Big Sam In Bad Company

It didn't last long. Sam Allardyce was announced as the new hope for English football on 22 July 2016. After a mere 67 days in charge, encompassing one solitary victory against Slovakia, Big Sam has left his position at the supposed pinnacle of English football.

Many see the England job as a poisoned chalice but on this occasion Sam only has himself to blame. As with Glenn Hoddle before him, it wasn't his results on the pitch that were his undoing, but rather 'non-footballing reasons'. Allardyce was recorded by undercover reporters from The Telegraph advising on how to get around a rule on third party ownership of players and negotiating a £400,000 deal to represent a firm looking to profit from Premier League transfers . Both the manager and the FA are said to have agreed that his behaviour was 'innappropriate and not what is expected of an England manager'.

Big Sam joins an ever-growing group of managers that failed to make the grade for the Three Lions and takes the dubious honour of having reigned for the shortest time. The FA have placed U21 coach Gareth Southgate in temporary charge and will no doubt be scratching their heads looking for their next 'best man for the job'.