"Sam Allardyce guided Bolton Wanderers from the second tier to Europe, before managing a host of other clubs including Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham, and he did it with a style of football that is becoming a regular sight in the Premier League again. "We got heavily criticised at the time," Allardyce tells BBC Sport. "But we were ahead of the game and lots of people, particularly at the bigger clubs, or even the press, were not too complimentary.""
"When Paris St-Germain began their defence of the Champions League with a win against Atalanta last week, head coach Luis Enrique was absent from the touchline in the first half. He was not suspended - he chose to watch the game from a seat high in the stands. "I've been watching rugby coaches analyse matches from above for a long time," said the Spaniard. "I'm always open to anything that can improve our performance.""
Premier League teams are increasingly prioritizing set-pieces and long-ball strategies over possession-based play. Sam Allardyce previously implemented long clearances, flick-ons and direct attacking to elevate Bolton Wanderers and later clubs, a style now reappearing across top teams. Coaches such as Luis Enrique have adopted elevated vantage points, watching matches from the stands to gain a broader overview and reduce emotional attachment. Allardyce combined aerial observation with walkie-talkie communication to his bench, sports scientists and physios to direct real-time adjustments. The trend reflects renewed emphasis on pragmatism, physicality, detailed preparation and integrating sports science into match management.
Read at www.bbc.com
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