Sam Allardyce: I am at West Brom for the thrill of the fight

The 66-year-old, who has been out of management since leaving Everton in 2018, was officially unveiled as the Baggies’ new boss yesterday.

Allardyce – whose appointment means he has become the first man to manage eight Premier League sides – is universally regarded as a survival expert.

The Dudley-born boss has previously defied the odds to keep the likes of Bolton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the top flight.

But after almost three years out the game, he is now relishing the challenge of being Albion boss.

“I’m hungrier and more determined than ever,” said Allardyce who began his coaching career with the Baggies back in 1989. “I have rested longer than I ever wanted to rest. That is nearly three years.

“So I have never been so refreshed and I’ve never been so eager to come back.

“I missed it so much. There are times when I have thought why am I doing it.

“But deep down it is about striving for success.

“Saving a club from relegation feels great.

“It is the thrill of trying to get a team on the pitch and win – that is why I have accepted this job.”

Allardyce, whose first game will be Sunday’s derby against Villa, believes the job he has inherited at Albion is very similar to what he experienced at both Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

“It’s similar times,” he continued. “It upsets my wife that I keep taking jobs before Christmas, but she understands what I am like.

“Sunderland was a bit sooner. But Palace was a similar time to West Brom.

“What we have got to do is manage our way through this spell, over Christmas and New Year.

“It’s about me learning the strengths and weaknesses of the players as quickly as possible.

“And it’s about working in a way to give the players the opportunity to win as many games as possible, as quickly as possible.

“At Sunderland it worked early on, and then we had a dip. At Palace, I didn’t win in the first six and they were asking whether I was the right man.

“What I hope for is that stimulation of a new manager which can lift the team. You want the players to say ‘I have to play my best because I want the new manager to pick me’.

“If we can get that response on Sunday and from then on, that is absolutely fantastic.”

Allardyce has previously been quoted saying he is a Wolves fan.

But at his unveiling he revealed he grew up watching both Wolves and Albion.

And he admitted it was strange being back at the club where his coaching career first began.

Allardyce became the player-manager of Albion’s reserve side in 1989.

He was then promoted to be assistant boss to Brian Talbot.

But the duo got sacked following an infamous FA Cup loss to Woking.

“I didn’t like getting sacked but I got sacked, rightly-so, because we lost in the FA Cup to Woking,” Allardyce said. “That was the end of me and Bryan and it was a devastating blow for me because I was wondering whether I would get back into football again.

“It was my first job. The first season was reserve manager and the second season was assistant to Bryan.

“I didn’t know when or if I’d get back into football.

“That took me on the journey of all journeys because I had to go to Limerick to find a job.

“And from there I worked my way through every league in this country to get to where I am now – and here I am again back in the Premier League.”

Allardyce said, growing up, he was a big fan of Albion legends Jeff Astle and Tony Brown.

And he hopes to be able to invite Bomber into the training ground for a brew in the coming weeks.

“Growing up my brother used to take me to Wolves,” he revealed.

“But I also used to come here because two of my best mates at school, their older brother played for West Brom back in the 60s.

“They asked me to come along and I was more than happy to go along and watch Jeff Astle and see how they got on, watch Brownie.

“I did fluctuate between Wolves and West Brom.

“When we get settled in, I can’t wait to invite Brownie in for a cup off tea and to chat about the old days.”