he was we would ever win in a game 1-0 and we didn't go for the throw he's got nuts
14:18what did he do know Arteta like with that with that team he's obviously had for a while now after losing against Bournemouth and then you see City beat Chelsea well what does he do with them now I think he's doing some strange things sadly not that I'm adverse to a strange thing because I'm the first to try it like I mean but he's making it public with the pens you know what's that the pens this time he's got AI up and see why the training he's got AI screen up on certain situations that are happening actually while they're training and he's let the press and the public see that now I don't I like the innovation but I don't like that publicly keep it to yourself you know what I mean because that can backfire on him because they can say you confuse the players with all that stuff what do you mean hold up a pen you mean a pen I thought you were talking about penalties no no a biro a biro a biro what were doing what a big it was a big doing what that's just a cheap one just trying to keep up between them or something so you're holding a pen and I'm holding a pen well I think they're like no like one finger or another one like that
15:41Paddy McGuinness:we're pushing it in between chuck a pen over here Jack give us a pen I've got to see this do you think if he doesn't win it he'll be gone no no no I don't think Arsenal will let him go. Do you think they will when it's on? I still think it's in their favour, yeah. I still think you'll see a very determined defensive set-up on the Man City game. Will they go for a draw? Will they go for a draw? Yeah. And Man City,
16:15not as good against the counter-attack as they used to be. they're more vulnerable now than they ever were, which could be, I might be wrong, but I think that's what you'll see. You'll see the counter-attacking Arsenal against the blocking best defence in the league. So City, in the cup final, it was different. Yeah, because it's a one-off game. Because it's a one-off and you both have to, this one is, he knows if I come off with a nil-nil or I end up being a one-nil, that's going to be it. but if it's a nil-nil, it's fine. You know what I mean? And I think that's what we'll see. We'll see a very tense, tense, nervous affair.
16:56There might be something that happens. You have an old sending off. Somebody got sending off or the referee makes a huge error, which they're always vulnerable too, aren't they, like, especially with that goddamn VAR and stuff like that. Do we know who the ref of that game is? Have they said it already? When do you find out? A couple of days before. I don't know. I don't know. Just before we move on, because I've got to see what this is, now the budgets on this podcast, they aren't the best, so we haven't got a pen, we've got a pencil. We've got a pencil. We've got a pencil. Show me what you're on about.
17:27Here we go. So that's it? Yeah. Something like that. And they had to walk with it, but they were doing the same with the ball, right? There's five of them in a little circle, like the ball's in the middle. And they had a pencil? No, fuck all of them with a pencil, no. It's like Sam says, I'm making that public. It's all right trying things, and I'm sure management will try things. He'll be trying anything now, won't he? He'll be trying anything
17:46Paddy McGuinness:to just get him back on side and get him going for the next game. I think City beat him. I think City beat him Sunday. The best thing to do is like Pep does. He was four days off. Yeah. Yeah. Just going, getting ready. But do you think that's confidence in the team and Arpheus might not have that? Well, he ain't got confidence in himself and his staff if he don't do that. Not that I should be criticising. Well, he used to give us a lot of few days off at Newcastle. You know, mind. I forgot he was in charge when you were there. My boss, yeah. Bloody hell, fire. We'll get on to that in a bit. Honestly, God.
18:20Does it surprise you the way he plays though, Sam? Because as a player, you think of the coaches work with Pep as well. You don't see that negative kind of way. Yeah, it's quite rigid. Randy was with him for the first three years. He said he's intensely, intense-wise, he's really intense coaching-wise, where he's coming up with all these ideas. Got Albert now, aren't he, Albert?
18:46Paddy McGuinness:what's his Alex Gabby Hines Gabby yeah I watched a Netflix thing about him as well when you watch it you think I can't work out if it's a genius or crazy well we're all going to be crazy to manage we're all going to be crazy we're all going to be stupid so we've all got a manager here who's done over a thousand games you two played I know you played as well Sam but a manager over a thousand games you two as players you're in a situation now at Arsenal how much amongst the players are you thinking do you know what this old in pencils ball forget what manager's saying we've got to get together and do it ourselves I think that's what they're lacking for me looking from an outsider looking in they're lacking real leadership in this point of the season I was very fortunate and scored to the same we played with the teams where we had experienced older players that had been there seen it and done it and when it was going a bit edgy you bring us all together and it wouldn't even need a manager we didn't change downstairs and we liked that each other and then we got a bit old and we took over that man of having a chat and leading the rooms so they're changing but I think they like that I can't I can't imagine who will be doing that in that change right you got rice you got if we were doing what they were doing now and so yeah yeah we'd be thinking the managers lost it yeah really is my reason why over coached hmm and coaches because don't forget we're all head coach now we're not managers yeah your titles you go for a job it's your head coach so you're losing responsibility in a lot of areas that that i don't particularly think you should but your head coach your reputation you try and build yourself on these young coaches and foreign coaches particularly coming in that everybody seems to love in the the media more than anybody else is building your reputation as this genius coach now what that's done is taken the player's responsibility away so the player now will say look at you now and he'll go well you tell me how to play and I'll try and play like that the players are totally different so they've had the actual responsibility taken away from them by the coach that's coaching them so they then come into a state where they're they're left with that i don't really want to make that decision because if if they do it might be a decision against the coach and the coach goes what you do that but i've not told you to do that and i think that's a real problem at the moment when you talk about lack of leadership because the players now are going right we get all this information now so we'll go and try and do what you're saying and then when it comes to us on the field going hey you right come here right or you stop him you know what I mean and I don't see a lot of that happening we've had conversations there about Maverick players haven't we and they seem to be going dwindling away that's why I like Cherokee yeah I've just got to mention when Sam's talking about players players now players almost need to know everything they've got to do at every minute on a football pitch which is wrong it takes that freedom away it's like reading a script isn't it yeah the difference from Arsenal and City now City have still got a couple of players who can do you know what I mean they can't be coached to what they do you look at Cherky yesterday he's a million miles away from a Pep Guardiola player I think he's got all the skills I'll get me wrong but Pep likes people who are in right positions he isn't he goes all over the place but he's got that freedom to play now he's let him do it a bit and all now hasn't he like you said which surprised him I've lost count over the years how many times I've played at United with the best manager, in my opinion, of all time.
22:40Paddy McGuinness:However, we didn't rely on him all the time. If something was going wrong on the pitch, example, these three against us where we played 4-4-2, you just pull the wingers in and work it out yourself a little bit and just have five minutes together or put it in behind for five minutes, whatever it might be. But they don't do that now. They'll just do it and do it and do it until the manager comes on the pitch and goes, right, someone go down and I'll change it. and that's the big problem with football now the big thing about our manager was all about riffs wasn't it he loved riffs look if he were playing and being safe in midfield he'd go nuts pass the ball forward win games if things were going wrong we'd sort it out between and then at half time the manager might change it again but on the pitch you've got to be them leaders and I don't see it in Arsenal I don't see Arsenal you can still win games and win leagues a different way as Arsenal are trying to don't get me wrong but just the team we've brought up and the manager the manager that started every season says go and score two goals in every game you'll win the league.
23:35Now straight away you're thinking fucking that's brilliant
23:38Paddy McGuinness:just got to score goals and we'll win the league There's different ways of doing it if Arsenal do it it feels like they're going to limp over the line but doing it a different way it doesn't matter how you do it You've got to give them credit for where they are, what they've done especially Arteta from what he took over five or six years ago he's done brilliant to get them where they are. I just still think there's a little bit against them because of I think they're up there because of failings of other clubs more than anything Don't forget he's still inexperienced Yes It's his first job Yeah His first job is Arsenal I mean what a big one responsibility that is You've seen so many And he's done great Sam to get them to where they are from where they were So many assistant managers that go and and get that job and fail miserably are you what I mean Can you go in as a where he's gone now with Arsenal and when we're all watching it and we're talking about it and we're going, clearly something's not working.
