Allardyce: I deserved the England job in 2006

Sam Allardyce thinks he warranted the job as England coach in 2006 and hopes to be among the contenders when the position becomes available again.

Allardyce, then in charge of Bolton Wanderers, was linked to the role following the exit of Sven-Goran Eriksson, but Steve McClaren was instead appointed by the Football Association (FA).

It is a decision which still frustrates the 60-year-old, who agreed to succeed Dick Advocaat as Sunderland manager on Friday, but he hopes to get another opportunity of leading the national team in the future.

In an extract from his autobiography, serialised by The Sun, Allardyce wrote: “I should have got it and, as I’m a better manager now than I was then, I believe I should be in the running whenever it comes round again.

“That’s not vanity or being full of my own importance. My track record entitles me to be considered.

“I’m ambitious and I still want the England job, but I have less chance now even though I’m better equipped to do it.”

The former Newcastle and West Ham boss revealed that he went as far as arranging a meeting with David Beckham, then a Real Madrid midfielder and the England captain, to discuss his desire for the position.

“David said ‘the next manager needs to have experience to handle Champions League and World Cup games’, but I didn’t agree,” he continued.

“I got on the front foot and asked David to lunch in Madrid … he could see I was serious and I think I left having convinced him I could do it.

“He said if anybody at the FA asked him about me he wouldn’t have a problem, but he didn’t think he would have a say.”