Sam Allardyce on the brink as FA probe claims England manager 'offered advice on bypassing transfer rules'

James Olley27 September 2016

Sam Allardyce’s future as England manager hangs in the balance today as the FA continue to investigate allegations he used his position to negotiate a £400,000 business deal and explained how it was possible to get around rules regarding player transfers.

The 61-year-old left his Bolton home at 7am this morning to meet with senior FA officials to justify his actions in the wake of a story published in the Daily Telegraph suggesting Allardyce met with men posing as Far East businessmen in August.

It is alleged Allardyce claimed bypassing regulations which ban third-party ownership of players, originally outlawed by the FA in 2008 before Fifa followed suit in 2015, was “not a problem”.

Third-party ownership involves investment companies acquiring a stake in the economic rights of a player in order to then receive a percentage of a sell-on fee; it was a practice previously described as “slavery” by former Uefa president Michel Platini given the undue influence a third party can have on a player’s career.

Allardyce is said to have claimed he knows of several agents who “have been doing it for years”, chiefly on behalf of companies using individuals to represents players who would then receive a commission on the transfer which would in turn be returned to the company seeking to benefit.

In the spotlight: Sam Allardyce leaves his home in Bolton this morning with questions mounting over his comments to undercover reporters Photo: Andy Kelvin/Kelvin Media
Andy Kelvin/Kelvin Media

The former West Ham manager is also seen agreeing in principle to a £400,000 deal to represent the fictitious Far East company in meetings with investors in the region, make keynote speeches and socialise with selected individuals afterwards. However, he said he would have to clear it with his bosses at the FA.

WHO MAKES THE DECISION...

Greg Clarke
Spent six years as chairman of the Football League before assuming the same role at the FA. Also ex-chairman of Leicester City —  working alongside Martin Glenn — and describes himself as “a chairman who listens a lot, builds a consensus and then takes responsibility for delivering that”.

Martin Glenn
Prompted a degree of ridicule when declaring “I’m not a football expert” at the start of the search to find Roy Hodgson’s successor. Became chief executive last March and previously sat on the Leicester City board as a non-executive director. Former CEO of United Biscuits.

Dan Ashworth
FA technical director previously employed as academy director at Peterborough, Cambridge and West Brom. Oversaw redundancy and restructuring programme at Wembley and St George’s Park. Author of FA’s blueprint for success entitled “England DNA” alongside Matt Crocker.

Allardyce is yet to respond publicly to the allegations and was not available for comment when Standard Sport tried to contact him today.

The FA refused to comment when contacted on several occasions today by Standard Sport. FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn were due to convene this morning to discuss the situation prior to meeting with Allardyce later today.

Clarks said last night: “I want all the facts, to hear everything from everyone and make a judgement about what to do. Natural justice requires us to get to the bottom of the issues before we make any decision. It is not appropriate to pre-judge the issue. With things like this, you have to take a deep breath.”

England’s preparations for next month’s World Cup 2018 double-header against Malta and Slovenia have been thrown into chaos by the controversy. Allardyce was due to name his squad on Sunday evening but he now faces a major fight to continue in the role he only secured in July following Roy Hodgson’s departure.

Gareth Southgate was sounded out as a caretaker after Hodgson left in the wake of England’s Euro 2016 exit but declined the position on a temporary basis. However, should the FA terminate Allardyce’s contract two months into his two-year, £3m-per-season deal, Under-21 coach Southgate would be the obvious choice to navigate the senior side through a difficult period before identifying a long-term successor.

In Pictures: Sam Allardyce's managerial career

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The FA’s former director of marketing and communications Julian Eccles wrote on Twitter: “Issue for FA is £3m Allardyce even considering such work and ridicule/disregard of player ownership rules. Can’t see his survival.

“At the very least, to keep his job Allardyce needs to tell FA of the agents he says are still involved in the malpractice.”

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