Source: Team_Talk
Gallagher keen to grasp big chance
The 24-year-old has endured a frustrating time at the club where he began as a youth-team player, having spent the last few years on loan at Championship clubs.
Last season Allardyce said he was willing to listen to offers for the striker, who was at Plymouth at the time, but since the sale of Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire this summer Gallagher has been told he has another chance to convince the manager he is worth keeping.
"It has come as a big surprise that I am still here this summer," he said.
"When I was at Plymouth I never spoke to Sam Allardyce, I didn't know what he thought of me and then the next thing I saw was on television saying the club would listen to offers for me.
"I thought that was it. It was time to move on and I really believed I was going to have to move away to further my career.
"Suddenly a couple of strikers have left and I have the chance to show what I can do in pre-season."
Gallagher, who scored the equaliser in Blackburn's 2-2 draw with Roma last week, added in the Lancashire Telegraph: "If I can score a few goals, and show the manager what I am capable of, then hopefully I have a long future here after all.
"If I can play first-team football at Blackburn then I would be happy as Larry, but if I can't then I will have to move on and maybe take a step backwards to actually progress in my career."
One player who has impressed Allardyce in pre-season is new signing Steven Nzonzi.
The 20-year-old midfielder, signed from lower-league French side Amiens, is exceeding expectations.
"I think young Steven Nzonzi is looking a very useful player," Allardyce told the club's website.
"He is perhaps a little more advanced than I expected, we knew he was good but he seems to cope with it all very very well.
"I hope that is the case as we get closer to the Premier League."
