Sam Allardyce has suffered his first setback as England’s new manager after Bayern Munich blocked the Football Association’s attempt to make Paul Clement part of the new regime.
Allardyce had identified Clement for a key role behind the scenes and the Bayern head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, was understood to be open about the idea of his assistant joining England during international breaks.
However, it has now emerged that the Bundesliga champions, preparing for life after Pep Guardiola, have told Clement they do not like the idea of him job-sharing if it means there are times when he is away during the season. Bayern’s stance is that Clement should fully concentrate on one job alone.
Allardyce is now reluctantly looking at other options and, though the FA may yet make a second attempt to persuade Bayern it can work, Roy Hodgson’s successor is obviously disappointed by the growing possibility that he will not be able to appoint his first-choice backroom team.
Clement’s time in charge at Derby County last season ended controversially with him being sacked in February, with the club just five points off top spot in the Championship. But the 44-year-old is regarded as one of the brighter young coaches in the game and rejoined Ancelotti in the summer after previously working with the Italian at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Clement helped England’s Under-21 manager, Gareth Southgate, on an informal basis last season following his departure from Derby and Allardyce’s offer of a role within the senior set-up fitted in with the FA’s plan to promote English coaches.
Allardyce, preparing for England’s opening World Cup qualifier in Slovakia on 4 September, has already appointed Sammy Lee, who previously worked with him at Bolton Wanderers, and saw Clement taking a role similar to the one filled by Gary Neville during Hodgson’s four-year reign in charge.