Kevin Nolan has praised Sam Allardyce’s methods of management and backs the former Newcastle United boss to succeed at Crystal Palace despite his slow start.
Nolan recently spoke to the Daily Mail about his start to life as manager of Notts County, admitting Allardyce is acting as his mentor.
“That [Allardyce’s set up] is what I have to try and emulate,” Kevin said. “He had everything so good off the pitch that on the pitch it was easy to concentrate.”
“I know if I give him a call we could have a discussion over anything. There are still staff here who were around when he was, which is brilliant.”
Nolan played under Allardyce at Bolton and West Ham United, playing 376 times under his management – scoring 69 and assisting 21 in the process.
The 34-year-old went on to back Allardyce to succeed at Crystal Palace, highlighting how lucky Alan Pardew was to stay in his role at Palace as long as he did in the process.
“Not everybody knows, when you sit here, how much stuff you have to deal with,” Nolan said.
Sam has got a club who in 2016 only won six Premier League games.
“This is no disrespect to Alan Pardew but he’ll know he was probably pretty lucky to stay in the job as long as he did. Hats off to Steve Parish, Alan got the backing he deserved because of what he had done the year before.
But now Sam has to change mentality, change personnel, change tactics.
“Only in the last 10 days he has brought in Sammy Lee and Martyn Margetson, people who know how Sam works. Once that beds in you will see a difference in the team.”
