Sam Allardyce: How PowerPoint cost me the England job

Game changer: Allardyce could not conduct his PowerPoint presentation
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Sam Long12 October 2015

Sam Allardyce has revealed that a lack of PowerPoint facilities at the FA thwarted his hopes of becoming England manager in 2006.

Sven-Goran Eriksson was relieved of his position in the wake of a frustrating World Cup campaign and the then Bolton manager was keen to be given an opportunity to work at international level.

Although Allardyce initially thought the FA would install a foreign coach to succeed the Swede he decided to attend an interview for the vacant position.

"I was sure the FA would go out and get another foreigner.

"But it became apparent they were positively encouraging English candidates to throw their hats into the ring.

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"The longer I thought about it, the more I felt I should get it," Allardyce told the Sun as part of a serialisation of 'Big Sam - My Autobiography'.

But the 60-year-old's plans to convince the interview panel that he was the man for the job were dealt a blow when he learned that his meticulously planned PowerPoint presentation had to be delivered via print outs.

"I wanted to do a real knock-your-socks-off interview for the FA, so I put together a PowerPoint which looked at every single detail.

"There was nothing missing. Nobody but nobody was going to beat it.

"But then Brian Barwick, the chief executive, told me there were no PowerPoint facilities at the interview venue, so I had to print off hard copies for the panel.

"So much for the progressive FA."

Allardyce eventually missed out to Steve McClaren, whose stint in charge of the Three Lions proved to be short lived after he failed to qualify for Euro 2008.