Allardyce expresses interest in Wolves managerial role
Former England manager Sam Allardyce has indicated he would consider taking charge at Wolverhampton Wanderers following Vitor Pereira’s dismissal on Sunday, reports BritPanorama.
The 71-year-old, who has been without a managerial position since his brief tenure at Leeds United concluded in May 2023, acknowledged his lifelong connection to the Midlands club.
Wolves terminated Pereira’s contract after Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham left them bottom of the Premier League with eight losses from ten matches. The Portuguese manager had signed a three-year extension only last September.
While expressing interest in the vacancy, Allardyce recognised that the club might favour appointing a younger manager as they seek to avoid relegation. Speaking on talkSPORT’s Sports Breakfast, Allardyce addressed speculation about his potential return to management.
“I suppose the amount of times I’ve said I might retire, I can never say never the amount of times I’ve actually bounced back,” he stated. The veteran manager revealed his personal connection to the club: “So, I think that possibly Wolves was one of my childhood favourite clubs that I started watching I suppose, but you know, who knows?”
He tempered expectations about his candidacy, adding: “I think I’ve heard they’re looking for a younger coach anyway, so not too sure my time will ever come round again.” “But I sit and wait, you never know, I’m not actively searching; if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” Allardyce concluded.
Allardyce’s most recent managerial positions ended in relegation, with both Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion dropping to the Championship under his watch. He managed only four matches at Leeds in 2023, describing any potential survival as “an absolute miracle” given the circumstances.
His West Brom tenure proved particularly frustrating, with Allardyce attributing their 2021 relegation partly to Covid-19’s impact on team preparation. “That was bitterly disappointing for me because I wanted to try and keep the record of never being relegated from the Premier League,” he admitted.
Despite these setbacks, Allardyce emphasised that January’s transfer window would prove crucial for any club battling relegation, regardless of who takes charge. Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite for the position, despite his recent appointment at the Riverside Stadium last summer.
Gary O’Neil, who previously managed Wolves before his dismissal last December, initially entered discussions about returning to Molineux but subsequently withdrew from consideration after a change of heart on Monday. Former Wolves player Robbie Keane has reportedly expressed interest in the vacancy, whilst recently dismissed Bayer Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag also features on the club’s radar.
Edwards, who previously worked as a player, coach, and Under-23s manager at Wolves, currently has Middlesbrough sitting second in the Championship table.
As the search for a new manager intensifies, the Wolves face the pressing challenge of revitalising their fortune in the Premier League; the next appointment will be pivotal in shaping the club’s trajectory.
