Sam Allardyce resigns as England manager

  • 28/09/2016
Sam Allardyce (Getty file)
Sam Allardyce (Getty file)

England Manager Sam Allardyce has offered his resignation to the Football Association after an undercover sting captured him making a variety of controversial comments.

An embarrassing Euro 2016 exit at the last-16 juncture to Iceland led to Roy Hodgson and his coaching staff's immediate departure, with Allardyce announced as successor in July.

However, just 67 days after being appointed, the 61-year-old's role is over, confirming in a statement that he has left his position.

"Further to recent events, the FA and I have mutually agreed to part company," said Allardyce.

"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 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.

"I also regret my comments with regard to other individuals."

 

The FA released a statement of its own in which chief executive Martin Glenn condemned his behaviour as "inappropriate and not what’s expected of an 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." 

Allardyce was recorded during a 10-month investigation by The Daily Telegraph that claims "separately unearthed widespread evidence of bribery and corruption in British football".

The video by appears to show the England manager telling a fictitious businessesman how to circumvent FA third-party ownership laws and negotiate a deal to address investors in a Far East firm.

He was captured appearing to tell reporters that it was "not a problem" getting around FA rules which stop third parties "owning" football players' economic rights.

The controversial practice was banned by the FA in 2008 over concerns it compromised the integrity of the game, as the third party could profit whenever a player was sold.

When asked about the rules, Allardyce was filmed on a hidden camera apparently saying: "It's not a problem."

He added an unnamed group had been "doing it for years" and "you can still get around it", suggesting they employ the player's agents to compensate for the fact they are no longer allowed to profit from each transfer directly.

He added: "You get a percentage of the player's agent's fee that the agent pays to you, the company, because he's done that new deal at the club again or they sell him on, and you're not getting a part of the transfer fee anymore, because you can't do that.

"But, you get - because of the size of the contracts now, the contract will be worth 30, 40million, at 10 per cent and you've done a deal with the agent where you're getting five per cent of the agent's fee, which is massive for doing about two hours' work."

The meeting with reporters also saw Allardyce appear to be filmed questioning predecessor Hodgson's decision at Euro 2016, at times calling him "Woy" - a word used in a headline in 2012 that the FA called "unacceptable" and relating to Hodgson's rhotacism.

On his employers, the FA, the video seems to show the England boss saying: "They're all about making money aren't they? You know the FA's the richest football association in the world?"

Allardyce called Prince Harry a "very naughty boy" and complained that the Duke of Cambridge, the FA president, did not turn up to last week's Euro 2020 launch.

The England manager is also reported to have been filmed discussing the gambling habits of the country's current or former senior internationals, the chances of players lining up for England and Hodgson's assistant Gary Neville.

Allardyce, who led Sunderland to Premier League survival last season, was appointed England manager on July 22 after what the FA called a "comprehensive and structured process".

His England reign got off to a winning start earlier this month with a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win in Slovakia. Further qualifiers follow at home to Malta on October 8 and in Slovakia three days later.

England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate will take charge of the senior side for the next four games in an interim capacity.

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