After One Match And 67 Days It's All Over For Big Sam
September 27, 2016 2:05 PM   Subscribe

BBC: "Sam Allardyce has left his post as England manager by mutual agreement with the Football Association after one match and 67 days in charge. It follows a newspaper investigation claiming he offered advice on how to "get around" rules on player transfers. Allardyce, 61, is also alleged to have used his role to negotiate a deal worth £400,000 to represent a Far East firm." Alan Shearer: "England a Laughing Stock."
posted by marienbad (39 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
As an England fan, I am used to things going badly, but after the travesty of the Euros, this is beyond fucking belief.
posted by marienbad at 2:06 PM on September 27, 2016 [5 favorites]


It's brilliant and wonderful and just about perfect.
posted by dng at 2:10 PM on September 27, 2016 [4 favorites]


What an idiot. He was a terrible choice to begin with, highlighting the cowardice of the FA in not looking for a non-English manager. He has been a manager for 25 years and the only thing his teams have won are the Irish First division in 1992 and the English Third division in 1998. How does that indicate a manager able to remotely challenge at the highest level? It was shameful that the FA appointed him and this is just desserts all round. Neither he nor the FA were or are fit for purpose.
posted by biffa at 2:16 PM on September 27, 2016 [6 favorites]


100% winning record as England Manager. Can't beat that!
posted by sauril at 2:29 PM on September 27, 2016 [6 favorites]


100% winning record as England Manager. Can't beat that!

I'm beginning to think poor old Sam Allardyce not only fell for the obvious "fake businessman" scam here but also even more naively fell for a monkey's paw-esque cursed wish scam with his lucky coin last month.
posted by dng at 2:33 PM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


Huge expectation, early hopes, embarrassing departure. Can't think of a more perfect arc for an England manager really.
posted by IanMorr at 2:36 PM on September 27, 2016 [11 favorites]


Caretaker until Arsene Wenger next summer plz
posted by Coda Tronca at 2:37 PM on September 27, 2016 [2 favorites]


100% winning record as England Manager. Can't beat that!

Clean sheets too!
posted by Navelgazer at 2:40 PM on September 27, 2016


Why no link to the Telegraph investigation?

I thought it was interesting Roy Greenslade wrote a piece on the Guardian justifying the Telegraph's investigation because it seems unnecessary, but England make people crazy.

Anyhow, I spent a while this afternoon explaining third party player ownership to some grad students, why it's been banned by the FA and Premier League, and subsequently why it's very bad that the England manager (and de facto face of the FA) was caught counseling others on how to circumvent the rules. We also touched upon how FIFA isn't doing much about it, they've been too busy solving racism. It was definitely a conversation that left me with that hollow embarrassment of knowing too many rules and regulations about English football. I probably took it a step too far when I recounted the Tevez/Mascherano saga and how it helped send Sheffield United down as only an Owl can.

The best thing about this, other than the inevitable wonky stories outlining the practice and its legalities (don't let me down David Conn!) is the return of one of my favourite past times - Who's the next England manager? There was no drama with Allardyce's appointment. Nigel Pearson might be looking for a job.
posted by kendrak at 3:12 PM on September 27, 2016 [3 favorites]


He was a spectacularly poor choice for England and I suspect the investigative team at the Telegraph were wearing their England jerseys when they formulated this plot.

Also, it should be mentioned here that before Big Sam signed on, Alan Shearer was saying (publicly) that he'd very much like the England job.
posted by grounded at 3:20 PM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


Clearly it's part of a Byzantine plot to get Steve Bruce... seriously, has the stock of English managers ever been as low as it is now? Is there anyone you'd trust with a bigger job than keeping a team out of the relegation zone through true grit and a never say die attitude?
posted by kersplunk at 3:27 PM on September 27, 2016


Is there anyone you'd trust with a bigger job than keeping a team out of the relegation zone through true grit and a never say die attitude?

Tony Pulis?

More seriously though, I would be intrigued with an appointment like Mike Phelan or Sean Dyche.
posted by kendrak at 3:34 PM on September 27, 2016


Clearly it's part of a Byzantine plot to get Steve Bruce...

