---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whoever you are playing and whatever you…"
description: "\"Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing against you have to weigh up tactically how you approach that game. That has always been a part of..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png"
---

#  Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing…

![“Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing against you have to weigh up tactically how you approach that game. That has always been a part of my make-up, having made my way through every division and finding out what management is all about.” quote by Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png)

> “Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing against you have to weigh up tactically how you approach that game. That has always been a part of my make-up, having made my way through every division and finding out what management is all about.”

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Strategic assessment of opponent and role is essential for success.

**In simple terms:** Know your opponent and your role.

Key Takeaway

Analyze tactics before each match.

Themes

strategy leadership competition

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

advice instructional

When to use this quote

- football matches
- business negotiations
- project management

Key Concepts

tactics team dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance preparation with intuition?
- When is it okay to deviate from the plan?

A Different Perspective

Over‑analysis can cause indecision.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Approach Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach-game-1223963/) [Finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Playing Weigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-weigh-4660046/) [Tactically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tactically-323708/) [Tactically Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tactically-approach-4660044/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Weigh Tactically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weigh-tactically-4660045/)

## Related quotes

> [The way to success is strategically along the way of least expectation and tactically along the line of least resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-way-to-success-is-strategically-along-the-way-of-least/)

[William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/)

> [I feel like I'm one of the best players in the world tactically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kyrgios/i-feel-like-i-m-one-of-the-best-players-in-the-world-tactically/)

[Nick Kyrgios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kyrgios/)

> [ It is clear that whatever language of democracy \[Barack\] Obama and his administration use is very tactically deployed, and has as its main aim… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/it-is-clear-that-whatever-language-of-democracy-barack-obama-and-his/)

[Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/)

> [I have always enjoyed working hard, and that's why I try to give my best tactically as well as going forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-jesus/i-have-always-enjoyed-working-hard-and-that-s-why-i-try-to-give-my/)

[Gabriel Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-jesus/)

> [I've grown tactically and technically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-costa/i-ve-grown-tactically-and-technically/)

[Douglas Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-costa/)

> ["What would I do if?.." By thinking tactically, we can more easily arrive at correct tactical solutions, and practice - even theoretical practice -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/what-would-i-do-if-by-thinking-tactically-we-can-more-easily-arrive/)

[Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/)

> [Tactically, I know how to play on one side even though I remain convinced that I can play better through the middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-nasri/tactically-i-know-how-to-play-on-one-side-even-though-i-remain/)

[Samir Nasri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-nasri/)

> [Almost every part of the mile is tactically important: you can never let down, never stop thinking, and you can be beaten at almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landy/almost-every-part-of-the-mile-is-tactically-important-you-can-never/)

[John Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landy/)

> [I've done a good job at Bayern, with Guardiola, and I have evolved a lot tactically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-costa/i-ve-done-a-good-job-at-bayern-with-guardiola-and-i-have-evolved-a/)

[Douglas Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-costa/)

> [Tactically I'm pretty much German, but with my English head I like to get involved and win tackles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/tactically-i-m-pretty-much-german-but-with-my-english-head-i-like-to/)

[Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/)

> [Nuno works with each player individually. He has worked with me tactically, on where I have to move and when I have to move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adama-traore/nuno-works-with-each-player-individually-he-has-worked-with-me/)

[Adama Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adama-traore/)

> [You have to be savvy. You have to be tactically aware, because that's what makes the difference in the big matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-southgate/you-have-to-be-savvy-you-have-to-be-tactically-aware-because-that-s/)

[Gareth Southgate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-southgate/)

> [I've evolved tactically and lose the ball less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinicius-junior/i-ve-evolved-tactically-and-lose-the-ball-less/)

[Vinicius Junior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinicius-junior/)

> [I know Roy Hodgson very well; he rarely changes tactically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/i-know-roy-hodgson-very-well-he-rarely-changes-tactically/)

[Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/)

> [From a player's point of view, you can learn a lot in Italy tactically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/from-a-player-s-point-of-view-you-can-learn-a-lot-in-italy-tactically/)

[Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/)

## More by Sam Allardyce

> [I think accepting an instruction is part of a player's responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/i-think-accepting-an-instruction-is-part-of-a-player-s-responsibility/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [Jay Jay Okocha. On and off the field he was the captain you looked for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/jay-jay-okocha-on-and-off-the-field-he-was-the-captain-you-looked-for/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [No matter what people say outside of football, we don't work for money, we work for the love of the game and the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/no-matter-what-people-say-outside-of-football-we-don-t-work-for-money/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [There is a lot of pressure at first when you first take over a club that's struggling but you want to go and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/there-is-a-lot-of-pressure-at-first-when-you-first-take-over-a-club/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [Football today means players stay less now than ever before and you have to accept that. As a manager, a big part of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/football-today-means-players-stay-less-now-than-ever-before-and-you/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [My time at Bolton was fantastic. I didn't want to go. It's a fantastic stadium with fantastic fans, but I want to disappoint them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/my-time-at-bolton-was-fantastic-i-didn-t-want-to-go-it-s-a-fantastic/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [I had four great years at West Ham. People will always refer to the difficulties at certain times, but you get those everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/i-had-four-great-years-at-west-ham-people-will-always-refer-to-the/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [People seem to expect when that happens, for players to be brought in that are so much better than the ones that have left.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/people-seem-to-expect-when-that-happens-for-players-to-be-brought-in/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [What is entertainment? Entertainment is the master of defence in Europe - Simeone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/what-is-entertainment-entertainment-is-the-master-of-defence-in/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [My management skills are more suited to developing teams to be better than what they were before, and not just about avoiding relegation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/my-management-skills-are-more-suited-to-developing-teams-to-be-better/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [It's always a good time to play against a team when they come back from Europe, whether it's the Europa League or Champions League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/it-s-always-a-good-time-to-play-against-a-team-when-they-come-back/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [I have always said that managers stay in a job when they win football matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/i-have-always-said-that-managers-stay-in-a-job-when-they-win-football/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [You cannot just force 'the only way to play is this way' in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/you-cannot-just-force-the-only-way-to-play-is-this-way-in-this-country/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [Football is a worldwide business consortium and to satisfy that best you need to find the best players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/football-is-a-worldwide-business-consortium-and-to-satisfy-that-best/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

> [If I got sacked because my results weren't good enough at Everton, I accept it, but getting sacked when they finish eighth, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/if-i-got-sacked-because-my-results-weren-t-good-enough-at-everton-i/)

[Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

[Explore all 111 Sam Allardyce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

[Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing against you have to weigh up tactically how you approach that game. That has always been a part of my make-up, having made my way through every division and finding out what management is all about.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sam Allardyce"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you-are-playing-against-you-have/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you-are-playing-against-you-have/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/560/sam-allardyce-4406_always_whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you_2984786.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Whoever you are playing and whatever you are playing against you have to weigh up tactically how you…” — Sam Allardyce",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sam Allardyce",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Whoever you are playing and whatever...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you-are-playing-against-you-have/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/whoever-you-are-playing-and-whatever-you-are-playing-against-you-have/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
