It was short, it was (not really) sweet, but after one game and 67 days, Sam Allardyce has been removed from his position as England manager.
Sam Allardyce leaves the role via “mutual consent“, following statements from both the FA and the former Sunderland manager’s representatives.
The decision comes in the wake of an undercover investigation by the Telegraph that allegedly showed Allardyce – in a meeting with men claiming to represent a Far East company – appearing to say that the Football Association’s rules regarding third-party ownership can be bypassed.
We’ll always have Slovakia mate. Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
Gareth Southgate will take charge of the senior squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia, while the FA looks to rebuild.
It’s all a very troubling and serious situation. A man has lost his dream job. Football’s dark underbelly appears to have been revealed. The Football Association once again has to look at its methods and practices as they look to bring the England National Team to international football’s big table.
So of course everyone responded to the news by taking the piss.
— Jonny Sharples (@JonnyGabriel) September 27, 2016
Football fans around the world shunned the Champions League games that were on and Tuesday night and did what they did best: making jokes about a man who last managed Charlton Athletic a decade ago.
Alan Curbishley 100/1 to be next England manager. Gone are the days when he was a standard 16/1 in all manager markets…
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) September 27, 2016
The year is 2052 and Alan Curbishley is still the 8th favourite for the vacant England job, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of his death
— Ben (@ben_dumbo) September 27, 2016
The speedy rise and fall of Big Sam became prime material for joke making.
Sam Allardyce is now a guaranteed quiz answer for the next 20 years.
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) September 27, 2016
I do hope David Peace is working on The Damned Allardyce.
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) September 27, 2016
As did the man who’ll replace Big Sam in the big job.
"What do you mean "Roy Hodgson sends his regards", Gareth?" pic.twitter.com/kq6GM67GQz
— Chris (@chrs00) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/LowQualityRegen/status/780849392383303680
It all got a lot funnier/more tragic when you took into account Big Sam’s England record.
Poor Sam was manager of the Soccer Aid team more times than the English one. #SamAllardyce pic.twitter.com/4UgNCZRSfk
— jar (@jar_ie) September 27, 2016
Sam Allardyce's regime saw his England team lead their opponents for a grand total of ten seconds.
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) September 27, 2016
Gary Lineker had his two cents as per…
Sam Allardyce has lost his job as England manager. No one, though, will ever beat his game winning percentage.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 27, 2016
And then came the obligatory Simpsons and wrestling references to wrap things up.
Timeline of Allardyce's time as England manager. pic.twitter.com/LN2L1EpBhd
— Colin McBride (@colin_a_mcbride) September 27, 2016
"Money isn't everything. It's the only thing." – The Million Dollar Sam pic.twitter.com/1kEfIH4lYy
— Detroit Paris Page (@WhatupDetroit) September 27, 2016
Football fans eh? What are they like? *Heads to Sunderland to ask Black Cats fans what they think*