SAM ALLARDYCE leaves with nothing.
Without his reputation. Without his dignity. Without a pay-off.
One game, plus two shady meetings with The Telegraph investigators, is all it took to bring about his own downfall.
Done by a group of bogus businessmen with a dodgy sounding enterprise.
Seduced by a few dinner dates and a ready supply of drinks at their expense.
Fooled by the prospect of making a cool £400,000 for being ‘a keynote speaker’.
Sorry, Sam, you should have kept your trap shut.
This lot paid for dinner. They paid for suites at the Mandarin Oriental in London.
They paid for a private jet to Belgium. Cash, it appeared, was unlimited — the alarm bells should have been ringing from the off.
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- Sam Allardyce QUITS as England manager after just 67 days in charge
- Alan Shearer: Allardyce had catastrophic misdudgement, it always comes down to money and greed
- Two agents claim eight current or former Prem managers are open to ‘bungs’
- One win, 67 days, no pay-off – the highs and lows of Allardyce’s reign
- Ray Parlour says Allardyce saga has turned England into a laughing stock
- “I’m so sorry” – Allardyce’s grovelling apology after leaving post
- Who is Gareth Southgate? The man who will take over the Three Lions
- Neil Ashton comment: Allardyce was arrogant, naive and stupid
- £3million salary not enough for wheeler-dealer brought down by pursuit of cash
- All the funniest and best reaction after Allardyce steps down
Naive, Sam? Yes. Arrogant, Sam? Yes. Stupid beyond belief, Sam? Yes.
That is what Allardyce becomes when he starts guzzling pints of lager.
He becomes the Billy Big-Shot in the room.
Allardyce says what he likes and he likes what he says.
This, remember, is the man who could not stop talking when there was the promise of cash at the end of it.
Any time between November and March, with the exception of Christmas, he said.
He has that time on his hands now.
His missus Lynn had warned him about the perils of taking this job on.
She knows what Allardyce can be like when he is well-oiled.
So, too, did his private media advisor and his agent Mark Curtis. They knew the trouble he could talk himself into when he is feeling good.
He must have been feeling really good when the Telegraph started talking about the big bunce.
Allardyce loves nothing better than a pint and a chat with the lads.
There is always an audience around Big Sam and his bluster.
The 3am finishes at various events over the years are legendary.
That is no way to go about the business of restoring England to the top of world football.
For too long his skewed social views have been protected.
By the game. By his employers. By us, in the media.
Shame on us, if truth to be told.
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We have become accustomed — almost immune — to his inappropriate views on various aspects of society over the years.
On occasion his comments about females have bordered on sexism.
When the FA were asked to address it at a drinks reception in the roof garden of London’s trendy Century Club on August 11 they chose to ignore it.
“Remember this is all off the record,” was the very firm message from the FA. Poor, that.
That is the power of being the England manager. The power to do as you please.
With that another FA employee fetched him yet another bottle of Peroni. Excruciating.
The job, prestigious one that it is, can do that to people.
But Allardyce has always had a bit of this in him.
He loves the power. He loves the notoriety. He loves a drink.
At St George’s Park earlier this month, before his first game in charge, he had a monumental night out with his coaching staff Sammy Lee and Craig Shakespeare.
The following day one member of FA staff complained privately that Allardyce’s breath was still reeking of alcohol.
When he got the job, he made sure everybody knew about it.
He also abused the position.
At the Community Shield on August 7, Allardyce was invited to sit with members of the FA council.
This was it for Sam. The big time. The inner chamber. He had arrived.
According to those sat on the table with him, Allardyce took full advantage of the red wine that was served during lunch.
All that took place before kick-off.
There were eight England players on the field when Manchester United and Leicester City kicked off.
Whether Allardyce could judge them properly after Wembley’s hospitality is another matter.
By then he was deep into discussions with this fictitious mob of businessmen.
Allardyce was loving life as England’s head coach. For the first 65 days. The last two were an unmitigated disaster.
He leaves with his professional reputation shredded.
Allardyce cheapened the job, carelessly entering into a verbal arrangement in return for a fistful of money.
The £3million a year and the job of England manager was not enough for him.
He has made a monumental mistake, one that was impossible to rectify once the FA got down to the nitty gritty with him yesterday.
If there is a criticism of the FA — and there must be — then it is over their contract negotiations.
From now on, they must put a stop to any commercial engagements outside of the FA contract.
This is a full-time job, fellas.
The FA have raised the bar so high now that they can only appoint from within.
Outsiders, such as Allardyce, now carry too much risk.
One false move and you are out. The FA and Big Sam have seen to that.
At least Gareth Southgate — we believe, we have to believe, and we must hope — is squeaky clean.
This is a good man. An FA man. An honourable and dignified man.
Sadly the same cannot be said of Big bad Sam.
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