Sam Allardyce sacked as England manager after just 67 day reign for trying to land illegal £400,000 deal in undercover sting
DODGY-dealing Sam Allardyce was last night axed as England manager.
Big Sam, 61, got the boot after an FA showdown over him being caught in a sting advising on how to “get round” rules on players.
THE SUN SAYS
THE greed of Sam Allardyce boggles the mind.
Here was a man facing the greatest challenge and privilege of his long career — managing England for £3million a year plus bonuses.
His every waking thought ought to have been on how to transform a team of perpetual losers.
Instead, before he had presided over even his first game, his focus was on using his new status to grub around for even more dosh.
Greed alone isn’t usually a sacking offence.
But an England manager cannot survive if he suggests to strangers that he will flout the rules of his FA employers for money.
The Telegraph’s reporters have done the country a service in exposing him.
Our national team has suffered many embarrassments, not least the Iceland shocker at the Euros.
But to hire and fire this wide-boy in just 67 days has made us an even bigger global laughing stock.
Allardyce set a new football record last night — for the shortest reign by an England manager.
Big Sam lasted just 67 days and took charge for one game, a 1-0 win in Slovakia.
Yesterday the 61-year-old left the post in shame — defeated by a £400,000 dodgy deal scandal.
His shock departure followed a taped newspaper sting.
It left English football in a mess with ex-player Gareth Southgate installed as reluctant caretaker manager for the next four games.
It's been a really painful decision
An FA source admitted: “This could not have come at a worse time for England — there is chaos behind the scenes at the FA.
“They put their faith in Sam and he has let them down — as well as himself and the fans.
“God knows who they’ll turn to because the England job is the one no top coach will touch with a bargepole right now.
“It was always Sam’s dream job but he just wasn’t worthy of it.
“His only consolation will be that he will go down as the only England manager with a 100 per cent record.”
It was announced last night that Allardyce had left the manager’s role by mutual consent.
The England job was his dream come true — netting him £3million a year plus generous bonuses.
FA chief executive Martin Glenn admitted: “It’s been a really painful decision.
“But the FA is more than just running the England men’s team. We have to stand up for the right behaviours across the whole game. We are the guardians of the game.
“Sam is absolutely distraught. He recognises that he made a terrible error of judgment.
“He is deeply, deeply upset but I also think he understands why the FA had to take this tough decision.”
Allardyce was quizzed by FA chiefs after a dossier of evidence was presented by undercover reporters from The Daily Telegraph.
THE FA'S STATEMENT
The FA can confirm that Sam Allardyce has left his position as England manager.
Allardyce’s conduct, as reported today, was inappropriate of the England manager.
He accepts he made a significant error of judgement and has apologised. However, due to the serious nature of his actions, The FA and Allardyce have mutually agreed to terminate his contract with immediate effect.
This is not a decision that was taken lightly but The FA’s priority is to protect the wider interests of the game and maintain the highest standards of conduct in football.
The manager of the England men’s senior team is a position which must demonstrate strong leadership and show respect for the integrity of the game at all times.
Gareth Southgate will take charge of the men’s senior team for the next four matches against Malta, Slovenia, Scotland and Spain whilst The FA begins its search for the new England manager.
The FA wishes Sam well in the future.
He was seen at dawn yesterday leaving his home in Bolton in his black Mercedes and heading for crunch talks at the FA’s Wembley HQ in North London.
FA chiefs said they would only make a decision after considering the “full facts” and were awaiting more information from the newspaper investigators.
But it quickly became clear he was doomed after he briefed friends that he expected to be sacked before next week’s Wembley World Cup qualifier against Malta.
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Supporters were calling for his head on social media “for the good of the game”.
Former England striker and BBC’s Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: “We can get on our high horses about Fifa etc. but we have a large glass house of our own.
“Biggest issue for Sam Allardyce is advising on getting around 3rd party rules. As well, of course, as very poor judgment.”
