FORMER ENGLAND MANAGER Sam Allardyce let the Football Association down badly with the remarks that led to his departure, FA chairman Greg Clarke has said.
Allardyce and the FA agreed to mutually terminate his contract just 67 days into his tenure following alleged comments he made in a video recorded by undercover reporters offering advice on how to circumvent rules on the transfer of players under third-party ownership.
The ex-Sunderland, Newcastle United and West Ham manager took charge of one game as England boss, a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win in Slovakia.
Quizzed by members of the British parliament today, Clarke said the FA did its due diligence before appointing Allardyce. However Clarke was damning in his condemnation of the 61-year-old’s conduct, which he described as “unbecoming of the manager”.
Clarke told MPs: “Sam was in breach of his duties as an employee… as a senior executive he was in breach of his employment obligations. He let us down badly, because in the end we want an England manager whose sole priority is winning for the team.”
Asked about Allardyce’s replacement, Clarke said the FA would “like an English manager if we can get one”, adding that it would be “crazy” to hire a manager who has never worked in England.
Gareth Southgate has taken interim charge of the team since Allardyce’s departure, leading England to a 2-0 win over Malta and a 0-0 draw with Slovenia in World Cup qualifying.
England are top of Group F as they bid to seal a place at the finals in Russia in 2018, with Southgate set to remain in the dugout for next month’s qualifier with Scotland and a friendly against Spain.
