Steven Nzonzi feels there is still a place for Sam Allardyce and his style of management, despite the former England manager having suffered two relegations in his last two jobs.
Allardyce could not save Leeds United from dropping to the Championship, with the 68-year-old failing to win any of his four games in charge after he replaced Javi Gracia in May.
Leeds confirmed on Friday that Allardyce would be leaving the club.
It is the second Premier League relegation on Allardyce's CV, after he also went down with West Brom in the 2020-21 season.
Nzonzi, who worked under Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers, feels his old boss' style of management is not outdated.
He told Stats Perform: "Of course, there is a place, there is no question about it, he has great experience and I think that Leeds may have brought him a little bit late.
"I played under Sam Allardyce, and trust me he is a big character, and he has big charisma.
"So, for me, to save a team he is one of the best for sure, but it is difficult to come in and he managed four games. I think it was a bit too late.
"But of course, he has great experience, so he can still manage in the Premier League, in the Championship, he is a great coach, I have great memories of working with him, amazing memories."
Indeed, Nzonzi, who would go on to represent major clubs like Sevilla and Roma after playing under Big Sam, says Allardyce is the coach he is most grateful to.
"That would be impossible for me to say, I enjoyed so many managers," he said when asked who the best coach he had worked under was.
"The one I enjoyed the most was [Jorge] Sampaoli, but the one I am more grateful about is Sam Allardyce, because I came from the second division in France and to start me in the Premier League against Manchester City, for the first game of the season - it was the game that changed my vision and my life.
"It gave me confidence that I have the ability to play at a high level, so I would say Sam Allardyce for that."
Rusea’s remain undefeated to lead Zone B; Frome, STETHS, William Knibb secure big wins
Zone B action in the ISSA/WATA DaCosta Cup saw Rusea’s and Frome Technical both secure wins on Wednesday.
Former champions Rusea’s maintained their perfect record after five games with a 4-0 home win over Cambridge High while Frome secured a comfortable 7-0 win over Merlene Ottey to move to nine points from four games in second.
In Zone A, Cornwall College moved to 13 points from their five outings with a 2-0 win over St. James High at Jarrett Park. Irwin High are close behind them in second with 11 points from five games as well after their own 2-0 win over Maldon at home. Spot Valley and Green Pond played out a 1-1 draw in the zone’s other game.
In Zone C, William Knibb secured a massive 8-0 win over Discovery Bay while Browns Town beat Ferncourt 7-1. William Knibb are currently third in the Zone with nine points from five games, one behind York Castle and three behind zone leaders, Cedric Titus. York Castle lost 2-4 to Ocho Rios on Tuesday while Cedric Titus beat Aubuthnott Gallimore 10-2.
STETHS moved to 13 points from five games in Zone E after a massive 9-1 win over Sydney Pagon. Munro College trail the former champions by two points after securing a 7-0 win over Roger Clarke on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the zone, Lacovia and Maggotty played out a 1-1 draw.
In a pair of Zone I clashes, St, Mary High got the better of St. Mary Tech 3-2 while Wycliffe Martin High secured a 5-0 win over Carron Hall High. Wycliffe Martin and St. Mary High are currently fourth and fifth in the zone with seven and six points, respectively. Tacky High (13 points from five games), Annotto Bay (12 points from five games) and Horace Clarke (10 points from four games) occupy the top three spots.
Morant Bay High maintained their perfect record in Zone K after four games with a 4-2 win over Robert Lightbourne.
KC strengthen lead atop Group A; Mona, JC, Haile Selassie also secure wins
Kingston College now have five wins from as many games as action continued in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup on Wednesday.
KC, who initially opened their season with an 0-4 defeat to Hydel before that result was overturned to a 3-0 win after it was deemed that their opponents used an ineligible player, defeated Charlie Smith 1-0 to move to 15 points from their five outings, six points ahead of Calabar in second and nine ahead of Hydel in third. Charlie Smith also have six points in fourth.
Elsewhere in Group B, defending champions Jamaica College secured a 2-1 win over Kingston Technical to move to the top of the group with nine points from four games, two points ahead of Tivoli in second and three ahead of Kingston Technical in third.
Group C action saw Haile Selassie continue their winning ways, moving to 15 points from five games with a 1-0 win over Eltham. The other game in the group saw Dunoon Technical defeat Denham Town 3-2 for their first win of the season.
In Group E, Mona High hammered Edith Dalton 6-0 to move to five wins out of five.
Naparima and San Juan North win five on the trot in SSFL action in T&T
Naparima and San Juan North maintained their 100 per cent win records in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools Football League Premiership Division on Wednesday. However, Fatima College lost their perfect record after they were held to a goalless draw by St Benedict’s College.
Naparima maintained their exemplary goal-scoring form when they blanked Malick Secondary 3-0. Those three goals took their tally in five matches this season to an impressive 32 goals while conceding only two.
The win took them to 15 points and sees them leading on goal-difference over San Juan North, who edged Arima North Secondary 1-0.
Meanwhile, Fatima College lost their perfect record when they were held to a 0-0 draw, a result that sees them fall two points behind Naparima and San Juan North.
St Anthony’s College picked up three valuable points following their 10-1 drubbing of Chaguanas North Secondary. They now have nine points and are fourth in the table, one point ahead of fifth-placed Presentation College, who were held at a 1-1 draw with Speyside High School, who are sixth on seven points.
Elsewhere, Trinity College East, who are next to bottom in the league table played to a 2-2 draw with bottom-placed Pleasantville Secondary. The schools have two and one point, respectively.
St Mary’s College earned their second win of the season after outscoring East Mucurapo Secondary 3-2 while Bishop’s High School had their first win after edging Queens Royal College 1-0.
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