Intro:

Sam Allardyce gives his thoughts on his contract not being renewed as West Ham manager

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Allardyce, West Ham United manager (Q: Your last game as West Ham manager, a strange afternoon for you Sam?)

"No I knew it was coming, I had no problem. I had the discussion with the owners, so I wasn't going to sign a contract. We both agreed it was probably the right time to get a move on. The hard thing is keeping it from everybody isn't it, so we've tried our best to do that. I just told the players afterwards, thanks for the four years. I had a great four seasons here and really enjoyed the opportunity managing a great club like West Ham, thanked David Sullivan personally yesterday on the phone and we both forward and I think it's probably the right time for me and the right time for the club."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Allardyce, West Ham United manager (On his West Ham tenure)

"I have done everything that was asked of me, got them into the Premier League and stayed there comfortably over the last three seasons and the squad is good enough to get better and better now, so somebody else who is in charge will have the responsibility for that. For me it's a break and get some sun on my belly."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Allardyce, West Ham United manager (Q: How long do you expect to be out of the game for?)

"Well it depends on whether it's a year or whether it's around Christmas time or whoever might fall in trouble, whatever job you might fancy doing. It's not just a job I'm after, it's the right job if it comes along. So I certainly won't be doing that in the next few weeks or so. I can see myself, you can never say never, I can't see myself being in charge of a football club, another football club, for the start of next season."