Sam Allardyce claims he was the victim of a stitch-up as he flees to £1.5m Spanish villa and says: ‘Entrapment has won’
SHAMELESS Sam Allardyce flew away on holiday yesterday — blaming everyone but himself for his fall and with £1million in his beach shorts.
He insisted media “entrapment” caused his sacking as England boss after 67 days.
And he claimed he was just trying to help out his pal of 30 years, football agent Scott McGarvey, after being caught on camera thrashing out a £400,000 deal.
Allardyce flew out to his £1.5million Costa Blanca villa with wife Lynne after sealing a £1million FA payoff — £15,000 for every day he was in charge.
Speaking outside his home in Bolton, he said: “Obviously I’ve got to do this before I go away.
“I think on reflection it was a silly thing to do, but just to let everyone know I sort of helped out somebody I’d known for 30 years.
“Unfortunately, it was an error of judgment on my behalf and I’ve paid the consequences.
“Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that.
“The agreement was done very amicably with the FA. I apologise to all concerned in this unfortunate situation I’ve put myself in.
“I am off abroad, just to chill out and reflect.”
Asked if this would be his last job in football, Allardyce said: “Who knows? We’ll wait and see.”
The former Bolton, West Ham and Newcastle manager has been accused of being greedy and arrogant for discussing extra money on top of his £3million-a-year salary.
But he insisted he “cannot put into words” how sad he was to lose his dream job.
Yesterday the FA refused to blame the media for Allardyce’s spectacular fall from grace.
FA chairman Greg Clarke said: “Where you don’t have an inquisitive, free press, very dark things happen in the corners of the world.
“There is nothing wrong with using what techniques you have to use to expose wrongdoing.”
But — referring to a 2006 BBC Panorama probe into Allardyce being paid transfer bungs by agents — he warned the FA was powerless to stop corruption.
He said: “We don’t have judicial powers, so we can’t get a court order. Only the police can do that.
Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that
Sam Allardyce
“Look at the allegations against Sam Allardyce ten years ago. The Premier League hired a QC to do an analysis, we referred it to the police, we did interviews ourselves, and it was all, ‘He said, she said’. There was no evidence.
“I’ve put all these issues to the board and suggested a fundamental review of our disciplinary processes and they’ve agreed to that.”
Allardyce’s demise has led to calls to ban England managers from external commercial activities.
Clarke said: “We have to be careful because England managers have had deals to wear suits, watches.
If a big sporting organisation wants to pay the England manager £5,000 to speak, should we stop him?
People who turn up to discuss strange deals with strange people they’ve never met are looking for trouble — and that’s what we’ve got to eliminate.”
Clarke said he did not know if Allardyce had been warned about dodgy deals but said: “In these jobs, it always is asked.”
Former FA boss Greg Dyke tore into Allardyce yesterday.
He said: “It’s just a ridiculous thing to do. He just got the job he dreamed of and he got £3million-a-year plus bonuses.
“It tells you something about the man that just after getting the England job he is prepared to go to a meeting to get another £400,000. What is he doing that for?”
Eight Other Managers Caught Out
Sam Allardyce isn’t the only boss to be caught up in The Telegraph’s sting – there’s another eight set to be exposed as well.
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 1
Unnamed boss wanted cash put in Swiss bank account, asking Italian agent Pino Pagliara: “How much, Pino? And will it be the same Swiss bank account?”
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 2
Former manager with excellent reputation accused of taking £50,000 bungs to buy particular players
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 3
Busted with ‘fingers in the till’ and sacked by old club, with demands for bungs to be given in plastic bags filled with cash
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 4
Very famous name asked Pino Pagliara: “Yeah, I want the player. Is there a little coffee (code for bung) for me, Pino?”
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 5
Former boss requested cash be put in special Swiss bank account
PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 6
Player-turned-manager wanted ‘extra money’ after claiming he wasn’t being paid enough
EX-PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 7
Wanted to be ‘put on payroll’ in order to buy players from certain agents
PREMIER LEAGUE BOSS 8
Told players he would give them £2,000-a-week more if he got half of deal, according to agent Dax Price
READ MORE
Sam Allardyce QUITS as England manager after just 67 days in charge
Alan Shearer: Allardyce had catastrophic misjudgement, 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
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