Sam Allardyce

[One BCFC]

I dont disagree with anything he has said, bar the fact he is taking 400k.

The Media will make out its worse than it actually is, which then will lead to the deluded men at the FA to sack him.

So we get a Manager in who isnt afraid of saying what he wants but the Media just cannot cope with that!!!

[Olé]

Total non-story. You can set anyone up if you try hard enough.

Advising companies on the side goes on in all types of business, most of what he has said is unsurprising and no actual offer to commit a crime or anything I imagine he could be in breach of contract for (as much as the Telegraph have tried to hype it up). The thing about player ownership he only appears to report what goes on, not offer to assist in it, and if I read the Valencia remark right, he highlights he completed a transfer at WHU to bring the player back inside the rules.

The fact he is "for sale for £400,000" should surprise no one. If he was for sale for £5,000 it would be a bit of an issue for his focus and availability (and seriousness) for England, but at £400,000 he can hardly be blamed for entertaining an offer of over 10% of salary to advise someone on the side. Not really sure what point the Telegraph are making that they had to dangle that amount of cash for him to take them seriously. If it's a sting it's an entirely unsurprising and unexciting one.

Said it before on here when he was appointed but I honestly expect Allardyce to do a very very good job for England. He is bang on about Hodgson too. No idea what the Telegraph were hoping for here. "England Football Manager plied with money and hospitality shares entirely predictable and logical views shocker". 

[Kingswood Robin]

26 minutes ago, Clevedon Red said:

Wonder if the Scott McGarvey is the very same who played for us back in the day.  

Gloria!

[Stortz]

5 minutes ago, Olé said:

Total non-story. You can set anyone up if you try hard enough.

Advising companies on the side goes on in all types of business, most of what he has said is unsurprising and no actual offer to commit a crime or anything I imagine he could be in breach of contract for (as much as the Telegraph have tried to hype it up). The thing about player ownership he only appears to report what goes on, not offer to assist in it, and if I read the Valencia remark right, he highlights he completed a transfer at WHU to bring the player back inside the rules.

The fact he is "for sale for £400,000" should surprise no one. If he was for sale for £5,000 it would be a bit of an issue for his focus and availability (and seriousness) for England, but at £400,000 he can hardly be blamed for entertaining an offer of over 10% of salary to advise someone on the side. Not really sure what point the Telegraph are making that they had to dangle that amount of cash for him to take them seriously. If it's a sting it's an entirely unsurprising and unexciting one.

Said it before on here when he was appointed but I honestly expect Allardyce to do a very very good job for England. He is bang on about Hodgson too. No idea what the Telegraph were hoping for here. "England Football Manager plied with money and hospitality shares entirely predictable and logical views shocker". 

I don't think many employers would look very favourably on one of their high profile and very well remunerated employees advising third parties how to get around their rules tbh.

[The Bard]

8 minutes ago, Stortz said:

I don't think many employers would look very favourably on one of their high profile and very well remunerated employees advising third parties how to get around their rules tbh.

How this plays out depends on whether that view holds sway in the FA.  Some will be less confident about sacking him as they know there isn't really a realistic alternative. 

Who is out of a job?

[Charliesboots]

Wasn't it the Telegraph that exposed the MP expenses scandal? Looks like another good piece of investigative journalism to me. 

The FA have been the lone voice against corruption and unethical practices at both FIFA & UEFA so if they wish to continue to be the beacon of truth, integrity and fair play then Sam will have to go. 

For them not to act over any sniff of a scandal over financial impropriety will be incredulous. 

As for the other revelations to come from The Telegraph over the coming days I'd predict this shitstorm is going to take down a few others. 

[Olé]

15 minutes ago, Stortz said:

I don't think many employers would look very favourably on one of their high profile and very well remunerated employees advising third parties how to get around their rules tbh.

But isn't that just the Telegraph's deliberately sensational spin on what he's done? From his actual quotes I thought he only commented on the countries where it still goes on. To me that doesn't undermine the FA rules and there isn't any suggestion he was advocating it or suggesting it could work in the FA's jurisdiction. Perhaps I've misread it but anytime the only quotes published are a long way short of the shock-horror claimed, I have a hard time believing the 'accused' is anywhere near as evil or duplicitous as a story claims. Very very expensive honey trap with a storyline that is a long way beyond what was actually said. Even by Fleet Street standards, seems like a hell of a reach, but hey ho it sells papers, and if anyone thinks these papers have any other objective.... they don't.

[Charliesboots]

2 minutes ago, Olé said:

But isn't that just the Telegraph's deliberately sensational spin on what he's done? From his actual quotes I thought he only commented on the countries where it still goes on. To me that doesn't undermine the FA rules and there isn't any suggestion he was advocating it or suggesting it could work in the FA's jurisdiction. Perhaps I've misread it but anytime the only quotes published are a long way short of the shock-horror claimed, I have a hard time believing the 'accused' is anywhere near as evil or duplicitous as a story claims. Very very expensive honey trap with a storyline that is a long way beyond what was actually said. Even by Fleet Street standards, seems like a hell of a reach.

