Sam Allardyce quits as Crystal Palace manager - 7M sport

Sam Allardyce quits as Crystal Palace manager



Posted Wednesday, May 24, 2017 by squawka.com

Sam Allardyce quits as Crystal Palace manager

Sam Allardyce has left his position as Crystal Palace manager after just five months at Selhurst Park.

Allardyce took charge of the Eagles in December and was successful in keeping Palace in the Premier League, winning eight of his 20 league matches in charge of the club.

That run included huge results against Premier League champions Chelsea, a win away at Liverpool and a home defeat of Arsenal, which saw Palace finish 14th in the top flight - a decent placing given their battle against relegation.

However Allardyce has now confirmed in a statement, released by the Daily Mail, that he will be stepping away from the Palace management position.

The coach was keen to indicate that, despite reports about failed discussions over transfer targets, he is not leaving the club due to a difference of opinion.

Rather Allardyce appears to have revealed he will be retiring from management, saying he has "no ambitions to take another job".

The statement reads:

"In some ways, this has been a very difficult decision to make but in others it has been a simple one.

"I will always be grateful to Crystal Palace and Steve Parish for giving me the opportunity to go out with my head held high having helped keep the Club in the Premier League.

"More than, they gave me a chance of rebuilding my reputation after what happened with England. I felt I needed another shot at being a Premier League manager and in helping to achieve something. As I said last weekend, Palace gave me the chance of rehabilitation.

"That's why it's hard walking away now. I think the Club are heading in the right direction with a hugely supportive board of directors, a great squad of players and some of the most passionate fans I've ever met. It's been a privilege to have worked here for the past five months.

"But there comes a time when you have to take stock of what direction you want your life to take - and that's been the simple part for me.

"I want to be able to savour life while I'm still relatively young and when I'm still relatively healthy enough to do all the things I want to do, like travel, spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager.

"This is the right time for me. I have no ambitions to take another job, I simply want to be able to enjoy all the things you cannot really enjoy with the 24/7 demands of managing any football club, let alone one in the Premier League.

"Steve Parish has been superb during our conversations today. I know it came as a shock to him that I would walk away but our discussions have been incredibly civilised with no recriminations and no fall-out.

"This is not about transfer targets, finances or anything along those lines. This is me taking the decision I believe is right for my family and myself.

"I would like to thank everybody for their messages of support since the news broke. I've no doubt I will miss management but I certainly have no regrets at this decision."

The former Newcastle, West Ham and England manager finds himself now out of work again, culminating a strange 12 month period for Allardyce which started with the manager leaving Sunderland to take over the national team, only to leave after a newspaper sting investigation.

With the Black Cats relegated to the Championship and David Moyes departing the club after only a season in charge, a fair few Sunderland fans are optimistic that Allardyce's decision to leave Palace could see him return to the Stadium of Light, despite his revelations about leaving the game.



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