Sam Allardycehas refused to rule out bringing inKevin Nolan as his first signing atSunderland. Allardyce held his first press conference since being appointed manager of the Premier League strugglers on Tuesday. Nolan has captained Allardyce sides at Bolton Wanderers and West Ham and is currently a free agent having left Upton Park by mutual consent at the end of August. Both the manager and the player spent time with Newcastle United, leaving open the intriguing prospect of the pair facing up to their former employers in the Tyne-Wear derby at the end of this month. "I have to assess the squad and whether I need another midfield player,"Allardyce said. "Kevin and me go back a long way but I need to assess the ability of the squad and then take it from there. "If I feel Kevin may be someone I can look at in the future, and will give us something, then that may be a line I enter down." Like his playing squad, Allardyce will also give the current backroom staff at the Stadium of Light a chance to prove their worth in the battle against relegation. "The club has fantastic facilities to support the players and I hope it has the fantastic staff to support them," he said. "What I want to find out is whether the staff are doing as much as they can to help the players, and some of the players are disappointed with what they've produced up until now. "I'm happy to give people here a chance. They're highly qualified, but I just want to see if they can work to my methods and if we all get on. If that's okay, then I don't envisage many changes. If it doesn't work, then I'll suggest a change, but I wouldn't envisage that is going to be a priority." Allardyce added: "Getting in my assistant is a priority. I have a few irons in the fire but nothing definite as yet and I won't disclose who it is until I get a yes from them. When I get my number two in then I'll be happy." Still giving nowt away.
All common sense. I like what he's saying. No pre-conceptions, no pre-conditions. Clean slate, prove yourself and you stay.
Signing Nolan would be a PR disaster for him and would alienate large swathes of our supporters in one fell swoop.
No I disagree. At least I hope that's not the case. If Sam thinks he can do a job for us better than anyone already there, then we should back him. We shouldn't give a **** where players have played in the past. He wouldn't be the first mag in red and white would he. We need to get past that.
I believe I will be proved right and have heard a good number of life long supporters who have said they would not go if Nolan is signed..
I thought that and then I though... Imagine if he scored the winner against the mags and did the chicken dance...
A very clear and cities message to his squad/staff IMO, perform or you're out. He's also said elsewhere that he is expecting the senior pro's to pull together for him, another clear message IMO. Interesting times ahead me thinks.
"Allardyce added: "Getting in my assistant is a priority. I have a few irons in the fire but nothing definite as yet and I won't disclose who it is until I get a yes from them. When I get my number two in then I'll be happy." Should be Bracewell out the door. Not sure of his contribution tbh.
If as suggested by SSN he's possibly bringing in Steve Round then I feel eternally sorry for you, things have just gone from bad to very, very much worse. Maybe he'll fetch Nolan in as his number two, in a player/coach role.
Moyes' long standing number two at Everton, he fetched him to United with him, the biggest waste of space I've seen in Old Trafford since Arsenal brought fans to watch the 8-2 game. He's awful mate, nothing could prepare you for just how bad he is. Think he's worked with Sam before too.
