The Football Association is investigating
allegations England manager Sam Allardyce
used his role to negotiate a £400,000 deal and
offer advice on how to "get around" rules on
player transfers.
The Telegraph has footage it says is from
August of Allardyce meeting men claiming to
represent a Far East firm and appearing to tell
them that third-party ownership rules can be
avoided.
The 61-year-old has yet to respond to the
allegations, while the FA has asked to see the
paper's filmed recordings.
It will meet on Tuesday morning when new
chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin
Glenn must decide whether the issue is one of
poor judgement or something more serious.
Allardyce was only named England boss in July,
succeeding Roy Hodgson after a disastrous
European Championship campaign.
The former Sunderland boss has been in charge
for just one game.
"I want all the facts, to hear everything from
everyone and make a judgement about what to
do," Clarke told The Times.
"Natural justice requires us to get to the bottom
of the issues before we make any decision. It is
not appropriate to pre-judge the issue. With
things like this you have to take a deep breath."
Third-party ownership of players was banned by
the FA in 2008.
During the meeting with the businessmen, who
were undercover reporters, 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.
Allardyce tells the undercover reporters that any
arrangement would have to be cleared by the
FA.
Third-party ownership, in which investment
companies take a stake in the economic rights
of players, was described as a form of "slavery"
by Michel Platini, the former president of
European football's governing body
Uefa.
World football's governing body Fifa banned the
practice in May last year.
allegations England manager Sam Allardyce
used his role to negotiate a £400,000 deal and
offer advice on how to "get around" rules on
player transfers.
The Telegraph has footage it says is from
August of Allardyce meeting men claiming to
represent a Far East firm and appearing to tell
them that third-party ownership rules can be
avoided.
The 61-year-old has yet to respond to the
allegations, while the FA has asked to see the
paper's filmed recordings.
It will meet on Tuesday morning when new
chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin
Glenn must decide whether the issue is one of
poor judgement or something more serious.
Allardyce was only named England boss in July,
succeeding Roy Hodgson after a disastrous
European Championship campaign.
The former Sunderland boss has been in charge
for just one game.
"I want all the facts, to hear everything from
everyone and make a judgement about what to
do," Clarke told The Times.
"Natural justice requires us to get to the bottom
of the issues before we make any decision. It is
not appropriate to pre-judge the issue. With
things like this you have to take a deep breath."
Third-party ownership of players was banned by
the FA in 2008.
During the meeting with the businessmen, who
were undercover reporters, 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.
Allardyce tells the undercover reporters that any
arrangement would have to be cleared by the
FA.
Third-party ownership, in which investment
companies take a stake in the economic rights
of players, was described as a form of "slavery"
by Michel Platini, the former president of
European football's governing body Uefa.
World football's governing body Fifa banned the
practice in May last year.
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