Branding them all as long ball specialists is a bit unfair. Allardyce showed there's more to his game with West Ham this season, Pardew hasn't really played that way at Newcastle or Palace and Sherwood has never played it.
All of them seem to get more from their playing budgets than they should and normally a lot more than the previous managers. They also work well with what they've got player wise, rather than needing to spend a shit load of money rebuilding the team. Which seems kind of ideal for a national managers job.
The key comment is
style of long ball....direct football might be a better term, namely you play with a flat back 4, bunch of athletes in midfield and one or 2 up front, and look to get in plenty of crosses, either from open play or set pieces.
There's more than one way to skin a cat.....and it's how a lot of Town fans would like to se us play. Grayson is a typical lower league example.
As I said, good for a mid table Prem finish. Mourinho is clever enough to know, there are times when his sides will play this way, as they more or less did from when they lost v Spurs, and Costa got injured.
