Sam Allardyce pledged to make England proud of its perennially-underperforming national team after being hired as its manager on Friday, following an embarrassing European Championship showing under Roy Hodgson.
In a break from previous lengthy deals for managers, the English Football Association only handed Allardyce an initial two-year contract through the 2018 World Cup after securing his release from Premier league club Sunderland.
Allardyce takes over one of football’s most high-profile and challenging jobs after a 25-year management career that yielded no major trophies but won him plaudits for over-achieving with modest teams.
“It is no secret that this is the role I have always wanted,” Allardyce said. “For me, it is absolutely the best job in English football. I will do everything I can to help England do well and give our nation the success our fans deserve. Above all, we have to make the people and the whole country proud.”
The 61-year-old Allardyce, like Hodgson, was never selected by England during his playing career.
Hodgson’s hopes of extending his four-year stint with England were dashed when its Euro 2016 campaign ended in June with a humbling loss to Iceland in the round of 16.