Allardyce remained locked in talks for seven hours at Wembley before being ferried away in the back of a white Range Rover at 7.45pm driven by his agent Mark Curtis.
The axed coach could be seen clutching his gold-coloured iPhone and appeared despondent as the plush motor sped away.
FA boss Glenn and chairman Greg Clarke will now begin the long trawl to appoint Allardyce’s replacement.
The pair were locked in meetings last night on how to limit the damage caused during his short but disastrous reign. Allardyce replaced Roy Hodgson, 69, as Three Lions boss in July — a month after England were knocked out of Euro 2016 by minnows Iceland.
BIG SAM'S STATEMENT
Further to recent events, The FA and I have mutually agreed to part company.
It was a great honour for me to be appointed back in July and I am deeply disappointed at this outcome.
This afternoon, I met with Greg Clarke and Martin Glenn and offered a sincere and wholehearted apology for my actions.
Although it was made clear during the recorded conversations that any proposed arrangements would need The FA’s full approval, I recognise I made some comments which have caused some embarrassment.
As part of today’s meeting, I was asked to clarify what I said and the context in which the conversations took place. I have co-operated fully in this regard.
By August he had already been lured into the first of two meetings with fake Far East “businessmen” interested in bringing foreign players to England.
The former Bolton, West Ham, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle and Sunderland manager agreed to travel to Singapore and Hong Kong as an ambassador. He explained to the “businessmen” how they could skirt FA rules which prohibit third parties “owning” players.
Third-party ownership — once common in parts of Europe and South America — has been branded a “slave trade” blighting the game.
It involves an agent or an investor owning a stake in the sportsman guaranteeing them a fee whenever the player is transferred.
The FA outlawed the practice in 2008 ruling that it encouraged players to be bought and sold to allow unscrupulous investors to cash in.
World football governing body Fifa followed with its own ban last year. The “businessmen” wooed Allardyce with invitations to lavish dinners and hotel receptions for high-profile football dignitaries.
Undercover reporters secretly recorded Big Sam at two meetings lasting a total of four hours.
The second meeting took place last week.
Allardyce was caught on film telling his associates it was “not a problem” to bypass the rules introduced by his employers.
He said he knew of certain agents who were “doing it all the time” and added: “You can still get around it. I mean obviously the big money’s here.” The video — part of a ten-month Telegraph probe into alleged bribery and corruption in English football — showed Allardyce thrashing out a £400,000 deal.
He negotiated the huge sum to address investors in a Far East firm, but added that he would have to “run it past the powers that be” before committing to a deal.
Allardyce attended meetings in London and Manchester along with his agent Curtis, and his financial adviser Shane Moloney.
In other unguarded asides captured on tape, he mocked Roy Hodgson’s speech impediment.
Claiming Hodgson was too dull for public speaking engagements, Allardyce scoffed: “He’d send them all to sleep, Roy — Woy. He hasn’t got the personality for it.”
Big Sam also had a dig at Hodgson’s former assistant coach Gary Neville — who was branded “the wrong influence”.
He said Hodgson should have told Neville to “sit down and shut up” as the pair rowed over bringing on substitute Marcus Rashford during the disastrous Iceland game.
And he even lambasted FA President Prince William for failing to attend a football event saying: “It would have been nice if he’d turned up.”
What Big Sam said to hidden camera in sting
On Roy Hodgson: “He’d send them all to sleep, Roy. Woy. He hasn’t got the personality for it.”
On selecting his England squad: "Jack Wilshere, on the bench for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench... When they’re not playing for the club, they’re just short of match practice.”
On Wembley Stadium: "They completely floored it and then rebuilt the new stadium which is fabulous, but that sort of debt is not really what you want. "
On the FA: "They’re all about making money aren’t they?"
On Prince William: “The only one that never turned up was Prince William. He’s our ambassador for the Football Association, so it would have been nice if he’d have turned up but he obviously had more, much busier things on.”
On Prince Harry: “Harry’s a naughty boy. He’s a very naughty boy, very naughty. He shows his bottom and all sorts.”
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