Sam Allardyce has been back in football management for less than a week and he’s already got into a dispute with a man in a giant hornet costume.
It might sound like something from ‘The Day Today’, but it’s incredibly, implausibly real.
The former England manager has said Watford mascot Harry the Hornet was “out of order” for mocking Wilfried Zaha’s dive after yesterday’s draw between Watford and Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road.
And further to the incident, the mascot has reportedly been charged by the FA.
Harry The Hornet facing FA charge. Classic.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) December 27, 2016
We’ll give you a minute to let that sink in.
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
As you may recall, Allardyce was relieved of his England duties after just one game, after a Daily Telegraph investigation.
The former Sunderland boss was caught on camera making comments which led the Football Association to consider his position untenable.
He was alleged to have provided undercover reporters with advice on how to bypass the FA’s rules on third party ownership, and that was enough for him to be dismissed less than 70 days after replacing Roy Hodgson.
Now, it would be pretty awkward if a colloquial name for that kind of investigation was the same as something which hornets do to harm humans.
Fortunately we’ve had no such issues. Oh, wait.
Allardyce wants the FA to investigate Harry the Hornet, a sting operation, if you will.
— Rob Page dislike account (@HTAM96) December 26, 2016
Sam Allardyce needs to lay off Harry the Hornet. He's already been the victim of one sting this year
— Ed (@eddo75) December 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/seansheep188/status/813544124032884736
Sam Allardyce victim of another sting. This time he wants #watfordfc Mascot banned for taking the mickey out of #cpfc, reports the Sun . pic.twitter.com/v5XWrUTXut
— Soccer Sixes (@SoccerSixesS6) December 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/IAmJimPage/status/813679679647453184
Back in football for 1 game & already involved in another sting with #HarryTheHornet. Glad #allardyce has learnt his lesson! #watfordfc 😂 pic.twitter.com/r5pzpDIZ6S
— Invincibles Studio | Download SM24 Now! (@InvncblsGames) December 27, 2016
Not the first time Sam Allardyce has been caught up in a sting related incident recently.
— Neil Quigley (@NeilQuigley) December 27, 2016
oh oh oh I'm still here.. 😬🐝💛
— Official Harry Hornet (@1HHornet) December 27, 2016