Allardyce recalls playing Samba up front at Blackburn Rovers

Sam Allardyce’s decision to play Chris Samba up front for Rovers certainly raised a few eyebrows at the time.

The towering defender was a threat in the air but had not led the line since he was a youngster learning his trade.

Samba made a handful of appearances in attack during the 2008/09 campaign, and Allardyce believes they might have been in danger of relegation without him.

Speaking on his No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, the former Rovers boss recalled: "Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz under Mark Hughes was probably one of the best partnerships outside the top Premier League boys.

“I think in one season they scored about 20 each. But unfortunately, Roque was hardly ever fit when I was there which was a great shame, such a talent.

“Benni had lost his way a little bit so he was with Jason Roberts, they were all out of the team or all injured.

"I was having a conversation at lunch with Chris about how he grew up and he said he used to play centre forward when he was young.

“I'm in the meeting room talking to all the staff and they're going, ‘We've got nobody to play up front.’

“So I said Chris Samba, he told me that when he was a kid, he played up front because most kids start up front and then work their way back. He used to come off sweating twice as much as he did playing centre half!”

Samba became a cult hero at Ewood Park, racking up nearly 200 appearances during a five-year spell.

"Honestly, people couldn't handle him,” Allardyce continued. “But we could play off him, if we couldn't play any other way, at least he was what we call an out ball.

Allardyce loved working with Samba at Rovers (Image: PA) “And their centre halves, he scared them, they could not cope. Not just his ability but his strength.

“When they are trying to fight him, they are not going to win that one so we would get another free kick and another free kick.

“So we are putting balls in the box. Without that, we might not have stayed up - we needed to have an alternative."

Such a drastic change in roles would have been daunting for any player, especially in the Premier League, but Samba embraced the challenge.

"I think the first time was Tottenham at half time. I did not have too much time to think about it because we only had 15 minutes,” he added.

“Everybody loves a challenge and, for me, it was a way to show them I am more than just a defender.

“I think we were losing and we piled on them, then they just caved and we ended up winning 2-1 at the end."

Samba took on the captain’s armband during his time in East Lancashire and admitted it was difficult at first.

There were some big characters in the dressing room at the time including Ryan Nelson, who had a big impact on his fellow defender.

"It was not easy at the start for me because I looked up to someone like Ryan when I came as a young player,” Samba explained.

“Where I was lucky is that I had men with me, guys like Brad Friedel, André Ooijer, Stephen Warnock. I learned from them, and Ryan was my captain.

“He was such an example, some difficult footsteps to follow with what had already been done. I had to make sure I got his approval and for him to be alright with it.

“I had that discussion with Ryan and he gave me his blessing, he was happy. Then, I was happy to take the responsibility for myself."

Samba’s time at Rovers came to an end in 2012, heading to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala after expressing a desire to move on.

The 40-year-old opened up about his decision to leave Ewood Park and why it felt like the “writing was on the wall” several months before the club’s relegation out of the top flight.

"My goal was to stay in the Premier League, there was nothing better than that,” he said. “I had the impression that whatever was proposed was always rejected.

“It seemed that the club had set a price and if you did not meet that price, there was no way I was going to go.

“I became a bit desperate. I saw the writing on the wall where we are in the dressing room looking at who is arriving and who is leaving, and we had the feeling that they don't give you so much to work with.

"It was the end of an era - Friedel left, Nelson left, Warnock left, Ooijer left, Benni left. I was looking around, it's just me and Morten (Gamst Pedersen).

"At that time, it did not feel like my team anymore and it felt like it might be time for me to go for the next challenge.”

Samba’s exit was drawn out, with Rovers initially rejecting his transfer request as they battled against the drop.

He added: “I got desperate a little bit and received a call from Sam Eto'o - ‘Would you like to come and play here?’

"My goal was to go there and come back, and that is why it came about. Paying the transfer fee was not a problem for them, so it happened very quickly and I was off to Russia."