Source: Team_Talk
Big Sam reflects on huge effort
Less than eight months ago the former Bolton and Newcastle boss was brought in at Ewood Park under orders to save the club from a potentially disastrous relegation.
At the time Rovers' eight-year stay in the Premier League was under serious threat as the experiment of employing rookie boss Paul Ince backfired.
An 11-match winless run cost the former MK Dons manager his job in mid-December with Blackburn next to bottom in the table and five points from safety.
Chairman John Williams dispensed with the unproven and went for the tried-and-tested experience of Allardyce.
The prospects of survival looked bleak, with injuries crippling his squad and star striker Roque Santa Cruz publicly declaring his wish to leave for a "more ambitious club".
But, typical of the man, Allardyce won his first match less than 48 hours after taking over and ultimately guided them to 15th, seven clear of the drop zone.
It was all achieved in a familiar "Big Sam" style with no money but lots of effort. But even he admits the way in which it was achieved surprised him.
"I look back at what we achieved and it was pretty miraculous," said the Rovers boss.
"What happened from December until the end of the season was a greater achievement than I originally thought.
"That's based on many things, like the fact that we spent less than anybody else.
"Tottenham threw £40million at it, Stoke threw £10million at it and Hull City threw six or seven million at it while we just got El-Hadji Diouf for £1million and took Gael Givet on loan.
"That, when you reflect on it, shows you how big an achievement it was by everybody.
"The whole team deserves a lot of credit and that gives us a great deal of confidence going into the new season."
Having stabilised the club he has at least now had a proper pre-season to make the necessary changes and put things in place to prevent a repeat performance this season.
But the man who guided Bolton into their first European campaign will not settle for merely surviving again.
He believes the club have the playing staff and the potential to be able to challenge for the Europa League once more.
Marseille reject Givet proved a revelation and Allardyce was quick to tie him to a permanent deal earlier this summer, while the manager has used his famous skills to wheel and deal with free transfers and pick up little-known foreign players.
But he acknowledges there is very little wrong with the squad he inherited from Ince and his predecessor Mark Hughes and he just has to work hard to give them more depth.
"Quality is one of the most important things we are looking to bring into the club, not mediocrity, and that is where it becomes very difficult," he added.
"Some of them don't want to come, some want to play in the Premier League but want European football and sometimes you have to do a little bit of convincing this is the right place to come and play football.
"While it might not be the biggest club they have played for they will have as good a time here as they have had anywhere else, and if that is the case then we can be very successful together."
