LONDON • Former England boss Sam Allardyce returned to management for the first time in 21/2 years after being appointed as West Bromwich Albion manager on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old takes over the Premier League strugglers after Slaven Bilic was sacked despite earning a 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Tuesday. The Baggies are 19th in the table on seven points but sit just two points off safety.
Englishman Allardyce has joined on an 18-month contract and will take charge for the first time in a Midlands derby against Aston Villa on Sunday.
“In Sam, we have a man who has a proven Premier League pedigree with a track record of improving every club he has managed,” said Luke Dowling, West Brom’s sporting and technical director. “We believe and, more importantly, Sam believes we have a group of players that have the quality needed to give the club its best chance of Premier League survival.”
Bilic, 52, led West Brom back to the top flight in his only full season in charge, but paid the price for winning just one of the club’s first 13 Premier League games of the campaign.
The Croat’s relationship with the club’s board had also soured in recent months after he was given little funding to bring in players in the close season.
He became the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season.
Allardyce was named England manager in 2016 but was sacked 67 days later. He has not been involved in a coaching role since being fired by Everton in May 2018.
But he has a wealth of experience when it comes to keeping sides in the Premier League and now takes charge of a record eighth club after previous spells at Bolton, West Ham, Newcastle, Blackburn, Sunderland and Crystal Palace.
According to The Daily Mail, Allardyce will earn a £2 million (S$3.6 million) bonus should he keep the Baggies up but also has a break clause in his contract should they be relegated.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE