Former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was rattled by Michail Antonio comments when he spoke to Sky Sports cameras after his teams 3-1 defeat against the Hammers at the Hawthorns last night.
Big Sam has never beaten West Ham since his departure and it was the same again last night after a ropey start after the Hammers missed an early penalty and conceded a sloppy goal. Allardyce released a prepared statement after the defeat saying he was stepping down from the Baggies to let a younger candidate take over but seemed more interested in taking a swipe at Antonio who he heard accusing him of being a long-ball merchant.
We all know how sensitive Big Sam can be of this criticism levelled at him and he used his Sky air time to let rip at the Hammer who scored the third goal.
“Unlike Michail Antonio’s statement that I just heard before he came out here,” he told Sky Sports.
“Saying we got big men that just play it in the channel, he just insulted me and my team so I know he is a nice lad but it was disgusting what he said.
“So I think he should go back and watch the game and see how we really played. I mean, our front two are 5”10 and 5”9.
“So I don’t know what big he thought we could hit into the channel.”
He added: “You never talk about anything else, just like Michail Antonio just said it, ‘Sam is long ball.’ It is a load of crap.
“It always has been a load of crap because I never played the same way at any football club I’ve ever been at. And if you thought that was long ball today, then somebody is deluded.
“We played long ball against Liverpool because it was the right way to play and should have got a result against them. They didn’t like it.
“But it shows everybody that if you play a simple game against Liverpool you can get at them, you can get behind them and you can get chances.
“They’ve gone and beat Burnley 3-0 tonight and they were dead lucky to beat us the other night, dead lucky. Today, West Ham did deserve to beat us 3-1, but that was our fault and not anybody else’s.”
Claret and Hugh say:
To quote Shakespeare ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks’
Goalie to Cavani to back of net. Can’t get much more ‘route one’ than that. It was brilliant. There is a place for everything in football and it is wrong to label any manager with any tags when all they are trying to do is get the best results with the players they have available. This ‘freedom’ to go forward and not be afraid of making any mistakes is one of the main reasons for our terrific season. Interviewer was a bit of a controversy seeker. Probably wants to be the next award winning ‘Bashir’.
COYI
I agree @DJHammer – I really don’t think that Mikey was out to insult BFS – was just saying why he found it a tough game
Well BFS will go on believing that he is really Allerdici – I think that he is just bitter at losing his never been relegated tag
I’ve listened to Antonio’s interview and it’s two separate observations that he’s commented on.
1). Big men, who Mikail was up against, that’ll be Bartley and Ajayi who’s physicality is immense.
2) Play into the channels, well there is nothing wrong with this tactic, it moves central defence about.
I’d say it was a back handed compliment really.
What are the odds that BFS ends up being the next Palace manager?
A spoonful of dignity as you step down would paint you in a better light, Sam, and make you feel better not bitter.
How are those tears Sam, extra salty?
One media double standard I would like to observe:
BFS when West Ham manager: “s*** manager for a s*** club LOLZ”.
BFS after leaving West Ham: “oh how terrible, how could those awful Hammers do that to St Sam of Allardyce”.
(See media reportage in the immediate aftermath of BFS departure/Bilic’s arrival)
Same old BFS. moan moan moan. Mikey is doing OK if he’s annoying him!!
How’s his ear this morning?? No cupping it last night!!
Go quietly, spend your dough, and have a good retirement