24:34Can you go in as a manager and go, or is it just down to you as a person where you go, do you know what, not that you've got it wrong, but you go, right, we're just going to do something a bit different on this next game, rather than the, I know we're talking about the pencil and the ball in the head and all that, carry on. I think you got to a point. Do you have to stick by your guns? I don't think you can change that much, can you? Well, I mean, there's not a lot. For me, there's never been a lot of emphasis on going through the same old, same old. I just say if you don't know it now you shouldn't be playing in the Premier League if you don't know how we need to play and what your strengths and weaknesses are as a team I don't know what I can do for you you know what I mean so I can challenge your players that way like by saying you know now that only happens not when you're at a new club like when I was at Newcastle trying to build that confidence it's when you the two clubs I've been at it's when you're like two, three years in like Bolton and West Ham because you go, you know, come on.
25:36What, you need to tell me to do this again? Do I have to do this again? Yeah. You should know what you're doing by now. You should know what you're doing by now. I mean, you've got your squad, you've got, you know, there's only a bit of time you spend with new players if you've signed them in January. The rest of the time you go, all right, let's go. You know the basis of this and then these are the danger points and these are the weaknesses. so off you go so when you've got that I always remember that because coaching was was all leagues for me it was a bottom league all the way to the top and the amount of time I spent there was far more in the end than the amount of time I spent here because it was one it happened at Bolton when I was doing and JJ and you turn around and says Gaffer do you still have to do this what do you say yeah right okay no problem yeah I'll leave it it's no problem for me that's the man management we should have to do this we know what you want you have to keep telling us in other words shut up so I just come in now and again it was easy then yeah
26:56Paddy McGuinness:is that when you get your trust in your players as well trust in your players get your best time in football but because of the rest of your time you're under that you're under that much pressure if you're trying to save a club and you know you know in the first you know how hard it's going to be in the first 10 minutes yeah I see a question because obviously I was at Newcastle with Sam as you know when you first walked into that club did you quite understand how messed up it was when you got there yeah it was disaster yeah and it's sad because in what way it was just so I was 12 when I went to Man United and I left on as 30 I had one manager and in six years at Newcastle or five and a half years with including interim managers I had 11 Jesus Christ and there's no way you can get any you just heard Sam who's managed a thousand games say about it's extra two or three years with West Ham and Bolton to trust your players and get to know the players know what the manager wants I was probably 31, 32 had won Premier Leagues and won other stuff so I was quite experienced Alan Shearer was but we had a lot of young players that needed to be told what to do and coach and until you get the trust of the manager with the players for maybe a year or two like Sam's saying but to change managers that often you're never going to get any success Why was that?
28:13Were they trying to buy instant success or were they not bothered about building? Basically
28:16Paddy McGuinness:so I signed for Subobby and that was a big reason why I signed he was there three weeks then Graham came in then Sam came in and in between that we had Nigel Worthington and Glenn Roder Glenn Roder Joe Kinnear Kevin Keegan Alan Shearer God that's it's bonkers anyway you go through at least Chris you weren't playing very well that's why
28:39Paddy McGuinness:Chris you Chris you to me there's no way you can do anything so I was just curious what Sam's throwing any wars into that building the biggest problem for me was a change of ownership yeah this was this was a real kick in the nuts for me like you know and this is because me and freddie had been getting on great for years yeah you know i mean because we met outside of football and in football organizing quite a lot i was pretty good friends with kenneth yeah his son more more than freddie like i mean born had come they come for bolton two years before that right before graham got the job and I was building Bolton to where it was and didn't particularly want to leave because of the team we had.