@Olé on the surface of this story id agree with you. The trouble for Sam is the perception of impropriety and further revelations to come. 

I'm of the opinion this will take him down.  

[The Bard]

3 minutes ago, Charliesboots said:

Wasn't it the Telegraph that exposed the MP expenses scandal? Looks like another good piece of investigative journalism to me. 

The FA have been the lone voice against corruption and unethical practices at both FIFA & UEFA so if they wish to continue to be the beacon of truth, integrity and fair play then Sam will have to go. 

For them not to act over any sniff of a scandal over financial impropriety will be incredulous. 

As for the other revelations to come from The Telegraph over the coming days I'd predict this shitstorm is going to take down a few others. 

Thank god for our FA.  The 'beacon of truth, integrity and fair play'.  What are you smoking/snorting/injecting?

The FA are based in London.  Europe's financial capital, especially if you're a bit dodgy. They're massively in debt and cowtow to the EPL.  They may like to project an image of propriety but it's nonsense.

[Lack of Action Man]

His first game in charge was so mind numbingly boring I think listening to the archers on loop for 12 consecutive days without sleep might be more bearable. 

 

Hope he does get the boot.

[The Bard]

2 minutes ago, OddBallJim said:

His first game in charge was so mind numbingly boring I think listening to the archers on loop for 12 consecutive days without sleep might be more bearable. 

 

Hope he does get the boot.

It was more or less the same as any game under Hodgson.  He simply picked more or less the same side in order to get a better understanding of the dynamics of the side.

I suspect it will evolve quicker than people think.  As soon as he has an excuse to rid himself of certain people, he will.

 

[Lack of Action Man]

1 minute ago, The Bard said:

It was more or less the same as any game under Hodgson.  He simply picked more or less the same side in order to get a better understanding of the dynamics of the side.

I suspect it will evolve quicker than people think.  As soon as he has an excuse to rid himself of certain people, he will.

 

I wasn't particularly impressed with the Hodgson era, but there were fleeting moments where we actually got the ball forward, fast and pressed the opposition  into mistakes - which is how our players play in the Premier League. 

I don't know what the solution to the England teams woes is, but I don't think it's Allardyce or Hodgson for that matter.

[North London Red]

19 minutes ago, Charliesboots said:

The FA have been the lone voice against corruption and unethical practices at both FIFA & UEFA

The FA sent the England team to Port of Spain for a friendly against Trinidad in May 2008, and also agreed to a friendly against Thailand in Bangkok which was subsequently cancelled when the Thai FIFA delegate failed to vote for England in the 2018 world cup vote. Were these decisions made for purely ethical, footballing reasons, or were our FA attempting to influence two of the voting panel?

[reformed_red]

WOW.

 

After watching the video - what an over-sensationalised non-story. 

 

Scum journalism is all I see here.

[DavidNoble]

As others have said, I don't actually think it's anywhere near as bad as people are saying. 

Ah well, Steve Bruce? Alan Pardew? Oh dear...

[garlicbread]

Billic

[RumRed]

The fact there appears to be no 'due diligence' in football is frightening, even if he's just stupid rather than doing anything illegal still awful.

And people wonder why some actually detest the national side.

[John Knight]

1 hour ago, Stortz said:

I don't think many employers would look very favourably on one of their high profile and very well remunerated employees advising third parties how to get around their rules tbh.

 

1 hour ago, Stortz said:

I don't think many employers would look very favourably on one of their high profile and very well remunerated employees advising third parties how to get around their rules tbh.

Isn't this what lawyers do daily in every court in the land. Try to manipulate  /circumvent  the law they have sworn to uphold. Slap on the wrist and a warning re future behavior re conflicts of interests fits the bill for me. Not IMO an illegal  action

. 

[WayOutWest]

I cannot believe the manager of England is allowed to earn 400k, unbeknown to his employer.

I had to sign a confidentiality agreement and a conflict of interest when I joined my company.  It was very clear about what I was able to do outside of my job.

Surely our top man should not be able to freelance his experience on the open market. 

After the performance against Slovakia, I am surprised he has anytime for anything other than our national team. 

Stevo

[Snufflelufagus]

7 hours ago, TheCulturalBomb said:

It writes itself doesn't it, no one in the game at the top is clean, all have murky dealings and a chequered past. I would do the job, but I have urinated In public before, so that rules me out.

Hello Dean! Aren't you still playing at Ipswich though.

[Charliesboots]

6 hours ago, The Bard said:

Thank god for our FA.  The 'beacon of truth, integrity and fair play'.  What are you smoking/snorting/injecting?

The FA are based in London.  Europe's financial capital, especially if you're a bit dodgy. They're massively in debt and cowtow to the EPL.  They may like to project an image of propriety but it's nonsense.

It's called sarcasm...

As for the substance abuse allegation, keep it above the belt...or is that sarcasm too?

[Charliesboots]

6 hours ago, North London Red said:

The FA sent the England team to Port of Spain for a friendly against Trinidad in May 2008, and also agreed to a friendly against Thailand in Bangkok which was subsequently cancelled when the Thai FIFA delegate failed to vote for England in the 2018 world cup vote. Were these decisions made for purely ethical, footballing reasons, or were our FA attempting to influence two of the voting panel?

