Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew appointments: Old hands return as Premier League clubs fall for short-termism

It was only in May last year that Sam Allardyce despaired for English coaches. “If you look across at the rest of Europe and see how many of their own they look after it’s quite staggering compared to ourselves. We do not, in any way, shape or form look after our own,” he told the BBC .

It was a thought which resonated with many. With the Brexit referendum only a month away, the narrative had shifted to ‘taking back control’. And who better than Allardyce to give air to fears of a lost age?

Few months later, the manager affectionately known as ‘Big Sam’ was told to go by the English Football Association after one game in charge of the men’s national side. His fault? Allardyce was caught in a sting operation, accused of handing out advice on dodging the FA’s third party ownership rules.

Yet, all those fears of Big Sam seem rather misplaced–much like the arguments made for Brexit. With Everton confirming his appointment, Allardyce is the sixth English manager in charge of Premier League side this season.

Although the Toffees had, according to Big Sam, hesitated over his appointment–Marco Silva was their first choice—it is worth noting that English managers are in demand once foreign names fail.

This season has already set a trend. Clubs fall in trouble and seeks the cosy comfort of familiarity. The brief to new appointees is maintenance of Premier League status, no less. Frank de Boer, Slaven Bilic and Ronald Koeman, gone. Enter Roy Hodgson, David Moyes and Sam Allardyce.

And there’s Alan Pardew too. Upon his return to football management, Pardew belaboured the point that he had been unfairly sacked at his previous clubs. So very unlike him to say that.

At least he feels he has a point to prove. So does Moyes. Allardyce was no different during his short tenure with Palace last season, earning two million pounds for his toils. The fact is that old, white Englishmen of football have not a lot of convincing to do. They constantly get rewarded for failing or succeeding little in the Premier League. Like bankers in the aftermath of the global downturn.

Allardyce at Everton is a particular sore point. While he has never been relegated with a Premier League side in his career, it seems rather odd for the Toffees to appoint him. Only a few months ago, they were talking of breaking into the top six. Quite clearly, the aims are no longer the same.

Allardyce promises security but no more. After the summer splurge, and the money that Everton possesses now, mere Premier League survival reflects a diminution of ambition. It might be the case that not many better options existed but it remains to be seen whether the man who once joked that he would get a top job only if his name was ‘Allardici’ is the right fit.

It is rather peculiar for a Premier League club with a potentially dubious ownership structure to hire a manager who has previously been accused of corruption. Allardyce also left his position as England manager under a cloud but that does not seem to have affected his standing.

Not to forget, Pardew has landed a job despite head-butting a player during his tenure at Newcastle. While the manager served the punishment, Premier League clubs do seem eager to hire people who have been around. His record is not the most flattering. When Pardew got the sack at Palace, he had won only six games in the whole calendar year. The manager has experienced highs in the past but one wonders if West Brom took the easy option.

Moyes, of course, was involved in a sexism incident at Sunderland last season when he threatened to slap Vicki Sparks, a BBC reporter, for asking a tough question. Despite finishing bottom of the Premier League with Sunderland, following underwhelming spells at Real Sociedad and Manchester United, the Scot is in line for two million pounds if he keeps West Ham in the Premier League. Not to forget the hefty payout—in excess of five million pounds—he received after his sacking by Manchester United in April, 2014. British managers are not in demand, you say?

What unites Moyes, Pardew and Allardyce is that neither of them has won a major trophy. Thankfully, that will not be a concern at their new clubs. Roy Hodgson, of course, stands out because he has had a more distinguished career in football management but his tenure with England was thoroughly underwhelming, culminating in a round of 16 exit at last year’s Euros against Iceland.

It is often the complaint of managers like Allardyce that young, English coaches do not get a chance to prove their worth in the Premier League. Well, Eddie Howe has consistently outdone expectations. One wonders if there are other talented names whose paths are blocked by the likes of Allardyce, and not just foreign coaches.

In a moment when almost a third of Premier League managers are English, one certainly would not come to the conclusion that domestic coaches are not welcome. In fact, if anything, the recent appointments have shown that there is a paucity of managerial talent in English football. It may claim to be the best league in the world but very few industries would reward managers for failure like the Premier League.

The culture of short-termism that has pervaded English football is not limited to the transfer market alone. With five sackings already, club owners are not prepared to wait for return on their investment. And when it all starts going wrong, they seek familiar comforts. Immediacy is paramount. And if there are no short-term comforts, a compensation payout is always viable in the money-laden Premier League. Rinse. Repeat.