Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce’s appointment as England’s new manager on a two-year contract is set to be ratified on Thursday after the outgoing Sunderland manager convinced the Football Association of his ability to rediscover the national team’s “missing identity”.
A meeting of the FA’s National Board at Wembley will rubber-stamp the decision already made by the ruling body’s recruitment panel of Martin Glenn, Dan Ashworth and David Gill that was mandated to identify Roy Hodgson’s successor. That trio were particularly impressed by Allardyce’s innovative, pioneering use of psychology.
It leaves Sunderland seeking their seventh managerial appointment in five turbulent years, with the club aiming to accelerate already “advanced” talks with David Moyes about the former Everton, Manchester United and Real Sociedad manager potentially succeeding the 61-year-old Allardyce. Should such negotiations founder, Burnley’s Sean Dyche also has his admirers in the Stadium of Light’s boardroom.
In what was almost certainly his final act as Sunderland manager, Allardyce took charge of the team for Wednesday night’s pre-season friendly at Hartlepool United amid suggestions that his coronation as Hodgson’s successor was a matter of hours away.
After stepping off the team bus wearing a smile almost as wide as the North Sea behind him, the soon-to-be-departed manager took his seat in the away dugout and fielded phone calls during the first half before taking his leave at half time with his side 3-0 up.
Sunderland released a statement after the match but denied any agreement had been reached. “Naturally we are aware of the intense media speculation this evening, however, at the present time Sam Allardyce remains Sunderland manager,” it read. “We share in the anger and frustration of our supporters and would like to assure them that we are working to conclude the matter in the best interests of Sunderland AFC.”
The FA – who did not want to …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
