DANNY MURPHY: Sam Allardyce is no dinosaur but a top manager

Sam Allardyce ruined some of my favorite football memories. The first time I captained Liverpool was in a League Cup match at Anfield against Big Sam’s Bolton. I also scored in what is one of the proudest moments of my career – but we still lost!

That’s what Sam’s teams did to you. I scored one of my best goals for Crewe against his side in Blackpool and guess what, we lost that too.

So I didn’t like him that early in my career. His teams always gave me trouble and he was always gloating about coming to Anfield and beating my Liverpool side. He enjoyed it. It was so easy to dislike him.

But you couldn’t help but admire the work he did. His Blackpool team was a great squad, even at that level, with Tony Ellis and Andy Preece up front, so I was aware of his managerial skills from a young lad.

Then to see the progression of his Bolton side, from one that was aggressive and difficult to play to that sophisticated team brimming with top players.

Allardyce ruined some of Danny Murphy’s favorite memories at Liverpool and Crewe

Over time, you had to acknowledge his management, even though you hated playing against him!

The older and wiser you get in football the better he did. When I talked to the guys who played for him like David Dunn, Gary Speed ​​and Kevin Nolan, they all adored him. I look back and think I wish I had played for Big Sam.

Getting to know him over the years and working with him at Soccer Aid, you can’t help but love him. He’s a likeable character, such an infectious personality and, crucially, he knows his football.

I think it’s a good move by Leeds to bring him in. They should have done it sooner. They should have done that when Jesse Marsch was fired.

I do not believe that everything in football should be about the new school. Crystal Palace have shown that with Roy Hodgson while Neil Warnock has worked wonders at Huddersfield.

If Leeds had brought in Allardyce then they wouldn’t be in this position now.

Sam believes in himself and in what he does. This was evident from his press conference last week. He believes in his man management and the tactical approach he uses depending on the players he has at his disposal.

He’s not a dinosaur. I worked with a man called Mark Taylor at Fulham. He was chief of sports science and medicine for Allardyce in Bolton. He was a huge factor in our success at Fulham, keeping players fit, working on our training schedules, our planning around European games.

Big Sam was years ahead of his time with sports science. He’s not just someone who gets a group of players, kicks long balls and wins every now and then. He’s not.

His new team from Leeds showed struggle and courage at the end of the game against Manchester City.

Leeds should have hired him as soon as they fired Jesse Marsch in February

Even if they are relegated, Big Sam could be the man to take Leeds back to the top promoted

It means nothing in terms of points, especially at this stage of the season, but they will take heart from going some big games.

Not being dismantled also prevented too much damage to their goal difference, which could be crucial at the end of the season – although they will need points somewhere.

Sam has a big job to do, but there’s still a chance.

Even if the worst happened and Leeds went down, they could do worse than put him in charge. I think he would bring them back.