Sam Allardyce refuses to rule out Premier League return as boss with sacking season in full swing

SAM ALLARDYCE has not ruled out taking another job in the game.

Sacking season is now in full swing – and Allardyce may yet be asked to fulfil his role as Fireman Sam saving clubs from relegation.

He said: “I keep making a fool of myself by saying I’m retiring and then going back.

“So I’d still be up for it if another offer comes in and I’ll know I’m really finished only when I stop getting offers.”

Big Sam didn’t get the call from dive-bombing Aston Villa after the sacking of Dean Smith – with Steven Gerrard now his successor.

Allardyce has huge sympathy for Smith – pointing to the £100million summer sale of Jack Grealish as the moment things started going wrong for him.

He maintains : “Having to lose one of best players in the world – losing Jack – a world class player was a real problem for him

“You probably need three players to make up for Jack.

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“And you really need a bit of patience fom the owners which wasn’t hurting so this will be hurting him especially as he’s true claret and blue.

“Now he’ll just have to take on the chin and suck it up but he did a great job at Villa.

 “Stevie Gerrard I don’t know very well but he proved himself at Rangers and this will be a great challenge for him.”

Allardyce’s most successful spell as a manager was with Bolton and he will boss it again at the UniBol on Sunday.

Big Sam will lead a team of Trotters all-stars – with the likes of Kevin Davies, Jay-Jay Okocha, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Jussi Jaaskelainen – against the current side in aid of MND as well as supporting defender Gethin Jones’ mum Karen, who was diagnosed with the disease in July.

Of his time at Bolton, Allardyce said he had ‘only good memories’.

He added: “It was a great transformation in the period we had and we had some wonderful players.

“It was just a dream, not just for me and the players playing together but also the fans.

“I’ll never forget the atmosphere when the ‘Reebok’ was full.

“It was the best time a lot of them ever had and certainly one of the best I had – apart from being a player myself because nothing really substitutes that.”

Big Sam’s Bolton All Stars v Bolton in aid of MND and in support of raising funds for defender Gethin Jones’ mum Karen, who suffers with the disease. Kick off 1pm Sunday November 14. For match tickets go to: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/bwfc/EDP/Event/Index/3481

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk