Source: Team_Talk
Brown relishing Big Sam battle
Brown learnt his managerial trade under Allardyce, first on the backroom staff at Blackpool and then as his assistant in a successful six-year spell with Bolton.[LNB]Since going their separate ways the pair have met just once in competitive opposition, when Allardyce's Rovers won 2-1 at the KC Stadium in March.[LNB]Saturday's Premier League encounter at the same venue will only be Allardyce's second game since taking time off to undergo heart surgery.[LNB]Brown was in touch with his friend throughout his recent rehabilitation but is still no closer to working out how Rovers will line up.[LNB]"I have been in constant contact with the big man and he is in good form," said Brown. "He will be planning and plotting and trying his damnedest to win the game.[LNB]"He gets on with it, he is a very determined man. He is slowly but surely, methodically, going about his business.[LNB]"I know what kind of mentality I'll be facing but you can try to second guess him, only for him to go a different way.[LNB]"I'll be having a nice pint with him after the game, for sure, but hopefully that will taste sweeter than it did last year. I'm looking forward to locking horns."[LNB]Brown, who survived a tricky November which began with reports suggesting his sacking was imminent, admits he still asks Allardyce for advice.[LNB]"It'd be foolish not to," the 50-year-old added. "Anyone who is a friend or colleague in the Premier League - it is always nice to ring them and get some advice."[LNB]Hull go into the game two points behind Blackburn and looking to maintain their recent home form.[LNB]The Tigers have collected 14 of their 16 points this season at the KC Stadium - as many as in the whole of 2008-09.[LNB]Brown's side turned their season around with a four-game unbeaten run last month, three of which were at home, but are three points above the relegation zone after last week's 3-0 loss at Aston Villa.[LNB]Brown said: "Our home form is good at this moment in time.[LNB]"The home fans are certainly playing a massive part in the resurgence of our fortunes at the moment. Hopefully that will continue."[LNB]Another factor in Hull's excellent November was the form of player of the month Jimmy Bullard, but Brown must again make do without his record signing.[LNB]The midfielder faces another six to eight weeks on the sidelines after damaging the medial ligament in his left knee last week.[LNB]Yet after nine months without him due to an injury to the right knee already this year, Brown is relatively pleased with the shortness of the latest setback.[LNB]Brown said: "The results of the scans came through on Monday and to say it was the equivalent of when I was sitting in the waiting room waiting for [daughter] Sophie to be born was an unbelievable parallel.[LNB]"I was really on tenterhooks and so was Jimmy, [physio] Simon Maltby and the chairman, waiting for the results.[LNB]"When the results came through I lit the biggest cigar and poured the largest brandy I could pour and celebrated. I felt six to eight weeks was a lot better than I envisaged.[LNB]"Jimmy was exactly the same. He was really down during the course of that day but at the end he was singing and dancing on the end of a phone, with a brace on."[LNB]Bullard's place in the side could be taken by Seyi Olofinjana, who is back in contention after four games out with a hamstring injury.[LNB]Brown added: "Every manager in the Premier League wants his best players available and it is not detracting from the squad when I say Jimmy is one of our better players.[LNB]"It is a blow but it is a massive opportunity for someone to step into his shoes."[LNB]Brown's biggest headache could actually be in defence as Anthony Gardner and Andy Dawson try to shake off knee and thigh injuries respectively.[LNB][LNB] Hull v Blackburn. Click here to bet.
