Mourinho: Sam the right man

Jose Mourinho believes Sam Allardyce is the 'right person' to manage England but has warned he will need support if he is to succeed.

Allardyce's appointment as Roy Hodgson's successor is expected to be announced on Thursday when the three-man panel of FA chief executive Martin Glenn, vice-chairman David Gill and technical director Dan Ashworth put his name forward at an FA board meeting.

The 61-year-old has led Notts County, Bolton and West Ham to promotion during a 25-year managerial career, and last year kept Sunderland in the Premier League but he has never been given the opportunity manage at the highest level - he missed out on the England job in 2006 following Sven-Goran Eriksson's departure - and Mourinho believes he is ready to take on one of the biggest jobs.

“You are a complicated country for the person that gets the job! I think he’s the right person for that. I think he’s a good choice but I think he needs support,” Mourinho said.

“I think you can do better in respect of that, because my experience in your country shows me that in the football world you could do a bit better.

“I think Sam has never had the big chance at the highest level, lots of experience in the Premier League but never that big one. But now he has the big one, so I think he is more than ready. I think he is a good motivator, I think he can create a good team spirit with his players.

“I wish him all the best. From my side, not just as a friend but as a Man United manager, the only thing I can promise is that I will try to support him in the best way, preparing the players for him, trying to have the English players available in good conditions to help him, and I hope he can do the same.”