29:33And then it came around again after I left. People thought I'd left because I got Nuka's, I didn't have left because of what happened at Bolton, what they did. Was that not having the money available to kick off? Yeah, but they're not doing what they should have done. you know the board not doing what they should have done when they don't listen to you and you know and then you know you're going to fail then you can't I couldn't I couldn't stay
30:03Paddy McGuinness:yeah there's a ceiling there I'd imagine you get up to that ceiling and think I need to be back to get up to the next level I need to take me here now I got here and now we go there why though why did that not happen because they didn't want to go to Champions League was the answer yeah but why I can't because they said it cost too much I said what do you mean I'm paying for it myself anyway yeah because I've already created over budget by the fact that when you go to a football club and your manager right rather than head coach they give you your budget for the year the budget's sectioned off into areas of your responsibility you keep an eye on them budgets right and see and you're spending that as wisely as you possibly can the biggest one is your transfer budget so you get and they get to predict where you're going to finish and build a budget on that.
30:52So at that time, we were just going to finish 10th and our budget would be about this many million. Now, when I went in January, we were third. We'd already had five or six more appearances on TV, which was much more millions. We'd already had a run in the cup, which was much more millions. We're sitting in three. we're not even nobody's even thinking about relegation we're just thinking about Europe again third so you're third in January and you left for Newcastle no I resigned because I wanted these three players and we were already who were they son can you tell us who they were budget war no I can't not that particular they were all from abroad anyway they weren't from here anyway they were all from abroad now I ended up I ended up with the only player I got in January was little Davey Thompson so I'm on loan from Portsmouth who did a dodgy knee we're third in the league like I mean and I just couldn't take it anymore because much as I love the club and which is where was your
32:05Paddy McGuinness:message on the ball and some what was it fifth or six six on a full season yeah do you know when you talk about budgets and stuff but just massive thing budgets now do you know where about you were in the league budget wise where you should have been. We'd have been, with our budget at that time, we'd have been halfway. Halfway. Yeah. So you overachieved massively. So when you resigned at Bolton, you went into Newcastle. Did you have a plan with Freddie? Well, I resigned and then we did a deal with my agent to say we won't let it out. And I'll stay till the end of the season. But that got leaked out as well, so I left after we drew Chelsea away 2-2.
32:44But we still finished in Europe again. do you know as a football fan all football fans will find that mind blowing when a club goes we don't really want Europe it's too expensive how do you get your head round that as a football you can't get your head round it some lower league clubs like us do you know what I'm doing not when you started Premier League
33:08Paddy McGuinness:I remember Peter said that to me when I did that CEO role for a little bit so Peter Lim, multi-billionaire and he's saying everyone's gonna get really excited when you go up I said yeah I said said except me and I said we said to him we went to Singapore speech room and why he went because that hole gets bigger everyone's cheering let me get promotion again and that hole gets bigger again and gets bigger again so unless someone but is willing to lose that kind of money you're in this position where Sam is but you shouldn't go into it unless you want to lose because in the end of the day you make a lot of money if you get it right yeah So if we entered Europe, it would have been, I think at that stage, I'm not quite sure what the figures were, so I wouldn't like to guess, but there were so many more millions of pounds.
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33:51The other side of the argument for me was, if I signed these, listen, it would probably be unlikely that I'd get three of them, but I think I'm almost certain I got two of the three. And we'd just won five games on the charts over Christmas and New Year. fine and we were I could all the staff were going Drogba weren't one of them was it Sam sorry to ask you again Drogba weren't one of them was it to sign yeah no not then that was years before that was years before yeah I watched the programme on Sky I don't know if you've seen it some of the players it was ridiculous I mean how did you sell Bolton to him well I think that would you have been good players then good players yeah well I would Well, I would pay because my thankful to the club was they didn't interfere until later on.
