Sam Says Sayonara - Allardyce Leaves Palace And Hints At Retirement
Sam Allardyce appears to have retired from football management after leaving his role as Crystal Palace manager.
He leaves just two days after their final game of the Premier League season, the Eagles went down 2-0 to Manchester United.
Allardyce kept the club in the top flight, they finished in 14th place. He thanked Palace for giving him the opportunity to take the job after he left the England job in controversial circumstances.
He was only in charge of the national team for one match, the curtain came down prematurely when he told an undercover newspaper reporter that it was possible to 'get round' rules about third-party ownership of players.
He lasted in the top job in English football for just 67 days. Palace appointed him in December.
"In some ways, this has been a very difficult decision to make but in others it has been a simple one," Allardyce said in a statement released to Sky Sports by his representative.
"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 that, 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 showing that I still had the ability to achieve something significant. As I said last weekend, Palace gave me the chance of rehabilitation.
"That's why it's hard walking away now. I believe 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 for them 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, even if I'm beginning to feel all my 62 years.
"While I've got the energy, I want to travel and also spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager. I owe that to my wife and family.
"This is the right time for me, I know that in my heart. 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."