Wasn't my favourite player because I always thought he was inelegant. Could be effective at times though. His role in the 'rotten core' is difficult to assess without being on the inside. I think there are things that could point in either direction in that debate. Interesting that he's a thinker with regard to the game. Gives a different impression of him than the one that many people had of him as a player. Not sure that the comparison with Jack Charlton is a flattering one. I watched the documentary and it didn't give me the impression that Big Jack was at the cutting edge of football management.
It wasn't just him, to be fair. What we needed was some professional big hard bastard to come in on the playing side and scare the ****e out of most of the squad. We never got one. Instead they just saw off manager after manager. The only one who really had their number was Allardyce.
And if one of the “knobhead youths” was Dan Neil? I personally respect him if it’s true. Youngsters do silly things. I broke into houses when I was young. Luckily didn’t get caught, but it was the essence of youth and peer pressure. No point letting a career disappear if there’s another way
True, but they sharp got rid of him because he had no track record to earn him the trust of a chairman in a conflict with the players. Allardyce knew how to win that battle. He shifted a few out on loan who wouldn't budge on improving and brought three or four in to further dilute the poisonous influence.
I wouldn't give a toss if it was Dan Neil or Dan Aykroyd to be honest. It's damaging to the club. The club comes first. Covering it up, though I'm highly sceptical that's what happened, is ****ing dishonest and shows a lack of fortitude from all involved.
