MX23RW : Friday, December 27 07:34:52| >> :120:31265:31265:

Jack Collison: 'Sam Allardyce will keep Sunderland up'

Ex-West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison claims that Sam Allardyce will keep Sunderland in the Premier League after taking charge of the club.

Former West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison has claimed that Sam Allardyce will keep Sunderland in the Premier League after taking charge of the club.

The ex-West Ham boss has been appointed as successor to Dick Advocaat at the Stadium of Light on a two-year deal, with the Black Cats currently 19th in the table after failing to win any of their opening eight games.

Collison, who played under Allardyce at Upton Park, believes that his former boss will revive Sunderland's fortunes.

"I think he will keep them up," the Welshman told talkSPORT. "He has got plenty of time, he has got the transfer window in January, and everybody knows what Big Sam is about.

"He is going to go in there and bring his ideas across and I'm sure he will win the dressing room over. If I was a betting man, I would put a good amount of money on Sunderland staying up now.

"It is important to have a foundation to build from and, knowing Big Sam like I do, he is very keen to get his defence functioning well and working together. That is going to be high on his priority list and if he can get his defence sorted they have got some exciting players.

"He is going to go in there and bring his ideas across and I'm sure he will win the dressing room over. If I was a betting man, I would put a good amount of money on Sunderland staying up now.

"It is important to have a foundation to build from and, knowing Big Sam like I do, he is very keen to get his defence functioning well and working together. That is going to be high on his priority list and if he can get his defence sorted they have got some exciting players."

Allardyce's first game in charge will be against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

ID:252082: cacheID:252082:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2909:
Written by
Steven Toplis
Restore Data
Share this article now:
'Big' Sam Allardyce barks orders from the touchline on February 22, 2015
Read Next:
Allardyce "feeling wanted" at Sunderland
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds23146343152848
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd23155332131948
3Burnley2313823092147
4Sunderland23128336201644
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2211562720738
6Watford2211473229337
7Middlesbrough23106741311036
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2381142718935
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds239683133-233
10Swansea CitySwansea238692724330
11Bristol City237972728-130
12Norwich CityNorwich237883935429
13Millwall227782220228
14Derby CountyDerby2376102929027
15Coventry CityCoventry2376103234-227
16Preston North EndPreston2351172329-626
17Queens Park RangersQPR2351082331-825
18Luton TownLuton2374122539-1425
19Stoke CityStoke2357112332-922
20Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2256112439-1521
21Portsmouth214892637-1120
22Hull City2347122132-1119
23Cardiff CityCardiff2246122137-1618
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2246122249-2718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!