Bolton Wanderers Manager Resigns
Sam Allardyce Unexpectedly Leaves Club with Immediate Effect
It was announced today that Sam Allardyce would be stepping down as Bolton Wanderers manager with immediate effect after eight years in charge.
Sam Allardyce has resigned as manager of Bolton Wanderers with immediate effect as the club sit on the verge of European qualification with two games of the season remaining. Allardyce has been manager for eight years and previously had played for the club for ten years.
Newspaper reports ahead of Bolton’s game against Chelsea had caused surprise when indicating that Allardyce intended to leave the club. Having effectively ended Chelsea’s attempt to win a third successive Premiership title with yesterday’s draw at Stamford Bridge, today’s announcement of his immediate departure is even more surprising.
Currently, Bolton are fifth in the Premiership and are in a very strong position to claim one of the three UEFA Cup places for next year. Last season Bolton had a very successful UEFA Cup campaign, the first in their history, reaching the quarter-final stage and this success has been very much due to Allardyce’s strong, purposeful style of management.
Sam Allardyce has made the very best of limited resources at the club, making some very astute signings for Bolton, persuading players that they could further their careers at Bolton – Anelka, Campo, Gary Speed and also coming to loan agreements with bigger clubs for players who were surplus to their immediate requirements. He had the ability to get the best from every player and Bolton could always be relied on to give total commitment. On many occasions Bolton produced results against the odds, frequently upsetting the top clubs - Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal found themselves at the end of a Bolton upset.
In a statement, the Bolton chairman thanked Sam Allardyce for his service to the club and said that they would respect the private reasons for his decision.
Allardyce is an ambitious manager who wants to manage a top team. He was interviewed for the England position when Sven-Goran Eriksson stepped down and was desperate to be appointed.
This season has been a difficult one for Allardyce who was named in allegations surrounding the work of football agents in a BBC Panorama documentary earlier in the year. In footballing terms, while taking Bolton to near the top of English football they have been unable to break into the top group and to Allardyce’s frustration, he must realise that it is beyond a club of Bolton’s size to do so.
Allardyce is unlikely to be out of football for a lengthy period. With the close season approaching there will be a number of clubs considering a managerial change and Sam Allardyce is in a prime position should a vacancy occur.
