Big Sam's Big Night Out

Back from three days in Wiesbaden, a charming German spa town lacking only air conditioning. Even in this bourgeois and somewhat genteel place World Cup fever was in the air. And Big Sam was in the area, discussing tactics with Phil Gartside and other Bolton backroom staff outside a restaurant on Goldgasse on Monday night. Mr. Allardyce was kind enough to have his photo taken with my mate Murray and a couple of other eagle-eyed Premiership followers. And if he was rather more interested in a nice glass of red wine than the borefest that was Ukraine vs. Switzerland, well who can blame him?