‘They haven’t been sucked into the usual ‘spend, spend, spend’ hell for leather’: Sam Allardyce backs Newcastle’s recruitment methods under Eddie Howe as he prepares Leeds side for crucial clash
- Newcastle has spent money, but not in Chelsea’s sense, says Sam Allardyce
- He believes that Eddie Howe has benefited from smart recruitment by the club
- Leeds face Newcastle at Elland Road on Saturday and are desperately in need of a win
Sam Allardyce believes Eddie Howe and Newcastle have their transfer policies in order as they approach a Champions League place.
Allardyce is temporarily in charge of Leeds ahead of their huge showdown with his former club at Elland Road on Saturday.
The 68-year-old was Newcastle’s boss in 2007-08 but believes current manager Howe has benefited from clever recruitment since a huge cash injection from their Saudi owners.
Asked if it was Howe’s prowess or Newcastle’s money that had taken the club to third in the Premier League, Allardyce said: “Everything. If it doesn’t all come together, it doesn’t work.
‘The relationship with the owners and the recruitment is essential to your success. What Newcastle have done is not get sucked into the usual hell for leather ‘spend, spend’ things like, say, Chelsea.
Sam Allardyce praised Newcastle for the way they have handled recruitment since the arrival of the Saudi owners
Eddie Howe is being supported in the transfer markets, but according to Allardyce they have not spent any money for leather
Newcastle are currently third in the Premier League and on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League
“They have been slowly but surely spending position by position, refusing to pay the high price everyone thinks they will get for having a mega-rich owner.
“They all resisted that and have now found the advantage. They have done an exceptional job in a short time.’
Allardyce was hired by Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd but endured an unhappy spell and was sacked by later owner Mike Ashley.
“It’s been a long time,” Allardyce said. ‘Am I disappointed? Yes. It was a huge setback. But I always recover and move on. It was an opportunity, but I couldn’t avoid an unexpected change of ownership.
Allardyce referred to Chelsea and the way they have spent since new ownership arrived
“I’m not criticizing Mike Ashley. It was his club and he wanted to do with it what he wanted to do with it. He made those choices.
“It was a blow to my career because I wanted to take Newcastle as far as possible to where they are today. That was the ambition of Freddy and me, but it wasn’t to be.’
Leeds lost Allardyce’s first game in charge 2–1 at Manchester City and entered the weekend 19th in the Premier League with just three games remaining.
Allardyce has been honest with his team in terms of what it takes. “We can’t afford to lose and I told the players this,” he said.
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