Allardyce backs manager Mac
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Big Sam feels sorry for England boss
Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce has distanced himself from the currently precarious England manager's job.
Allardyce, overlooked for the post after Sven-Goran Eriksson's departure, is one of the bookmakers' favourites to replace Steve McClaren, should England not qualify for Austria and Switzerland.
McClaren is under intense pressure following the miserable defeat in Russia, and some sectors of the press have begun to put forward their ideas of potential replacements.
But Allardyce has backed the former Middlesbrough boss, and spoken of his optimism that England might squeeze through qualification.
Friendly
"I am very friendly with Steve and I would never talk about anybody else's position while they are in the job," he said.
"He should be allowed to see it through to the end. We are not out of it. We have still got the opportunity to get there - I know we have to rely on somebody else first, but that's football.
"It can happen and it can give us a lifeline, and I am sure we will take it.
"You have got all this hysteria which revolves around it. It really doesn't matter how well or badly England played anymore, you know what you are going to get, and Steve, unfortunately, is getting it." -
The players and managers always back the manager if he's still in position... but once the manager's ousted, everyone will be fighting to state the opposite.
