LONDON: The Football Association has formally confirmed Sam Allardyce as new manager of England after resolving the issue of compensation to Sunderland.

The 61-year-old was recommended to the FA Council yesterday by the three-man selection panel and his appointment as Roy Hodgson’s successor has now been ratified.

The former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham manager was beaten to the post by Steve McClaren 10 years ago. Now he has little over six weeks to launch his new career with England’s opening 2018 World Cup qualifying tie against Slovakia on September 4.

Sam Allardyce . . . awaiting the green light

Allardyce will become the 15th permanent England boss, the pinnacle of a managerial career that started at Blackpool in 1994 and has taken in 467 Premier League games. Only Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp have managed more games in the top flight.

He has never won a major trophy but did secure promotion to the Premier League with both Bolton and West Ham. He also won Division Three with Notts County in 1998.

Playing career

As a player, Allardyce started at Bolton in the 1970s before spells at Sunderland, Millwall, Coventry, Huddersfield, West Brom, Irish club Limerick and US side Tampa Bay Rowdies. He ended his career at Preston.

The Sunderland manager has been the bookmakers’ favourite ever since it emerged that he had held talks last week with the three-man panel – FA ceo Martin Glenn, vice-chairman David Gill and technical director Dan Ashworth.

Discussions were also held with Hull’s Steve Bruce, while Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann also figured on the FA’s initial shortlist.

Allardyce will face the task of picking up the pieces after a disastrous Euro 2016 finals campaign which saw England dumped out of the competition by Iceland in ignominious fashion.

However, his remit will be wider than just the senior international squad as the powers that be attempt to address the serial failure of recent decades with the 50th anniversary of the 1966 World Cup final success just days away.

Glenn has said: “We’re not after a short-term mercenary, someone just to do the job for a couple of years.

“I want someone to come in to the England role to really work with not just the senior team, but to make sure all the great work with the under-16s, 17s, 18s – look at how well the under-19s are doing now – and to knit all that together.

“We want someone to do a great job for the England national team, but as well make sure all the development teams are laddering up to something more effective.”

Psychological factor

In a separate interview with BBC, Glenn said: “The new manager has got to be someone who can inspire people to get the best out of themselves, build resilience and unashamedly adopt the kind of psychological techniques that other sports and other football teams have done, to really inspire people that when they put their England jersey on they play as well for England as they do for their club.”

The Black Cats now face the task of finding a ninth permanent boss in less than eight years, although wheels have been in motion for some time.

Sunderland were unhappy with the way news of Allardyce’s discussions leaked out, and the uncertainty surrounding his position at the Stadium of Light as a result has proved disruptive to preparations for the new season.

Former Everton, Manchester United and Real Sociedad manager David Moyes is favourite.

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