'You never know ...' - Ex-Everton and Leeds United boss holds interest in Wales job after one-year hiatus

Former Everton boss Sam Allardyce has registered an interest in becoming the new Wales manager after Rob Page left his post.

Wales parted ways with Page after three years following their failure to reach Euro 2024. After reaching the play-off finals, they suffered a crushing defeat on penalties as Poland triumphed on a dismal night in Cardiff. He managed to lead them to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 but after drawing with Gibraltar and losing 4-0 to Slovakia this month, he was dismissed.

For Allardyce, the 69-year-old hasn’t worked since returning to management after a two-year break to take over the reigns at Leeds United in the final few weeks of the 2022/23 campaign. His interim spell saw him fail to keep the Yorkshire club in the Premier League as he suffered his first relegation as a manager. Prior to that, he spent a year at West Bromwich Albion after leaving Everton after one season in 2018.

Now, he has revealed he ‘wouldn’t turn an interview down’ when it came to the now-vacant role. "I've had quite a few Welsh coaches and know them quite well. You never know if you get on the shortlist for an interview,” he told No Tippy Tappy Football about potentially managing Wales. “I'd always take an interview, I wouldn't turn an interview down. You've got a team that's done brilliantly over the last few years but who are the next generation?.

“Where's the next Gareth Bale? Teams like that always have to have one special player. With other countries, they have one special player who can actually make the expectations for the nation greater than what they think because they can win a game any time," Allardyce concluded.

His time at Everton was certainly divisive as he managed to guide the club to 8th in the league, but failed to prevent exits in the Europa League group stage and the FA Cup third round. Dismissed at the end of the campaign, the biggest criticism surrounded his style-of-play which left a lot to be desired. In terms of the bookmakers’ odds, Allardyce sits with names such as Osian Roberts, Craig Bellamy, Mark Hughes and Thierry Henry.