34:49Paddy McGuinness:Until you were in complete control. You were a manager. I was a manager. Right. So if I went and spent, I spent probably on JJ, Cochia and then Nicholas and Elka, two players' wages together. and bring them into the football club when the club at the start wanted to say we wanted to restrict to 20 grand a week and I go it's my budget I work on my budget I live on day so the only way I'd like then is to promote the youth and find some players that come through like Kevin Nolan and people like that well they are free transfers some are Nicholas was 8 million 8 million when you sit with them what do you say to them like you know like the Campo Joikev people like that we used to go out to them yeah and we used to go out with them and just show them well don't forget first and foremost they want to play in the Premier League yeah and the other side of it is is if they join us they join us because no other Premier League bigger than us wants them I mean Campo came after having won the league and won the European Cup.
36:07Yeah. You know what I mean? And he was like, he was ridiculed when he first got cloned. This lad's a clown.
36:14Paddy McGuinness:Yeah. You know what I mean? And, you know, he's such a good player at that particular time. I mean, Uri was the big one at first. When you've got a World Cup winner coming. Yeah. Now, that's all about, I've said this story many, many times, it's only because he needed to get in the World Cup squad. Yeah. Play every week. So if you do the information and find out the information, and as an head coach, this doesn't happen with head coaches, they don't go all over the world watching players. I did. You know, I went to meet him. I don't really see managers go to watch games anymore. You think of our gaffes all the time.
36:50Yeah, you know what I mean? So we'd go and talk to them. This was a great experience actually going along and going Germany, Italy, whatever it is, sitting down with the player and his agent and then negotiating with the... I've got the secretary next to me, he's right at figures down, and we've got the lads showing him what vaulting is Premier League, not far from Manchester, it's not too far from London, like, I mean, and we pay you every week, you get your money every week, it's guaranteed, like, I mean, how much do you want, like, I mean, we negotiate it. And a lot of negotiation was appearance money, win bonus, staying up bonus at that particular time.
37:27so the basic would be then that would take this to here I like you mean and then you're playing in the Premier League every week and also as well I think just you going out there there's a bit of flattery in that isn't there going oh the manager's coming out to see me that's what all the managers did I'm sure Sir Alex would have been all over the players South America they'd go anywhere when you went over to Campo would you think I'll settle him in this area of and where are you going? You want to just live in great liver. Get yourself up there. Get yourself down. They all let him Manchester. They all let him.
38:04The thing is, it's like Campo came on loan and if they didn't like it, they wouldn't have stayed. Yeah. Yuri came and come back for three years. He was only supposed to come to keep us up and go and play in the World Cup and then be tired. He said, can I come back? So we knew we were on to something. The only one I couldn't keep that I wanted was Yero. Right. So, yeah, Rob was particularly interested in it. He was just about bringing in his son and his mate to put in an English school to learn English. That was part of the deal. Bloody hell. You know what I mean? Where did he go to Bolton school?
38:39So, you find all these deals. This is where you're a manager, not a coach. Yeah. You know what I mean? And that's all, I mean... You had a good blend of some as well. You know, we talk about all these players, but you think of the local lad you want as well? Yeah. You think of Kevin Nolan and Kevin Davis at the time as well. He had them floor players. He had solid players as well. We got Kevin Davis for nothing. He'd been transferred for 30-odd million between Chesterfield, Blackburn and Southampton. Southampton, yeah. And he was 27. JJ were 28. You know what I mean? He was like, you know. But Nicholas was the big one because he was the goal scorer.
39:17So I managed to persuade to get about 8 million out of them for that. But also, as I say, Bolton is a town. You get them in there, a lot of greenery around. Manchester's on doorstep. Dead easy get down to London. It's like, it's all there from it. And I remember around that time, it's funny, when a club's doing well, the town does well. Do you know what I mean? There's just like everything, the little businesses around there. It's a hype, isn't it? Yeah.
