Big Sam Explains Toon Sacking

10 November 2012 12:41
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce insists he has moved on from his turbulent time at Newcastle.

The 58-year-old goes back to the club he was sacked from almost five years ago.

Asked whether the Newcastle game carried an extra edge, Allardyce said: ''No, not for me. Those days are long gone.

''They happened when I got the Blackburn job and Newcastle came to Blackburn. After that they got relegated, so I didn't meet them again until we went up to Newcastle and played them.

''There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then. Life moves on, I don't live in the past. I can only look to the future as best I can.

''It's a piece of history in my career that didn't quite work out as well as I'd liked it to.'

''For me, it wasn't me getting bad results at Newcastle - it was a change of ownership and a decision made at the time that they wanted their own man in.

''I accepted that at the time and since that time has drifted by, I have no animosity towards Newcastle United at all.'

''I wouldn't say that I could predict that we could get this or that many points. It's a case of trying to collect points from each game as it comes.

''Obviously, to win a lot of those games will be more difficult because of the size of the teams we face. Last weekend, people certainly didn't expect us to win, but many didn't expect us to get a draw against Manchester City but we did.

''That's what we're looking for - results rather than victories in terms of the teams we're playing against. If we can get any wins from this group of fixtures, then that's a massive bonus for us.

''Everyone will look at Stoke or West Brom rather than Chelsea or Manchester United as being where we might get those wins, but it might not work out like that.

''As long as we can keep accumulating points, then that's the most important thing.''

SATURDAYArsenal v FulhamAston Villa v Manchester UnitedEverton v SunderlandReading v NorwichSouthampton v SwanseaStoke v QPRWigan v West Brom

SUNDAYChelsea v LiverpoolManchester City v TottenhamNewcastle v West Ham

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