Sam Allardyce reveals he took Crystal Palace job to overcome depression of losing dream England job
Big Sam admits he was struggling to come to terms with Three Lions axe when he agreed to take charge at Selhurst Park
SAM ALLARDYCE has admitted he took the job as Crystal Palace boss to get over the depression of being dumped as England manager.
Allardyce says he was left 'staring into the abyss' after being axed just one game into his dream job in charge of the Three Lions.
The FA decided he had to go after he was caught up in a newspaper sting operation last September.
The speed and manner of his departure left Allardyce reeling, and he admits he was finding it hard to cope.
In an interview on today he said the chance to take over at Palace last December was one he need to take to claw his way out of depression.
He said: “I am very grateful to Crystal Palace – hugely, hugely grateful.
“Because Crystal Palace was one of the things I felt I had to do to overcome the depression and the disappointment that I had suffered in the short spell I had with England.
“I had to get back to work and I had to get my teeth into another position to get over and move on, move forward, and life is very good at the moment.”
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Allardyce added: “I was in shock for two or three weeks just trying to get my head around what happened.
“I was in a daze, I was staring into the abyss.
“And of course the good thing is when you’ve got your partner next to you to help you through these situations then you have to come out of it at the other end.
“You have to get over it and as disappointing and as devastating as it was for me – I am bitterly disappointed that I am not the manager of England – but I have recovered from that.
“I’ve moved on and everybody’s seen that I have moved on by taking a very good position at Crystal Palace.”
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