39:44Paddy McGuinness:Saturday when you're doing well, there's nothing better going to a football game if you're a fan and your team are doing well. Right lads we'll be chatting to Big Sam a bit more in a bit But firstly that prize guy are back this week With another draw for you Four nights in the Big Apple New York Wow what a treat Plus one Flights covered Hotel in Manhattan And get on this A thousand pounds cash What a treat And you can enter that just for 99 pence Go over to thatprizeguy.com dot UK quick now Nicky you've just come back from New York lovely trip yeah it was a quick flying visit a little bit of work there for 48 hours I was going to say you've got a bit of colour New York that was Jamaica oh you've been Jamaica as well oh don't use that Jamaica as well but no New York was a nice little little quick flying visit you two being ex professional footballers you must have been all over the world but you don't really get to see see nothing see because I was going to say what would you what would be your top three cities me he's older never been London New York London and then I'd probably London London's an unbelievable city London's unbelievable when you go for a week out two or three days and get back out it's fantastic New York London and I'd probably say Paris oh may we may we very busy though isn't it Paris very London's busy though isn't it I don't like the cities are busy in New York I don't like the cities you don't go to the cities where they're countryside and they put your feet on do you do you know what I equate them to last time I was I was in Paris I was racing like a two wheeler scooter thing around there so I see it as really hectic and what have you but it probably isn't I never used to like it I've been a couple of times didn't like it but then I got a bit older what about Manchester a bit more cultured Manchester's a very good obviously it's gone so much better now do you know what else put me a little bit off Paris I went in a lovely restaurant though because it's known for its cuisine and I ordered this steak and it come have you been to some restaurants where you cook it yourself which is a bit of a swizz they charge you more for that so it was like a red hot stone and I had steak and I had it lovely I had this shits all night and it's just got a negative thing with me now I think of Paris and I think shits go get over that yeah what's yours?
42:13Olden Rochdale Middleton Saddle is Saddleworth a city Upper Mill is that a city Upper Mill my gosh it's not a city really is it no Manchester I love Manchester man New York I don't think that prize guy were looking for like London and Manchester but we'll go with it you'd say fucking Birmingham you'd get there for 99p wouldn't you do you know where I did like Berlin oh yeah Berlin Berlin yeah that's alright I went with the kids to I took Aaron Alicia to the final Berlin yeah the final we went round you know you're seeing them scooters yeah oh it was lovely what a nice place that was you know what actually yeah i'm gonna i i agree we're on berlin yeah never even that's again i've been there i forgot about it hamsterdam's a great place oh yeah no in fact i'm putting that as number one in the night in the more cultured part of it shall we say absolutely yeah window shopping yeah it is a lovely place everyone thinks no you get away
43:11Paddy McGuinness:Get away from the bit you go to, Paddy. Go to the culture bit I go to. Yeah, it's nice. Yeah. Do you know what? I can't put London there. I think... I can't even put Manchester there. Why? Because I think it's... You know you're in it that much. You don't appreciate it. That's why I like it. Because I know it. Do you know what I mean? It feels like... And you know what? Funnily enough, I don't go to Manchester that often. Yeah, it feels like a doable city. It's like you can get around it all right. Yeah, yeah. Although it has become worse, hasn't it? What do you mean? One-way streets and travelling, it's a pain, yeah.
43:45Yeah, you've got to get the training. Everything now, you've got to walk, haven't you? I'll tell you what's a nice city, and I was just taking piss before, but Birmingham. Birmingham's a nice city. And, as well, Glasgow. Edinburgh's lovely. Edinburgh's lovely. There you see. Edinburgh, yeah. Birmingham? You were taking the piss out of Birmingham?
44:06Paddy McGuinness:No, however, the prize guys got it right with New York because it's the best city in the world, I think, New York. Never been. It's phenomenal. Why? It's just got everything. It is busy, though. It's busy. People shouting, abusing and talking yellow cabs everywhere. No, it's just... I've seen films. Restaurants, food, shops. It's a beautiful place. Really, really good. Oh, Pamel's got that. I mean, it's serious. What's your favourite restaurant in New York? It's got restaurants, food and shops. It was. It's shut down now. It was called... McDonald's. my favourite one's called nines nines nines nines yeah it's really cool is it nines as in nine or number nine number nine alright yeah what was it like a German yeah that's what I was saying nine as in no no it's a bit of a cool kind of funky taco taco it's brilliant it's really good lively you had a good night in New York didn't you yeah I did we're not going to go down that road do you know why don't we It's just floating it out there.
