Nelsen laments Allardyce sacking

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen has described the departure of former manager Sam Allardyce as a ‘real shame’.

Allardyce, 56, was appointed in January 2008 and helped the Rovers – one of just four teams to win the Premier League – to 13th on the table, with four wins from their last seven games seeing them just a point behind eighth-place Newcastle United.

But heavy away defeats to Tottenham (4-2) and Manchester United (7-1) tested the patience of the club’s new Indian owners, The Venky’s Group.

A 2-1 derby loss to Bolton on Sunday proved decisive, with the sacking of Allardyce and his assistant Neil McDonald announced on Monday.

“Everybody says this is football, and that’s the world we live in and all that, but what’s happened to Newcastle and what’s happened now is a real shame,” a disappointed Nelsen told Sky Sports.

“I know how much energy, how much time and passion the manager put into Blackburn, and Neil McDonald as well, so when you’ve been let go like that I can imagine it’s incredibly disappointing.”

“I feel so sorry that it’s been handled like this.”

Allardyce is the second Premier League boss sacked in a week, after Chris Hughton was relieved of his duties at Newcastle last Monday.

Rumours are rife surrounding Allardyce’s successor with Hughton and Martin Jol installed as the early favourites.