Former Sunderland custodian discusses his relationship with Sam Allardyce and expresses surprise at the former Three Lions manager’s appointment as England manager. Allardyce has always been controversial in English football.
Some consider him a nostalgic figure from one of English football’s golden times, known as the Barclaysman era. He’s well-known for his straightforward defensive tactics and no-nonsense criticism on the beautiful game.
The former Bolton manager is regarded as a steadfast defender of traditional football principles, a legacy figure in an era fascinated with statistics such as predicted goals and pitch tilt.
However, not everyone is singing from the same song sheet. According to Chronicle Live, vocal detractors of the former England manager believe Big Sam’s style is too antiquated and unsuitable for current football, with his alleged preference for long-ball play being out of date.
Ex-Sunderland goalie Costel Pantilimon, who played under Allardyce at the Black Cats for the first part of the 2015-16 season before going to Watford, is open about his views for him. The custodian, who moved to Sunderland from Manchester City in 2014, admitted he “was not a fan” of his former manager.
“I didn’t understand his football style; long balls, sitting deep, all of that,” Pantilimon stated at the Ladbrokes’ Gaffer of All Accas event.
Although the towering 6ft 6in keeper never agreed with Allardyce’s game philosophy when at Sunderland, he now thinks he can’t blame the Englishman for how his time there ended.
“I recall wanting to leave Sunderland during the winter transfer window, shortly after he arrived, because we couldn’t really get along. In the end, I can’t say I blamed him because, in those cases, I believe the player is responsible for finding a solution.
Pantilimon blames the bad relationship on a conflict of views with Allardyce, admitting that he didn’t “understand the culture”.
“Until I worked with him, I had never had the opportunity to work with a British coach or management… If you’re an international player and you start working with someone like him right immediately, you’re going to have a difficult time. “You will find it strange.”
Regardless of any remorse he may have about his own actions, Pantilimon did not hesitate to criticise England’s decision to hire Big Sam as the national team’s coach.
Pantilimon went on to say, “I was amazed when he got the England job! That is a very different type of game for the national team, and after working with him at Sunderland, I was astonished he got the job. But I’m confident I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.”
