Matt Le Tissier already left surprised by one decision Everton boss Sam Allardyce has made

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Sam Allardyce was appointed Everton boss earlier this week, and has already made an impact.

Sam Allardyce

Matt Le Tissier has told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (broadcast on 2nd December 2017 from 12:00 pm) that he was surprised by Sam Allardyce’s decision to appoint Sammy Lee as his assistant manager at Everton given his links to Liverpool, and suggested that the appointment will put more pressure on Big Sam to succeed at Goodison Park.

Allardyce’s appointment was confirmed earlier this week, and he has wasted little time making changes since his arrival, bringing the likes of Lee and Craig Shakespeare in as part of his backroom team.

Sammy Lee

The Toffees fans generally seemed to be underwhelmed by the club’s decision to give Big Sam the job, and so it would appear that Allardyce will have to work hard to win them round. And Le Tissier seems to think that appointing Lee – who spent more than a decade as a Liverpool player, and enjoyed two spells as part of the Reds’ coaching staff – as his assistant has made the manager’s job even harder.

“It was a big surprise to me that Sammy was brought in with him given Sammy’s long association with Liverpool,” he told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (broadcast on 2nd December 2017 from 12:00 pm).

“I don’t think it’s been a particularly popular appointment amongst the fans. And when you do come in as a new manager, if it’s not an appointment that really thrills the fans, it’s incredibly important that you get off to a decent start.

“And he has put himself under a little bit more pressure by having Sammy by his side there.”

The comments were made before the Toffees’ Premier League clash with Huddersfield on Saturday, so it is perhaps fair to suggest that Allardyce has got off to a good start trying to win the fans round, with Everton running out 2-0 winners against the Terriers.

This week certainly suggests that Everton may have turned a corner. Having been talked about potential relegation candidates following their 4-1 defeat to Southampton last weekend, the emphatic midweek victory over West Ham and win over Huddersfield now leaves Allardyce’s men in the top-half of the table, seven points back of the European spots.