Mourinho feels sorry for Allardyce
The scandal surrounding Sam Allardyce will not affect his relationship with Jose Mourinho, the Portuguese has said.
Jose Mourinho says he feels "very sorry" for Sam Allardyce after his brief stint as England manager came to an end on Tuesday.
Allardyce's 67-day tenure was ended by mutual agreement following talks with Football Association (FA) chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn on Tuesday, after the Daily Telegraph published footage from a meeting between a pair of undercover reporters and the 61-year-old.
In the video, Allardyce allegedly told the two men, who were purporting to be from a Far East investment firm, how they might "get around" FA regulations concerning the transfers of players under third-party ownership.
Allardyce and Mourinho have enjoyed something of a love-hate relationship over the years, but the Portuguese has expressed sympathy for 'Big Sam' in the wake of this week's controversy.
"I like Sam. I feel very sorry for him because I know it was a dream job," Mourinho told a news conference.
"It will not interfere in any way with my relationship with him. I liked him and respected him before and that is not going to change.
"It is between him and the FA."
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Allardyce earlier conceded his actions had been "silly" and said: "Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that."