SEPTEMBER 27, 2016 – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said England boss Sam Allardyce “needs to be allowed to defend himself”, following allegations in a newspaper.A Daily Telegraph investigation says Allardyce, 61, used his role to negotiate a £400,000 deal and offer advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers.
The former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham manager also appears to criticise the Football Association, his international predecessor Roy Hodgson and ex-England assistant Gary Neville.
“You have to let Sam Allardyce defend himself and I just hope he will clear his name,” said Wenger.
Allardyce is yet to respond to the allegations, and had been meeting with FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn on Tuesday.
Allardyce, who has only been in charge for one game and 67 days, was only named England boss in July, succeeding Roy Hodgson after a disastrous European Championship campaign.
During the meeting with undercover reporters posing as businessmen, it is alleged Allardyce said it was “not a problem” to bypass the rules and he knew of agents who were “doing it all the time”.
It is further alleged by the paper that a deal was struck with the England boss worth £400,000 for him to represent the company to Far East investors and to be a keynote speaker at events.
However, Allardyce told the undercover reporters that any arrangement would have to be cleared by the FA.
