Kids' Stuff For Sam Allardyce

Children of the International Football Academy received coaching tips from a special personality at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

Bolton Wanderers manager, Sam Allardyce, in Dubai for a short break, spent a quality half an hour putting the young footballers through their paces as excited parents and fellow coaches looked on.

The man better known in the English Premier League as ‘Big Sam' said it was a welcome break from barking instructions at his Bolton team. “It's not work for me. That's like pleasure,'' said Allardyce. “Young kids are always better than senior players. They are excitable and you enjoy what you are doing.

“When you're dealing with professionals obviously the standards are very high and of course you go into a pressure game every week. But the intensity is far greater when you're dealing with youngsters and just trying to show them how to develop themselves and their skills.''

He added: “You are very fortunate to have a climate like this to develop any sportspersons, particularly footballers. For the kids, it's a great opportunity for them to enjoy themselves and learn some techniques as they go along.''

Richard Corrigan, father of seven-year-old Nathan, said: “It's a great experience. The IFA do a great job and when they get someone like Sam to come around it's even better.''

Jacqueline Cracknell, whose son Talan was also part of the lucky bunch, said: “To have someone like Sam down is a one-off experience. This is a highlight for any nine-year-old.''

IFA head coach Sean O'Shea underlined the positives. “For them to be able to get coached by a professional football manager is an unbelievable experience,'' said O'Shea.

“Not many kids get that chance and sometimes I don't think they realise how lucky they are. I wish I had these opportunities when I was a young player. It was also a great experience for us coaches to develop our skills and coach the kids better.''