FA Could Still Sanction Sam Allardyce

 

Sam Allardyce could face action from the Football Association following the undercover investigation which led to him losing his job as England manager.  The former Bolton boss left his role on Tuesday evening one game into his tenure with England following meetings with the FA over allegations he discussed on video how to circumvent rules on player transfers during the newspaper sting.

FA chairman Greg Clarke said it was agreed on all sides during the discussions that the situation was not recoverable but added the association had not yet established whether Allardyce had committed any breach of rules. The organisation is not making any further comment on the situation but it is understood the FA's governance team is still waiting for the transcripts from the Daily Telegraph.

Allardyce's agent Mark Curtis advised him not to go to the second meeting at Wings Restaurant in Manchester where the video was filmed, with Curtis reportedly suspicious of the motives of the representatives purporting to represent a Far East consortium who were interested in setting up a football business.

The FA's governance team will assess the transcripts and evidence and decide whether to bring any charges against Allardyce or anyone else featured in the undercover investigation. If that were to happen, it would then potentially go before an independent commission and it would be for them to decide if any punishments were to be imposed. The FA can charge anyone, even if they are no longer under its jurisdiction. If any charge(s) is found, and a punishment issued, it would be applied when they returned to the English game. Alternatively, the governing body would ask FIFA to apply it in another association.

Video footage released by the Daily Telegraph also appeared to show Allardyce mocking predecessor Roy Hodgson, calling Prince Harry a very naughty boy and accusing the FA of being all about making money.