I’m one of the best, says sophisticated Sam Allardyce

Sam Allardyce believes he is the ‘Sophisticated One’ after claiming he is on a par with any other manager in the Premier League.

The 60-year-old takes his West Ham side to Southampton tonight as he comes up against Saints boss Ronald Koeman — who has been widely praised for how well he has taken to managing in England.

Allardyce once famously said he would have landed a top European job had he had a name such as ‘Allardychi’ and he feels his longevity in the top flight set him aside from all comers.

“I don’t think there is any coach more sophisticated than me any more,” said Allardyce.

“There is only Arsene [Wenger] who has done it longer than me.

“They may well have gained more experience by managing abroad like Louis van Gaal, Ronald Koeman and people like that but in this country, with the experience they’ve got I don’t think there is any coach would be in that position (of being more sophisticated than me). I’m just as good as everybody at this stage.”

Allardyce, who is edging closer to a deal to bring free agent and former Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra to Upton Park, was full of praise for Koeman’s work at St Mary’s and feels the Dutchman would be in line to be named manager of the year if he can guide Southampton into the Champions League.

“Everybody would see it as such a great achievement and with it being your first appointment in this country, even more so,” he said of a potential top-four finish for Saints.

But tonight’s already difficult game has been made all the tougher for Koeman due to several absentees.

The Saints boss is without Shane Long, Jay Rodriguez, Ryan Bertrand, Matthew Targett and Lloyd Isgrove through injury. Morgan Schneiderlin will be assessed today while Emmanuel Mayuka’s season is over with a groin injury sustained on African Nations Cup duty.

That lengthy list of absentees means Filip Djuricic, a deadline-day loan acquisition from Benfica, could make his Saints debut despite a lack of match-fitness.

Koeman said: “We miss eight or nine players tomorrow so (I’ll make) an exception to put Djuricic on the bench but if we need a quality player I can put Djuricic in, not for 90 minutes but for 45 minutes or less.”