Blackburn test the strength of Big Sam’s heart

BLACKBURN manager Sam Allardyce says he’ll walk away from football if his heart problems are putting his life at risk, and his players tested him to the full before seeing off Fulham yesterday.

Allardyce spent several weeks away from the club after undergoing an angioplasty to widen one of his coronary arteries but he claims he’s a mellower animal now.

However he must have been sweating until his skipper Ryan Nelson put the visitors to Ewood Park out of their misery in the 54th minute.

Allardyce said: “The pressure is felt by all of us, no-one more than the players and staff.

“We are more tense and nervous than anyone else and we have to accept that as a challenge.

“They were a really pleasing three points because the pitch was not in the best condition, the opposition were very good and we are in the middle of three games in six days.

“The importance of going a goal in front was clear for all to see. Then we scored the second at the right time and we managed to play the game out very comfortably.”

Allardyce had particular words of praise for Benni McCarthy whose set-pieces set up both goals but admitted he remains wary of over-playing the South African.

Allardyce added: “Benni is a delicate situation because of the game scenario, so choosing his games is crucial for us.

“He has had some good performances for us but we need to be careful.”

So does the boss – with his health.

“You live in a dangerous world on the touchline and I was the one, along with Dave Bassett, who piloted the scheme to monitor the health of managers. I’m a calmer animal now. You mellow.

“At the moment I’m not chilling out or de-stressing because we’re not getting results (but) jumping up and down and shouting is not really the best way to go about managing today.”

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson fears striker Clint Dempsey could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines after limping off in the second half.

Coming after Bobby Zamora’s dislocated shoulder at Stoke, it’s a major blow to the Cottagers’ hopes of salvaging something from their season.

Hodgson said: “Clint will be scanned tomorrow but we feel it might be a posterior cruciate knee ligament which would be very bad for us and he would be out for a while.

“It’s a concern up front because Clint Dempsey is very useful for us but now with both he and Bobby out it makes us a bit weaker in that area than we’d like to be.”

However Hodgson admitted his growing injury list – also including Paul Konchesky who was pulled off with an ankle problem at half-time – will not lead to a transfer window spree.

Hodgson added: “It’s a very difficult market at the moment.

“There’s not many players who are moving about and we will be very limited in what we can spend.

“I’m a little bit reluctant to go and spend money on a player who maybe in the long-term might not make us better. We will get players back and maybe we just have to accept that.”

Blackburn took the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances after 25 minutes when the ball deflected in off Christopher Samba, then added a second through captain Ryan Nelsen nine minutes into the second period.

REFEREE: Kevin Friend 6 - A feisty encounter maybe, but never spiralled out of control to the point where the official became a central figure.

MATCH RATING: ** With Fulham’s mounting injury concerns, Blackburn’s greater need for the points was always going to be a decisive factor.