5 realistic replacements for Slaven Bilic at West Ham United

#5 Sam Allardyce

Sunderland v Everton - Premier League — Sam Allardyce might not be too popular, but he's certainly effective

This one sounds pretty crazy as of course, ‘Big Sam’ is rumoured to be in retirement following his shock resignation from Crystal Palace at the end of last season. That followed his incredibly controversial and short run as England manager, a run that ended after just one game following a very questionable interview with undercover journalists.

And to add to that, Allardyce has been at West Ham before, and his run ended acrimoniously – he left by mutual consent after some fans turned on him due to his supposedly unattractive style of football, even labelling him ‘Big Sham’.

The bottom line, though? Regardless of how you feel about his style of football, Big Sam is a fantastic manager who’s proven himself time and time again, particularly at clubs who are struggling for success.

You only have to look at what he did at Sunderland in 2015/16 – he saved them after a horrific start left them with just three points from their first eight games. And at Crystal Palace last season he performed another miracle, guiding them to a 14th place finish despite losing eight of their first thirteen league games.

Wins over Chelsea and Arsenal – two of West Ham’s London rivals – were the highlights of Sam’s time at Selhurst Park. And while appointing him at West Ham again probably wouldn’t be a popular decision with the Hammers fans, if the club find themselves in trouble again and have to fire Bilic, then there’s probably no better free agent – assuming he’d be willing to do the job – out there to save the club.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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