Allardyce Previews Wigan & Bruce Backs Sam
By Tyne-Talk
December 24 2007
Newcastle United Manager Sam Allardyce has spoken out ahead of Wednesday's game against Wigan. Big Sam is still without a fully fit team and Wigan have a new manager in place whom they are keen on impressing over the Christmas period.
Steve Bruce has been looking ahead at lifting Wigan from the relegation zone, whilst Sam is looking ahead at securing a top 10 final place.
Steve Bruce gave the following statement:
"Two weeks ago we didn't have a hope of getting out of the bottom three and now we are in striking distance of that.
When you take over a club and they haven't won in 13 games, you've got to try and restore the pride and a little bit of belief.
There were a lot of pleasing things in the game against Fulham."
He also pledged his full support to Sam Allardyce as the bookies made him the favourite to get the sack over Christmas:
"For people to shout at Sam, ‘You don't know what you are doing,' is nonsense. He does know what he is doing - he proved it for years with Bolton. He did a fantastic job there and rebuilt the club.
I am convinced he will get it right at Newcastle but you have got to give him time to do it his way. You cannot put your stamp on a club in two or three months. It takes two or three years.
But none of us get the chance to do that. You have to make an impact. If you don't you can be out of a job in weeks. Unless we get a bit of commonness football clubs will never be stable or successful."
Sam said on the subject of playing Wigan and needing a vital 3 points from the match - from another team at the bottom of the league who could potentially put the nail further in the coffin that is his future at SJP:
"The Christmas period is where people begin to start fighting harder and harder for their position at the bottom.
Wigan have got a new manager, and as with Derby in Paul Jewell, they start getting more commitment and more organisation.
Wigan are in the same position at the moment by winning one and drawing two under Steve.
They will have picked up some confidence, so I will expect a very difficult game, but one in which if we do hit our form, each individual and as a team, we can call it a winnable game."