Ferguson: Big Sam is underrated

  • by Staff Writer
  • Wednesday, 28th November 2012

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has spoken about West Ham boss Sam Allardyce in glowing terms ahead of tonight's Premier League clash at Old Trafford.

The two managers are long-term acquaintances and face each other for the first time in two seasons tonight when Allardyce's West Ham United visit Ferguson's Manchester United.

And Ferguson, whose table-toppers go into the game seven places and 11 points ahead of the Hammers believes that Allardyce has never received the recognition he deserves.

"Big Sam went to Upton Park a year and a bit ago and the cynics said he’s not a West Ham manager as he doesn’t play football," Ferguson told his club's website.

"What was his mandate? To get them up into the Premier League as quickly as possible - and he got them up within a year. Tell me someone else who could’ve done that?

"He’s also had to rebuild the team and get two or three players out because of their salaries. He’s very underrated, it’s as simple as that."

Ferguson, whose in-form team boast four straight home wins in all competitions also warned his defenders that they would have to be on their guard in order to deal with West Ham striker Andy Carroll, who scored his first goal for the club in Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham.

"He’s a big lad, a great header of the ball, aggressive and is a big bugger," he said. "You know he’ll be a handful for us."

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