The football world has been stunned by the sudden departure of Sam Allardyce from the job as England manager after only 67 days and one match in charge.
The former Bolton and West Ham manager admitted he had “made some comments which have caused embarrassment”. However the reaction from the world of football was one of sadness, anger and frustration.
Sam Allardyce has given up his role as England manager by mutual consent, the English Football Association (FA) announced on Tuesday.
Allardyce and the FA agreed that his position was untenable after he was caught making a series of controversial comments in an embarrassing newspaper sting.
“The FA can confirm that Sam Allardyce has left his position as England manager,” an FA statement read.
Daily Telegraph reporters, who posed as Far East businessmen had secretly filmed the former Sunderland boss as he gave advice on how to circumnavigate transfer rules, criticised the FA’s decision to rebuild Wembley and mocked his England predecessor Roy Hodgson.
He also agreed to travel to Singapore and Hong Kong as an ambassador for their fictitious firm for a fee of £400,000 ($519,000, 461,000 euros).
Senior FA members, who found his conduct inappropriate, were said to be stunned by the revelations.
Allardyce, 61, was appointed England manager in July on a £3m-a-year contract.
The scandal has now cost him a job he spent his whole career waiting for.
Allardyce had described the England post as the materialization of his dream job, but it has ended in embarrassment and humiliation.
England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate will take over the senior side for the next four games in as interim manager.
Former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC 5 Live: “I’m angry, I’m sad, I’m staggered at the misjudgement from a guy who admitted this was his dream job. It’s incredible and a catastrophic misjudgement by Sam and his advisers.”
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told BT Sport: “The rest of the football community around the world will be laughing at us. The England role has become comical.
“This was a man who was passionate about getting the job. He forced the FA to act. Naivety seems to be the word coming up. It’s disappointing for English football.”
FA boss Martin Glenn said: “His behaviour has been inappropriate.” Allardyce’s behaviour said Glenn was “not what is expected of an England manager”. However Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright was more sad than mad, Tweeting: “Sam Sam Sammmm.”
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