Football
ESPN staff 6y

Sam Allardyce keen to hold talks over United States job

Former England manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed he is interested in holding talks to become United States boss.

Bruce Arena resigned last month after United States failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, and sources subsequently told ESPN FC that Allardyce would be interested in the vacancy. 

Allardyce, 63, who has since been linked with the Everton job, has now said he would be keen on a return to international management, although he said any discussions will have to wait until after the new U.S. Soccer Federation president is elected in February. 

"Yes, I would go I think, but I think there's a president elect in January [sic] which has stalled the process, so if I got the opportunity to speak to the U.S. then I would look forward to that," he told talkSPORT.

Allardyce, whose brief stint as England boss ended in September 2016, is currently out of work after deciding to leave Crystal Palace in the summer.

Asked if his wife would be happy to relocate to America, Allardyce said: "Why wouldn't you want to live in the States, man?

"International football is totally different from Premier League football. It's 10 games a year and there's a huge amount of downtime for yourself to go and watch the players and all that, but it's not the same day-to-day pressures you get in the Premier League."

The former Bolton, Blackburn and West Ham boss, whose playing career involved a brief stint with NASL side Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1983, played down the idea he would seek to base himself in Florida if he got the job.

"Wherever they say you've got to base yourself is where you base yourself," he said. "I've always loved the States since I've been going for many, many years, and I played there. I played there for Tampa Bay Rowdies and had a terrific time by the way."

Last month, Mike Forde, the New York-based management consultant who worked as Allardyce's performance director at Bolton before spending six years as director of football operations at Chelsea, told ESPN FC: "Sam is a modern manager with a great ability to combine new technology and ideas with the basics of how to win games.

"His record speaks for itself. Everywhere he goes, he gets results. Sam is one of the best coaches to build a clear team identity and style. At national team level, this is key with limited time together as a squad.

"The plan and strategy has to be very clear, but Sam has a great balance between the traditional approach of how to win games and a curiosity to try new ideas and technology."

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