Crystal Palace’s manager Sam Allardyce was England’s boss for just 67 days and one match
LONDON, United Kingdom, May 24 – Sam Allardyce has resigned as Crystal Palace manager five months after he joined the Premier League club.
Allardyce replaced Alan Pardew in December on a two-and-half-year deal with the Eagles one point above the relegation zone.
The 62-year-old, who had an ill-fated one-game spell as England boss, led the club to eight wins in 21 games to guide them to a 14th-place finish.
“I have no ambitions to take another job,” Allardyce said in a statement.
“I want to be able to savour life while I am still relatively young, and when I am still relatively healthy enough to do all the things I want to do, like travel, spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager.
“This is the right time for me. I simply want to be able to enjoy all the things you cannot really enjoy with the 24/7 demands of managing any football club, let alone one in the Premier League.”
Allardyce revealed his decision to chairman Steve Parish at a meeting in London on Tuesday. The Eagles are now looking for their eighth manager in seven years.
Although it took Allardyce six games to get his first victory – with BBC Sport asking if the ‘Big Sam bounce had deserted Palace’ – the former Bolton, Blackburn, Newcastle and West Ham boss maintained his record of never being relegated from the Premier League.
Only Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Harry Redknapp and David Moyes have managed more games in the Premier League.
Allardyce’s final game in charge of Palace came on Sunday, a 2-0 loss at Manchester United, having guaranteed safety the previous week by thrashing Hull 4-0.
Following defeat at Old Trafford, Allardyce indicated his plans to improve the squad in the summer.
He had told BBC Sport: “We now need to grow, develop and invest. You need to choose the right players and not the wrong ones. Recruitment is the difficult task in the summer.”
Allardyce left his post as England manager by mutual agreement in September after only one match in charge.
It followed a Daily Telegraph investigation claiming he offered advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers.
The FA said Allardyce’s conduct “was inappropriate”. He apologised, adding “entrapment had won”.
-By BBC-
