Allardyce can manage England and Sunderland – Defoe

Matt Stead

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe thinks Sam Allardyce could manage both the Black Cats and England.

Allardyce is the favourite to take over as England boss after Roy Hodgson resigned following the Three Lions’ miserable Euro 2016 campaign.

Sunderland confirmed on Wednesday that they had given the former West Ham boss permission to speak with the Football Association about the possibility of replacing Hodgson.

Defoe, who scored 15 Premier League goals under Allardyce last season, believes ‘Big Sam’ can carry on as the Black Cats manager even if he joins the England setup.

“Obviously I want him to stay at Sunderland, but maybe he could do both [jobs],” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Ex-Tottenham striker Defoe admits that he was unsure about Allardyce’s style of play before he arrived at the Stadium of Light but has since been impressed with his clear approach.

“I’ve always known about Sam, but it’s not until you play for a manager that you actually realise what they bring to a team and what they bring to a dressing room,” he said.

“I remember when I was really young at West Ham, playing against Bolton, pulling up to the stadium and thinking, ‘it’s going to be a tough one’.

“It was always difficult against Sam’s teams because they’re so direct. We used to say it was a horrible way of playing, but it’s so effective.

“It’s no different to what he’s done at Sunderland. He’s come in and given us the basis to win games. He didn’t really complicate anything.

“On the Thursday he’d do the team shape, saying, ‘This is what I want, this is how we’re going to win’, depending on who we were playing against, and he just wants you to go out and do it.”