Former Sunderland boss 'extremely honoured' to get job
Saturday 23 July 2016 12:00, UK
Sam Allardyce is the new England manager, the Football Association has confirmed.
The 61-year-old leaves his post at Sunderland with immediate effect to succeed Roy Hodgson and has been handed an initial two-year contract.
Allardyce said: "I am extremely honoured to be appointed England manager, especially as it is no secret that this is the role I have always wanted.
"For me, it is absolutely the best job in English football.
"I will do everything I can to help England do well and give our nation the success our fans deserve. Above all, we have to make the people and the whole country proud.
"While my main focus will be on the senior team and getting positive results, I want to add my influence to the great work being done across the development teams at St George's Park - a facility I have used with my previous clubs.
"I know we have talented, committed players and it is time for us to deliver."
Allardyce will hold a news conference on Monday at St George's Park and his first match in charge will be a friendly at Wembley on Thursday 1 September against yet-to-be-named opponents, ahead of the World Cup 2018 qualifier in Slovakia on 4 September.
An experienced Premier League manager with Bolton, West Ham and Sunderland, Allardyce narrowly missed out on the England job when it was given to Steve McClaren 10 years ago and has frequently spoken of his desire to manage his country.
Hodgson stepped down after a shock 2-1 defeat to Iceland ended England's Euro 2016 participation at the round-of-16 stage, and Allardyce and Steve Bruce interviewed for the vacant position earlier this month.
And Sky sources reported on Thursday that the FA's three-man selection panel - chief executive Martin Glenn, technical director Dan Ashworth and vice-chairman David Gill - had told the FA board that they were recommending Allardyce.
Agreement on a compensation package was subsequently reached with Sunderland, allowing the FA to confirm the hiring of Allardyce on Friday afternoon.
And Glenn said after the appointment was confirmed: "Sam Allardyce is the right man for the England job.
"His excellent managerial credentials, including his ability to realise the potential of players and teams, develop a strong team ethos and embrace modern methods that enhance performance, made him the outstanding choice.
"That was underlined when we sat down to talk, and we could not help but be energised by his personal perspective on England's future and how it complemented the extensive work that we are looking to build on at St George's Park.
"Dan Ashworth, David Gill and I have carried out a thorough process in the last three weeks and ultimately we could not look beyond Sam as the ideal candidate."
Current and former Manchester United managers Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson are among those to have expressed their support for Allardyce in the role.
Although Allardyce's initial deal only extends to the end of the 2018 World Cup, there appears to be scope for him to remain at the helm for a longer period.
An FA statement read: "Alongside his primary target of qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Allardyce has a mandate to shape a strong, purposeful team identity and maximise the performance potential of a young, talented England squad at a major tournament.
"Allardyce is also charged with helping Ashworth integrate and strengthen the FA's elite performance and coaching programme across the England senior and development teams at St George's Park."
