Sunderland have given permission to the Football Association (FA) to speak to manager Sam Allardyce about the vacant England post, the Premier League club said yesterday.

Allardyce, 61, is one of the favourites to succeed Roy Hodgson, who resigned last month after England’s humiliating exit from the European Championship at the hands of Iceland.

Sunderland said the ongoing speculation over the future of Allardyce, who, according to British media, has already been interviewed by a three-man FA panel, was “extremely damaging” to the club.

“Sam is very much key to our plans,” the club, which narrowly escaped relegation last season, said in a statement.

“After what was an extremely challenging season, we are keen to see a period of stability, both on and off the field, and we want him to remain as manager of our football club.”

Sunderland said it allowed the English FA to contact Allardyce at the manager’s request but sought a quick end to the uncertainty.

“We urge the English FA to respect the disruption that this process is causing and bring about a swift resolution to the matter,” the club added.

Allardyce boasts a managerial career stretching back to 1994 when he took his first full-time appointment at Blackpool.

Since then he has built a career on getting the most out of unfancied sides and players who have been largely written-off elsewhere.

For all of his detractors, Allardyce has the support of a very influential figure – former Manchester United manager and close friend Alex Ferguson.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, former England coach Glenn Hoddle, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and US manager Juergen Klinsmann have also been linked with the post by the media.