There's a difference between using your influence to gain advantage and bribery & corruption. 

[CyderInACan]

I love how in all these "stings" the victim is always pictured led back in a chair, usually after a beer, arrogantly holding sway as if conducting an orchestra. He's incredibly naive and arrogant if he thinks he can get away with this sort of behaviour without the FA acting. Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of what he said, it brings the wrong sort of attention with it and that's the real problem. 

Southgate caretaker manager by the end of the week? 

[Super]

At least he'll have the highest win percentage of any england manager!

[East End Old Boy]

He's a new employee for the FA, so he's surely still on probation?

Yes, I'm not being serious!

[Olé]

1 hour ago, WayOutWest said:

I cannot believe the manager of England is allowed to earn 400k, unbeknown to his employer.

I had to sign a confidentiality agreement and a conflict of interest when I joined my company.  It was very clear about what I was able to do outside of my job.

But again, there is absolutely nothing in this story to suggest that Allardyce wouldn't have informed his employer were there a specific contract or offer on the table. That's what's so feeble about these stings, they warm up the target and go public before they get anywhere, just using the innuendo of the fact they had a go.

The only person who should be embarrassed this morning is the Daily Telegraph, they've spent HALF A MILLION pounds on this feeble non-expose. For that money they could probably have got Katie Price to perform oral sex on the entire parliamentary Labour Party. They're a lot poorer this morning with no real story.

This stuff goes on all the time with people at the top of any industry. "Non-exec directors" paid a wedge just to advise others on the side, and to bring their prestige. Allardyce is hardly going to keep the FA appraised of every expression of interest or meal he has about possible advisory roles and I'm sure his contract doesn't require it.

If the Telegraph had got him to sign paperwork on a deal yes they would have a story but they don't, and they couldn't, as that is when his advisors would have done their due diligence and found out it wasn't real. All we've got here is Big Sam having the courtesy of accepting an invitation to discuss something with no commitment.

Even by English paper standards, this hatchet job on the England manager is spectacularly premature and misplaced. What it does tell me is that this series of revelations the Telegraph have lined up are going to be feeble in the extreme if this was their opening act designed to get people buying the paper for every day of this series.

[Shelton’s Love Gravy]

7 hours ago, The Bard said:

How this plays out depends on whether that view holds sway in the FA.  Some will be less confident about sacking him as they know there isn't really a realistic alternative. 

Who is out of a job?

Steve Cotterill!

[Super]

11 minutes ago, Nicky Morgan's Organ said:

Steve Cotterill!

Yep job for Cotts surely.

[Dr Balls]

19 minutes ago, Olé said:

But again, there is absolutely nothing in this story to suggest that Allardyce wouldn't have informed his employer were there a specific contract or offer on the table. That's what's so feeble about these stings, they warm up the target and go public before they get anywhere, just using the innuendo of the fact they had a go.

The only person who should be embarrassed this morning is the Daily Telegraph, they've spent HALF A MILLION pounds on this feeble non-expose. For that money they could probably have got Katie Price to perform oral sex on the entire parliamentary Labour Party. They're a lot poorer this morning with no real story.

This stuff goes on all the time with people at the top of any industry. "Non-exec directors" paid a wedge just to advise others on the side, and to bring their prestige. Allardyce is hardly going to keep the FA appraised of every expression of interest or meal he has about possible advisory roles and I'm sure his contract doesn't require it.

If the Telegraph had got him to sign paperwork on a deal yes they would have a story but they don't, and they couldn't, as that is when his advisors would have done their due diligence and found out it wasn't real. All we've got here is Big Sam having the courtesy of accepting an invitation to discuss something with no commitment.

Even by English paper standards, this hatchet job on the England manager is spectacularly premature and misplaced. What it does tell me is that this series of revelations the Telegraph have lined up are going to be feeble in the extreme if this was their opening act designed to get people buying the paper for every day of this series.

Unfortunately in the modern world where print media is rapidly going down the pan, the one thing that can be guaranteed is that in an effort to remain afloat, they will go for ever more sensationalism & engage in this type of undercover sting operation. And would you depend on a journalist to tell the truth? There is a reason why they are second only to politicians as the least trusted profession by the public.

Allardyce probably does have some enemies in the media, and given when he was managing may not be completely squeaky clean. But by the same token he probably was just one of many. My understanding is that he kept referring to the fact that he would have to run things past the FA as his employer, which all sounds appropriate.

As for the massive amount spent Wembley by the FA & his observations on Hodgson, Neville & some of the players, I don't think he is far off. 

Allardyce is a relatively easy target tbh. Plenty of areas of everyday life where investigative journalism might be of some real benefit to all of us (major business dodgy dealing, tax avoidance, screwing over employees etc) but I am not holding my breath on the Telegraph or any of the right wing press ever looking into that. Why bite the hand that feeds you especially when you bear in mind who owns the paper & their own interests....

[cityloyal473]

Storm in a teacup, which will be forgotten about by Thursday.