Sam: We're heading in the right direction

Oct 28 2007 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

SAM ALLARDYCE says Newcastle are approaching top-four form.

United have made their best start to a Premier League season since Kevin Keegan’s reign.

And Allardyce told the Sunday Sun: “We are in the area of nearly two points a game.

“I have said to the lads if you average two points a game you will finish in the top four. The start we have made gives you a platform to be a side that can achieve more than we thought at the beginning.

“We did not know each other at the start of the season and we had inherited a team which had finished 13th last season.

“That was not acceptable for a club this size because this has to be a top-eight side at the very least. I hope the success comes sooner rather than later.”

And Allardyce insists that should it do so, much is down to the staff he is continuing to put in place – and put in place because they are BETTER than him!

“I have not quite completed my backroom staff, it is coming together nicely behind the scenes,” he said.

“I believe having a good staff helps to bring success and it works for me because I am good at it, I know what I am doing. I know what staff to select and how to get that staff to produce their maximum.

“There are people out there who are better at certain areas of the job than I am and I am not frightened to bring in someone who is better than me at a job.

“Other managers might be frightened to take on people who are better at certain things but I am not because I am not a megalomaniac.”