The sting by the Telegraph is interesting in as much as why did they do this and why now? It is almost like they have an agenda to get rid of him, although this is purely speculation.

The Telegraph will say they were acting in the best interests of England FC, English football etc, and it is better that Big Sam is exposed as a greedy spiv now than later, but still, why now? Why wait until he has had one game in charge? Maybe they were sold on the change mantra and then when he played basically the same tea that lost to Iceland, they decided to take him down.
posted by marienbad at 3:37 PM on September 27, 2016


I'm neither a fan of Allardyce nor of the English national team, but this seems really absurd. I can't find anything in the Telegraph's reporting that justifies its headline: "England manager Sam Allardyce for sale". My first reaction was that the Telegraph had spent a lot of time and resources investigating whether Allardyce was crooked and just decided to go with what they had.
posted by Kattullus at 3:41 PM on September 27, 2016


Actually, now that I've posted that, his jab at Roy Hodgson over his voice is completely unacceptable. But I'm pretty sure that had little influence on the FA's decision to let him go.
posted by Kattullus at 3:43 PM on September 27, 2016


I would be intrigued with an appointment like Mike Phelan

Clearly, Hull knew this was coming, which is why they're still calling him a caretaker manager.
posted by Copronymus at 3:48 PM on September 27, 2016


The sting by the Telegraph is interesting in as much as why did they do this and why now? It is almost like they have an agenda to get rid of him, although this is purely speculation.

From what I've read, The Telegraph was investigating third party ownership in England and that investigation happened to take them to Allardyce. It doesn't seem like some nefarious plot to undo him and get Steve Bruce in, rather Allardyce was greedy enough to offer his consultation. The trash talking Roy (including the tired speech impediment crap) and complaining about Gary Neville was just a poke in the eye.

But as an England supporter, I sort of welcome these scandals because hopefully they will eventually flush out the rot.

Also now people on 5Live are calling for Eddie Howe to get the job. Another interesting choice. (In times like this, it's comforting to hear people moaning on 5Live. )
posted by kendrak at 3:59 PM on September 27, 2016


Why would Eddie Howe leave Bournemouth for this thankless task when he can take the office at the Emirates come June?

I think Bob Bradley meeting with the Swansea owners was a smokescreen--he's the next man for England.
posted by billsaysthis at 4:29 PM on September 27, 2016


I think the thing to do to keep stability within the England setup would be to appoint Wayne Rooney as a player-manager until after the 2018 World Cup.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:33 PM on September 27, 2016 [5 favorites]


> Huge expectation, early hopes, embarrassing departure.

I was going to compare Allardyce to Brexit, but at least Sam won one thing out of Europe
posted by scruss at 4:36 PM on September 27, 2016 [2 favorites]


the fish rots from the head

FIFA sets the example, all the little corrupt minnows follow along
posted by lalochezia at 5:12 PM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]


LVG: Tanned. Rested. Ready.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:15 PM on September 27, 2016 [5 favorites]


Caretaker until Arsene Wenger next summer plz


Fuck you! We still need him!

You can have...*checks*...Tony Pulis or Roberto Martinez.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:16 PM on September 27, 2016


Actually, do you know who I think might be available next summer? He is very special!
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:46 PM on September 27, 2016 [7 favorites]


It'll be Ryan Giggs and he won't even show up to the friendlies and only half the qualifiers.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:53 PM on September 27, 2016 [1 favorite]




I wonder how much of a dolt someone who just signed one of the highest paying jobs in the international game has to be to be accepting a dodgy consulting gig a few weeks later. Particularly for a manager that got a dream job that is well beyond his demonstrated abilities.

The game needs to be more heavily regulated, not only third party ownership, but agents acting as kingmakers as well as clubs hyper-inflating market prices with the help of said agents, creating essentially a market bubble that forces anyone who doesn't have massive contract deals to sign deals with the devil to be marginally competitive.
posted by lmfsilva at 2:27 AM on September 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


I wonder how much of a dolt someone who just signed one of the highest paying jobs in the international game has to be to be accepting a dodgy consulting gig a few weeks later.

