Sam Allardyce... favourite to become the new England boss.

Trevor Brooking has backed Sam Allardyce to get the best out of England’s players if he is appointed as Roy Hodgson’s successor.

The English FA are searching for a new manager after Hodgson resigned in the aftermath of England’s dismal Euro 2016 campaign which ended in defeat to minnows Iceland.

Sunderland boss Allardyce has become the front-runner for the role, holding talks with the FA last week, and Brooking believes he would be a good choice.

“These players are very talented technically – we even saw that in France,” the former FA director of football development told re-porters yesterday.

“But they were found wanting in terms of mental toughness.

“In the Iceland game, I saw players moving into positions where they could hide. It’s easy to blame the man in possession – often Wayne Rooney – but there weren’t passing options for him to knock the ball into.

“There’s an overhead camera and I think it would be pretty damning for that game. That was the most disappointing thing for me to see.

“That’s the thing about Sam Allardyce – he’s always made the best use of the players available.

“He got West Ham back into the top flight and made Sunderland stronger mentally and defensively.

“Combine that with the technical ability of these England players and I think you have a decent mix. The next manager has to be English and Sam Allardyce is very experienced and organised.”

Last week, Sunderland urged the FA to make a swift decision on whether or not they want Allardyce as the new England manager.

That process cannot be completed quickly enough for Allardyce’s current employers.

A Sunderland statement said: “Sam Allardyce is very much key to our plans. 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.

“We urge the English Football Association to respect the disruption that this process is causing and bring about a swift resolution to the matter.”

Sam Allardyce’s career in quotes

Aiming high while at Blackburn...

• “I’m not suited to Bolton or Blackburn, I would be more suited to Inter or Real Madrid. It wouldn’t be a problem for me to go and manage those clubs because I would win the double every time.

“Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s not where I’m suited to, it’s just where I’ve been for most of the time.

“It’s not a problem to take me into the higher reaches of the Champions League or Premier League and would make my job a lot easier in winning it.”

Why he has never got a top job...

• “I won’t ever be going to a top-four club because I’m not called Allardici, just Allardyce.

“That was tongue in cheek. I understand what I can do, I understand my ability as a manager and I just do my job to the best of my ability wherever I work.”

Backing himself...

• “I don’t think there is any coach more sophisticated than me any more, that’s not trying to criticise any other coaches. But there is only Arsene Wenger who has done it longer than me.

“I’m just as good as everybody at this stage.”