England

Steve McClaren sympathetic towards Sam Allardyce

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 28 September 2016

Former England manager Steve McClaren is sympathetic towards Sam Allardyce after he was forced to step down from his role as national team boss.

Former England manager Steve McClaren has expressed sympathy for Sam Allardyce after he was forced to step down from his role as national team boss.

Allardyce was secretly filmed making derogatory comments about the Football Association and predecessor Roy Hodgson, in addition to offering advice on how to "get around" rules on third-party ownership of players.

McClaren labelled the situation a "disappointing" one for English football and admitted that he felt for Allardyce after he was caught out by the media sting.

"It's been a hugely disappointing couple of days for English football and I'm very sad for what has happened to Sam. It could have happened to any of us in a high-profile position and Sam has innocently paid the price and it just shows where sport is, at the elite level, that privacy can only be found in the four walls of your home," he told reporters.

"And I think a lot of managers, who have been targeted, have unfortunately found that out, too. We need closure on this so the newspapers and reporters should give their information to the FA so they can step in - if there is anything there, it's got to be cut out of the game.

"Personally, I'm very sad and disappointed. Professionally, I think if there is information about anything bad the FA should deal with it because nobody wants to see a corrupt game."

McClaren previously held the shortest reign of any permanent England boss before Allardyce's spell of just 67 days.