The wider problem is that he was just doing what is accepted as par for the course. The entire FA is rotten to the core.
posted by Coda Tronca at 3:14 AM on September 28, 2016 [3 favorites]


The wider problem is that he was just doing what is accepted as par for the course. The entire FA is rotten to the core.

This. The problem wasn't that he had his hand in the cookie jar, the problem was the Telegraph catching him with his hand in the cookie jar.
posted by Dysk at 3:44 AM on September 28, 2016


The tragedy is the contrast between how well we (England and GB) did at the Olympics and Paralympics.

The people in charge of football are a shambles by comparison with those running the Olympic teams, but with the power resting in the clubs it's very hard to see it changing. OK, Wales had a great Euros, but they seem to have built a genuine team spirit. Very sad for English football.
posted by DanCall at 4:14 AM on September 28, 2016


Some previous...
A Panorama programme broadcast in September 2006 accused Allardyce – then at Bolton and at the height of his powers – and his agent son Craig of various irregularities.

That prompted an outraged Allardyce to vow to boycott the BBC for life and sue the broadcaster, branding the allegations “outrageous lies”. Following a period when Allardyce did not speak to the BBC, the threat to sue was not followed through. There was no legal action, with Allardyce later saying in his autobiography he was advised it would cost too much money and take too long.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Allardyce’s great friend and ally (who played a not insignificant role in getting him the England job), maintained his BBC boycott – imposed for similar reasons following allegations against his own agent son Jason two years previously – for far longer.
Sam Allardyce: a history of suspicion...

Also, from two years earlier, and another Beeb docu about football agents... Fergie boycotts BBC after documentary row
posted by Mister Bijou at 4:33 AM on September 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


The Telegraph have named some more people and it looks like the Championship is rotten: Tommy Wright from Barnsley (who's been suspended), QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and the least surprising person of all - Leeds owner Massimo Cellino (who shouldn't have been allowed to buy Leeds in the first place).
posted by kendrak at 2:31 PM on September 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


The same retread managers keep showing up at top British sides. Surely with all that money they can bring in new blood. I mean, look at what Pep and Klopp (ynwa!) are doing this year.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:40 PM on September 28, 2016


Mocking Roy's voice is commonplace in England. In the papers too. Not that it makes it ok.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:42 PM on September 28, 2016


I sometimes turn into 5 Live after an England loss just to hear English fans griping about the squad. Those callers are artists.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:45 PM on September 28, 2016 [1 favorite]


Surely with all that money they can bring in new blood. I mean, look at what Pep and Klopp (ynwa!) are doing this year.

England have previously lured vastly expensive coaches from abroad who were highly rated and sought-after - Capello and Eriksson. At the time their reigns ended as more or less failures, but looking back from where we are now...
posted by Coda Tronca at 4:34 AM on September 29, 2016


Eriksson in particular really made the best of a bad bunch for a long time.
posted by Dysk at 5:41 AM on September 29, 2016


I sometimes turn into 5 Live after an England loss just to hear English fans griping about the squad. Those callers are artists.

This is why 606 has been a staple of my listening diet since 2000 (over dial-up back in the day!). Some real insight there. I was happy that 5Live brought Chris Waddle in during the 2014 World Cup and have kept him around because he's not afraid to hold back. Danny Mills wishes he could be that negative.

As for the next England manager... it doesn't really matter. It won't solve England's problems, will it? The FA is floundering at the mercy of the Premier League and English managers (like the players) are over valued and under performing. Money has ruined it all.
posted by kendrak at 10:10 AM on September 29, 2016


The bookmakers have Jurgen Klinsmann in the mix.

But Wenger is still third favourite (presumably after a caretaker period till next Spring). He's been here for so long, so loyal, it's like a kind of duty for him. At nearly 67 he has already seen everything come and go in English football.
posted by Coda Tronca at 11:18 AM on September 29, 2016


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