Sam Allardyce's Everton appointment proves football is full of surprises, says Roberto Martinez
Saturday 2 December 2017 08:57, UK
Sam Allardyce’s appointment at Everton proves nothing in football can be scripted, says former manager Roberto Martinez.
Allardyce could have been coming up against Belgium boss Martinez in Russia next summer, having started the World Cup qualifying campaign as manager of England.
But Allardyce was restricted to just one game in charge of England - a 1-0 win over Slovakia - after he was sacked following controversial comments made to fictitious businessmen in an undercover newspaper sting.
The 63-year-old spent the second half of last season as Crystal Palace boss and helped the Eagles preserve their Premier League status before his shock decision to step down to focus on family life.
But on Wednesday he was announced as Ronald Koeman's successor at Everton and Martinez hopes Allardyce's appointment proves a successful one.
"Well, I think in football, you cannot write it, you cannot predict it," Martinez said.
"I think Sam Allardyce brings enormous experience into a club like Everton.
"They started a little bit in the wrong end of the ambition that they had this season.
"[But] I will always follow Everton and will always wish them the best from a distance, so I wish Sam Allardyce a very good start to his Everton career."
