Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Bolton football manager best used-car salesman

Big Sam is 'Premier' in the Transfer League

- Bolton manager’s transfer dealings make him the perfect used car salesman -

Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce is the Premiership manager who would
make the best used-car salesman according to a survey of 1,200 football fans
across England.

Asked to consider the dealings of Premiership managers in the transfer market and
results with their resources, 34% of fans say Big Sam’s record makes him the
manager with the best eye for value and performance on a forecourt.

In the research conducted by Network Q, the UK’s leading used car retailer,
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (10.9%) and Arsenal’s supremo Arsene Wenger
(9.4%) came second and third, followed by Alex Ferguson (9.2%) and David
Moyes (6.9%).

Football fans judged Blackburn manager Mark Hughes whose recent transfer
dealings include bringing Craig Bellamy and Robbie Savage to Ewood Park,
the manager who would be the worst used-car salesman after securing only
0.6% of the vote.

Harry Redknapp’s signing of Teddy Sheringham for Portsmouth was considered
the best value transfer deal of recent times with (22%) of the vote. Another
Redknapp signing, Paolo Di Canio to West Ham, was deemed second (18.5%)
with Gerard Houllier’s signing of veteran midfielder Gary McAllister coming third
(14.8%).

Ian Holloway, manager of QPR, who once had to virtually assemble his squad
from scratch when the club fell into administration agreed, “Big Sam would be my
first choice and the fans are spot on. There are similarities in dealing in players
and used cars – you have to have an eye for quality, reliability and value, but
unfortunately in our game you don’t get a 12 month warranty if anything goes wrong.”

Richard Hughes of Network Q comments: “If Big Sam ever wants a career outside
football, he should give us a call."

- ends -

For more info, contact the Network Q Press Office at Cow PR
on 020 7684 6969 or e-mail networkq@cowpr.com

Full results are as follows:

1) Sam Allardyce (Bolton Wanderers) – 34%
2) Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) – 10.9%
3) Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) – 9.4%
4) Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) – 9.2%
5) David Moyes (Everton) – 6.9%
6) Alan Curbishley (Charlton Athletic) – 5.1%
7) Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) – 3.6%
8) Stuart Pearce (Manchester City) – 2.8%
9) Steve Bruce (Birmingham) – 2.7%
10) Mick McCarthy (Sunderland) – 2.5%
11) Paul Jewell (Wigan) – 2.1%
12) Martin Jol (Tottenham Hotspur) – 2.1%
13) Bryan Robson (West Brom) – 1.9%
14) Graeme Souness (Newcastle) – 1.8%
15) David O’Leary (Aston Villa) – 1.2%
16) Alan Pardew (West Ham) – 1.1%
17) Steve McClaren (Middlesborough) – 0.9%
18) Chris Coleman (Fulham) – 0.8%
19) Alain Perrin (Portsmouth) – 0.7%
20) Mark Hughes (Blackburn Rovers) – 0.6%