The Football Association will investigate allegations that Sam Allardyce used his role as England manager to negotiate a £400,000 deal and offer advice on how to bypass Premier League rules on third party ownership of players.
Footage from an investigation by The Telegraph allegedly shows Allardyce – in a meeting with men claiming to represent a Far East company – appearing to say that third-party ownership rules can be avoided.
Allardyce is yet to respond to the allegations, while the FA are scheduled to meet on Tuesday morning after asking to see the paper’s footage.
“I want all the facts, to hear everything from everyone and make a judgement about what to do,” new chairman Greg Clarke told the Daily Mail.
“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.”
The meeting between Allardyce and the men – who were actually undercover reporters – is said to have taken place in August, just a month after the 61-year-old had been appointed as England’s manager.
The report also has claims that the footage of the former Sunderland manager shows him criticising his predecessor Roy Hodgson, referring to him as “Woy” – a derogatory nickname for the former England boss.
Allardyce appears to say during the footage that Hodgson was “too indecisive”, and the report claims Allardyce said his predecessor “hasn’t got the personality” for public speaking.
He is also said to have taken aim at Gary Neville, Hodgson’s former assistant who resigned along with the rest of the England coaching staff after the team’s embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the last-16 of Euro 2016.
