England is on the verge of hiring Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce to take charge of the national team as Roy Hodgson’s successor.
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the English Football Association is close to finalizing Allardyce’s appointment. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the appointment has not been made and the FA board, which is due to meet on Thursday, has to approve new coaches.
The FA has to secure Allardyce’s release from Sunderland, which urged for a swift resolution last week after revealing that the 61-year-old Englishman had held talks with England.
The FA began searching for a new coach three weeks ago when Hodgson’s hopes of extending his four-year stint were ended by an embarrassing loss to Iceland in the last 16 of European Championship.
lopetegui is Spain’s coach
MADRID: Spain’s football federation says Julen lopetegui is the new coach of the national team.
lopetegui replaces Vicente Del Bosque, who resigned after Spain’s elimination in the round of 16 of the European Championship last month. The 49-year-old lopetegui had last coached FC Porto in Portugal. He was without a job since January.
A former goalkeeper, lopetegui coached Spain’s youth squads from 2010-14.