Mourinho 'feels sorry' for Allardyce

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said Wednesday he “feels sorry” for Sam Allardyce and still respects him, a day after his reign as England boss came to a sudden and premature end.

After a mere 67 days in charge of the national side, Allardyce paid the price on Tuesday for indiscreetly talking with undercover Daily Telegraph reporters posing as Far East businessmen. 

The 61-year-old was secretly filmed giving advice on how to get around transfer rules as he also criticised the Football Association’s decision to rebuild Wembley and mocked his England predecessor Roy Hodgson. 

Allardyce, appointed England manager in July on a £3 million ($3.9 million, 3.5 million euro) a year contract, also agreed to travel to Singapore and Hong Kong as an ambassador for their fictitious firm for a fee of £400,000. 

United manager Mourinho, who once accused Allardyce of playing “19th century football” when the latter was in charge of West Ham, said Wednesday: “The only thing I can say is that I like Sam.

“I feel sorry for that because I know that was a dream job and I feel sorry for him.”

The Portuguese, speaking ahead of United’s Europa League clash with Zorya Luhansk, added: “The second thing I can say is that what happened obviously is not going to interfere with my own relations with him. I like him and respected him before and that is not going to change.

“The third thing is it is between him and the FA. I have nothing to say with it.”