By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, England (Reuters) – An emotional and apologetic Sam Allardyce headed for the airport yesterday, blaming entrapment for his shock exit as England manager but recognising that an error of judgement had led to his downfall.The 61-year-old, who told reporters outside his home in northern England that he was going abroad “to chill out and reflect”, refused to rule out an eventual return to soccer.
Blasted by the media for hubris and greed, Allardyce was shown the door by England on Tuesday for seeking a lucrative sideline role while talking to undercover reporters from Britain’s Daily Telegraph.
The paper said it had hundreds of pages of transcripts from the meeting in which ‘Big Sam’ had discussed a deal worth £400 000 ($520 000) to represent a Far East firm seeking advice on the transfer market.
Allardyce, an old-school manager famed for helping unfashionable clubs avoid relegation, said it had been a “silly thing” to do but he had been trying to do a favour for someone he had known for 30 years.
“Unfortunately it was an error in judgement on my behalf. I have paid the consequences,” he said.
“Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that. I’ve apologised to (the Football Association) and all concerned.”
Allardyce, who replaced Roy Hodgson after England’s dismal Euro 2016 campaign, said it had been a great honour to be appointed in July.
The former centre half recognised in an earlier statement that he had made comments which had caused embarrassment to the FA and others.
A glance at the morning’s newspapers would have given him little comfort, with scant sympathy and lashings of scorn for a manager that ex-FA chairman Greg Dyke said had been ‘grubbing around’ for money.
“I didn’t think England could stoop any lower than what happened in the summer at the Euros,” commented former England striker Alan Shearer. “Now here we are, a laughing stock of world football.”
Allardyce won his only game in charge of England, a World Cup qualifier in Slovakia earlier this month, by 1-0. He will be replaced by Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate for the next four matches as the FA searches for a successor.
“I’m going to go away and reflect on it. I’d like to wish all the England lads, Gareth, and the staff all the very best,” he said, telling reporters that he could say no more due to a confidentiality agreement with the FA.