Sam Allardyce joined Jim White and Simon Jordan on talkSPORT for his first interview since being appointed West Brom manager.
The veteran boss has replaced Slaven Bilic, who was sacked after his side’s poor start to the Premier League campaign which saw them take seven points from their first 13 games.
West Ham fans wanted better football during Allardyce’s reign
It is Big Sams eighth different Premier League club in a career spanning more than 500 games and, having never been relegated, he is relishing the prospect of trying to lead the Baggies clear of danger.
I hope I can have the same influence at West Brom that I have had at many other clubs, Sunderland, Blackburn, even Everton, and Crystal Palace, he said.
It is the type of jobs people look out for me to try and do and that is what I recognise now.
West Brom had a fantastic last season and were promoted but just cant find a way to win, My motive is try to get them to do the right detail, change the small things that might get them that victory.
Slaven is a great guy, I know him, but it is what it is when the board make a decision and I am here to try and save West Brom and keep them in the Premier League for next season.
Sam Allardyce’s Premier League record
Clubs managed: Bolton, Blackburn, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Ham
Matches: 512
Wins: 174
Draws: 138
Defeats: 200
Goals for: 606
Goals against: 698
Manager of the Month awards: 6
Allardyce is renowned as a survival specialist and while he believes he has deserved greater opportunities in the past, he is delighted to be back in the game after more than two years since he was shown the door by Everton.
He added: I set my career out working in all the divisions, up the divisions, to finally get to Bolton. People might forget what we actually built at Bolton, we ended up in Europe, Carling Cup final, top eight finish. That soon gets forgotten in this game and life took me in a different direction.
“I lost all that credibility because Newcastle had a change of ownership and moved me on, Blackburn had a change of ownership and moved me on. Then it was where next? And it became what I have been doing for the last few years in, ‘get Sam in, he might help you stay up’.
“It is what it is. I enjoy working with players. I have been out for the longest time I have ever been out and I thought I was over it, but Im not.”
Allardyce’s tactics have drawn criticism from some quarters in the past – not least from rival bosses.
Asked if he is looking forward to facing the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, he replied: “I just hope I can wind them up again, that is all!”