Allardyce eyes United job

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says he has harboured a long-standing dream to take over as Manchester United boss.

According to ESPN, Allardyce has been a close friend of former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson for many years, but he was never a serious contender to take over from the Scot when he retired from his post in the summer of 2013.

Yet in an interview with BT Sport, Allardyce suggested he would have relished the chance to test himself at United, as he spoke of his huge admiration for the Old Trafford club.

“If I didn’t say West Ham were the dream club to manage then I’d be in trouble with West Ham fans, but there has always been one dream club to manage for me and that would be Man United,” Allardyce said.

“Playing at Old Trafford myself and then going back there as a manager, I think probably in this country, they are the one.”

Some cynics may argue Allardyce would have done just as good a job in the United job as David Moyes after he tried and failed to continue the Ferguson legacy after he took over at United last season, yet the former Bolton and Newcastle boss admitted there was an even bigger regret in his career after he came close to landing the England manager’s job in 2006.

“The biggest disappointment for me was not being the England coach when it became touch and go between me and Steve McClaren at the end,” he added.

“I had done two interviews for the job and Brian Barwick (then FA chairman) called me to say it was between me and Steve. He said, we will let you know. I never got a phone call.”