New Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce, who was sacked as national team manager, hits out but ready to put the past behind and move on
Sam Allardyce was sacked just 67 days into his role as England manager following a newspaper sting in September. Pic/Getty Images
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London: Sam Allardyce has admitted losing the England job was one of the "darkest moments" of his career.
Allardyce was sacked just 67 days into the role after making ill-advised comments while in conversation with undercover reporters in a newspaper sting. The 62-year-old is now back in management after taking over at Crystal Palace, agreeing a two-and-a-half-year deal on Friday.
Allardyce had always described the England manager role as his dream job and, in an interview with Sky Sports, he has described how low he felt in the aftermath of his dismissal. "The first four weeks was something that was one of the darkest moments in my career, certainly the early reaction which was a bit hysterical to say the least, looking back on it," he said.
"I'm talking about me and my wife and my family, we all had to deal with that problem - my children, my grandchildren at school. But eventually time passes by, you overcome those adversities and you move on. Moving on for me is taking this job."
Allardyce has replaced Alan Pardew at Selhurst Park and been handed the task of keeping Palace in the Premier League.
The former Bolton, Blackburn, Newcastle and West Ham chief took his first training session on Saturday morning, ahead of his first match at Watford on Boxing Day.
The Eagles are currently one point above the relegation having won just once in their last 11 matches. The situation is nothing new to Allardyce, however.
"You've got to do it. It's part of the quick process to try to turn around a difficult situation at the moment," he added.
"It's not as difficult as the position Sunderland were in, I don't think," Allardyce added.
Allardyce has never been relegated while at the helm of a Premier League club in his career.
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