Sam Allardyce rebounds from England firing, named Crystal Palace's new manager
Just months after being ousted from England in a stunning fall from grace, Sam Allardyce is rebounding as the manager of Crystal Palace. The struggling Premier League club announced the hire on Friday in a move that offers Allardyce a chance to move past his short-but-embarrassing spell with England.
Allardyce, known for his ability to come in and make quick fixes to floundering clubs, takes over for fired coach Alan Pardew with the task of saving 17th-placed Palace from relegation. But it’s a relegation fight that may take on new meaning for Allardyce, who needs to move on from an embarrassing dismissal after just about two months as head of the Three Lions.
The 62-year-old manager was filmed by undercover journalists suggesting there were ways to get around rules banning the controversial practice of third-party ownership. He was swiftly fired after 67 days on the job for England, having managed a single game for the team.
But Allardyce’s baggage aside, he looks to be the right hire for Crystal Palace, as long as he stays out of trouble. Palace sit one point above the relegation zone and need a turnaround soon — and Allardyce has similar prior experience, having saved Sunderland’s season last year after being hired in October.
"We are delighted to be able to make an appointment so quickly and fortunate that someone of Sam’s calibre and experience was available,” Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said in a statement.
Allardyce will likely take a more conservative approach than Pardew had and look to bolster Palace’s defense in the transfer window to start hemorrhaging fewer goals. But the team looks ripe for improvement — Palace have just 26 points from 36 games, an average of 0.72 points per games.
“Big Sam" takes his new job with Palace immediately and he will be in place for Palace’s Boxing Day match against Watford.
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