For those wistful and wishful US Soccer fans who thought Jurgen Klinsmann’s tapdance with the England job in the press would mean he’d actually leave his lucrative post to take over one of the toughest international jobs in the world, that dream is now officially just that, a dream.
According to the Evening Standard in England, current Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is about to be offered the job. The FA has undergone a consultation process that hasn’t just involved those in the offices now, but other major figures in the English game such as Harry Redknapp (?), Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand, as well as the three man panel in charge of the hiring. Other names interviewed included current Hull manager Steve Bruce.
Though Allardyce’s style has divided opinion throughout his many stops across his career, the FA were a fan of his teams’ defensive structure, resilience, and high work rate. Those have been hallmarks of the teams he’s managed across the years in the Premier League and Championship, including stops at Bolton, Newcastle, and West Ham.
Allardyce will manage one friendly at Wembley, believed to be against the Czech Republic, before opening their 2018 World Cup Qualifying campaign at Slovakia a few days later. England hasn’t failed to qualify for a World Cup since 1994.
Sunderland, who have been through six full time managers and eight in total since June of 2009, will need to find a seventh permanent manager, and it appears they’ll be going after former Everton and Manchester United man David Moyes to lead their upcoming campaign.
No official announcement has been made, but it appears a decision has. Big Sam is the new man in charge of England.
[Standard]
