Big Sam set to gain £12 million deal over four years:
"One of the things that has impressed Shepherd about the way Allardyce has worked at the Reebok Stadium is the lack of injuries Bolton have had in recent seasons.
Indeed, while United players have lost over 400 hours of playing time this season because of injuries, Bolton only lost 70.
And this was because Allardyce and his backroom staff came up with a formula to prevent injuries before they happen."
(Source: Evening Chronicle)
In other words, what actuated the bid wasn't merely Bolton's over-achievement, but the ability of the incoming manager to activate the talent that habitually sits wasted on the bench. I can't help wondering if Allardyce's formula is based as much on player psychology as it is on training regimes - if so we could definitely use it: we had a seven million pound defender (Marcelino) on the bench with a broken finger for about three years...