Allardyce backtracks in attempt to win over Everton fans

Sam Allardyce struck a much more conciliatory tone in his pre-Brighton press conference this week, suggesting he is aware of the ever-increasing backlash against him from the Everton supporters.

The angry reaction by the fans at the end of the Burnley game has clearly been taken on board, as has criticism of his comments in his press conference before the game at Turf Moor.

Speaking at Finch Farm last week, Allardyce brushed off a question about feeling the pressure at Goodison Park, suggesting the club is no bigger than two of his former sides, Newcastle and West Ham.

That understandably wound up supporters, already frustrated at the appointment of a manager they believe lacks the ambition required to take the club forward.

Allardyce’s body language throughout the presser was also telling, leaning back in his chair and even stifling a yawn at one point. It is little surprise the fans responded as they did after Saturday’s defeat.

Scroll forward seven days and Allardyce made a point of clarifying his controversial comments, insisting they were misconstrued:

“Everton is far greater than Newcastle and West Ham, but every fan has great demands and when there are big crowds the demand is bigger. That’s what it’s all about.

”For me Everton is completely different to Newcastle or West Ham but it was just a comparison. It wasn’t anything other than that.

”The ambition at Everton is different to Newcastle and different to West Ham, but if you don’t play as well as they expect you to play and don’t entertain they show their disapproval and that’s what you have to deal with as a manager.”

I doubt these latest comments will do much to win back the fans, the majority of whom want Allardyce out as soon as possible.

Plenty never wanted him in the first place, which put him on shaky ground from the start.

This really is only going to end one way.