45:10If that prize guy, you know, they've got a few quid, haven't they? What about send us three out to New York while the World Cup's on? Do one of these from New York. That prize guy in the background. Has anyone met him, by the way? That prize guy. I hear his name a lot. I thought it was you. Who is he? No, he's not me. He's not me. That prize guy. Who is he? Where is he? But imagine that. Little podcast from New York. Long weekend. we don't even have to go to a game do we just just watch it on the telly in a bar in New York yeah lovely I've got a friend who's got a bar in New York as well that prize guy if you're watching and everyone just hold your arses of me you can all still enter for 99p but us lads are going to try and jump the queue so Paddy
45:55Paddy McGuinness:if you win it which is your plus one me or Scaldi oh that's a tough one lads no it's it that's a tough one we won't be offended well you both bring different things to the table if I fancied like a nice quiet one staying in in hotel enjoying it it'd be schoolsy and if we were going to nines and getting on it it'd be you wouldn't it you know what I mean you've read it well yeah it's like so what do you want it's a bit I don't know why don't I fly out for one day and score the fly out for the second day we won't be a friend no no no I think weirdly I'm a bit of both of you two because I do love a bit of both I do love a night in the hotel because if you're in a nice hotel, it's a shame to be out, isn't it?
46:40If you paid a few quid for a good room, you want to enjoy it. So remember, for you lot at home, that's the chance to win four nights in New York for you, plus one and a thousand pounds spending money just for 99p. Head over to thatpriceguy.co.uk and enter now. I was listening to, I can't remember, after Rory won the final. And Yuri Yoko have talked about this. He said, Yuri, what strives you to go on when you've won something? He said to reset your goals and win it again. He said every time you win something, Sam, you've got to reset to do better and do more, not to sit on your laurels and just rest there because then you don't win anything else again.
47:29You used to say it. You said it on air that. Do you know what?
47:31Paddy McGuinness:Do you know, I don't ever remember celebrating properly and I regret at my age now looking back that I didn't celebrate as much. I mean you had a good go on the travel. Jesus Christ. I mean hang on a minute. You did all right in time. No. I'm sick. Get out. Serious conversation. The manager always says have your night, have your night but then it was like pre-season go again. Yeah. And I look back on my footwork right now and wish I would have celebrated a little bit more but if we did and I hope you don't mind me saying it it won't Yorkie did it too much and that's why he wasn't at the club for long he got moved on and even though he was unbelievable it's funny you think more about the disappointments and the actual wins more than more than throw how was the fear of losing horrible but do you know it was always a fear of losing but the first time we played so everyone thinks that with me coming to the squad we started winning winning winning winning our first season we lost the league at West Ham away on the Saturday and the following Saturday we lost against Everton in the FA so our first year I remember sitting on Wembley floor like that nearly obviously not crying because my dad had a killing but trying to keep the tears and thinking I've just lost the league and I've just lost the FA Cup and it was only 18-19 so then you realise I remember the manager going like remember this don't ever forget that feeling of what you were doing sat there never forget that don't let it happen again I think it was the fear that drove you on all the time you were nothing but scared when people say did you enjoy it yeah not really after yeah enjoyed it when we were 5-0 up yeah it's great we could just about for 10 minutes but other than that it's not that enjoyable because you're worrying all the time do you look back at it more like since you retired and go oh that were a good period can you like enjoy it now because you were like so intense and so in it the manager was really weird because you were scared of over enjoying it because you'd get carried away with yourself and it'd swat you down but then if you didn't celebrate he'd always say celebrate because it might be your last one you never know when your next one's coming remember when we played in the Club World Cup in Japan Tokyo and we won it and it wasn't a big thing back then it was like we were all a bit embarrassed and I remember the manager going mad at us going you just won a trophy you're the champions of the world basically and celebrate and