Sam Allardyce had no issue admitting the truth about Wayne Rooney's waning ability earlier this month.
Following Everton's goalless draw with Liverpool at Goodison Park, Allardyce conceded that Rooney now struggles against the best teams in the Premier League. The Toffees manager had substituted Rooney after an hour of the Merseyside derby, a week after taking him off at the same point in the loss to Manchester City. The former England captain wasn't happy about it and appeared to call the decision "bullshit" as he took his seat on the bench.
Allardyce will probably have a similar reaction if he ever discovers the results of a survey Everton have sent to club members and season-ticket holders.
According to several
reports, Everton have sent a survey to supporters and one of the items on the list asks them to rate Allardyce's ability "to get the best out of his team" on a scale of zero to 10.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/983790201406349312
Presumably, zero would be Alan Pardew at West Brom levels of incompetence and 10 is Sir Alex Ferguson winning the Premier League after selling Cristiano Ronaldo and signing Michael Owen levels of genius.
The questionnaire is "part of a wide-ranging survey designed to shape the club's engagement strategy with supporters." Other items on the survey relate to the general direction of the club, boardroom management and the experience on matchday at Goodison Park.
The item related to Allardyce's performance reads:
"I have a high level of trust in the current manager and coaching staff of Everton eg, in making the right decisions to get the best out of the team."
And supporters will then offer a rating from zero to 10.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/935878805574553600
Everton are currently ninth in the Premier League, with 42 points from 34 games, and have experienced a frustrating season. They invested heavily in the squad last summer only to see performances dip. Ronald Koeman was sacked in October and Allardyce was appointed a month later. The former England manager helped guide Everton away from the relegation zone, but hasn't been a popular figure with fans of the club.
Many Evertonians have expressed concern about Big Sam's style of football, and there are doubts surrounding his future at the club beyond this summer. Allardyce's contract is due to expire in 2019.
If one had to guess how Everton fans will respond to the survey question, it would probably be four out of 10. They were in a tough spot and Allardyce played in his part in securing their place in the Premier League, but they aren't keen on him staying beyond the end of the season.