we were all a bit ooh and I'm a bit embarrassed but it was one of them the scores is right it was the fear of not winning for me with the manager thinking he could move me on at any moment in time from this football club because there was always big players coming in every single season big players coming in when I say it wasn't that enjoyable don't get me wrong once you've done it it's more relief than anything because half your career or probably all your career you think we have to win because we've got a club that had to win we had a manager who demanded it we had teammates who demanded it so all the time you're thinking about losing can't lose can't lose can't play badly can't play badly all the time it's on your mind what you say about that relief in the steam coming off like when you get a pan on the side and you lift the lid off and it goes like you go fucking hell that's what Arsenal are going to do if they win it this time they're going to go up the steam over the Emirates the crazy thing is once you have won it you go on holiday and you three weeks you're back into it and you're back on the same path as what Scogler just said worry worry worry worry yeah gotta win gotta win gotta win gotta win gotta win and it just ended up doing that we were supposed to do that for 10 years 12 years right I've got a few quick fire questions for you because I know time's ticking here best player you managed at club level?
51:02was JJ I think disappointed
51:08you got him sacked worst trainer there we go, you might have been that one Mario Jardel Mario Jardel, the big 7-4 from Porto I remember him party animal really so it was just more like you were always on go over the Brazilian yeah a player you wish you'd have signed Lewandowski for Blackburn fucking hell fire hardest manager to set up against hardest manager set up against Fergie and most annoying manager on the touchline were you like I wish he'd sit down Rafa no hesitation listen I had a lot of fall last year Rafa and Arsamega but it's total respect for them as managers and what they didn't achieve so it wasn't anything else but I just can't be just can't be doing what they're what they're trying to do to me if you try and do something to me then you're not going to win or I'm going to try and let you not win I'm going to go for it did he have to have a go about being a long ball team he said some stuff he did a two hour video on us time wasting as if he didn't time waste as if everyone was time waste you know what I mean pathetic like you mean did Mourinho do some parking the buzz or something like that I seem to just have parked it before me no that's what I'm saying I took it off in mind I copied all of it we drew 0-0 at Chelsea when I was West Ham yeah when we were struggling you were great at winding other managers up well weren't you Sam well I because I listened when I first got there about all this mindset managers do at the top mind games you know what I mean all this you know Fergie's done Keegan you know all the managers there that were at the top then like I mean and I was going well I'll have a bit of that what do you mean I'll have a bit of that you know say what you chew some gum over yours fucking hell I remember watching when you were in charge of West Ham I'm going sponsored by Wrigley's what did you go for did you go for a juicy fruit or were you a spearmint no straight spearmint no I like that old scoop about five packs a game love that I used to love a juicy fruit my wife my wife told me off told me off massively for throwing it down there like that she said get something you can throw that chewing gum in disgusting i said all right oh anything that anything the boss says i do exactly that's that's a mantra we should be living our life by uh thanks so much for coming on pal it's an absolute pleasure we're all in the same building flown by flown by as well thanks thanks very much thanks for watching make sure to like and subscribe you can find us on all the usual channels YouTube Apple and Spotify
From the publisher
Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt & Paddy McGuinness welcome former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce onto the podcast. They discuss everything from Arsenal's loss to Bournemouth and its impact on the Premier League title race to Sam's time as Bolton managers, how he managed to convince so many top players to join the club and stories about his friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson.
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00:00 - Intro
05:30 - What Has Happened To Arsenal?
25:00 - Sam's Bolton Stories
39:45 - Win A Trip To New York
47:00 - The Mentality of Winners
50:45 - Quickfire Questions
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