Sam Allardyce the favourite for the England job and has already been interviewed, reports claim

If the reports that broke late on Tuesday night are right, Sam Allardyce could be closing in on the England manager's job.

It was reported on Monday that Big Sam had left Sunderland's pre-season camp in Austria to attend an interview with the FA - something that was later dismissed as it was claimed that he was attending to transfer business instead. However, a report by the Daily Mail's Matt Lawton on Tuesday evening - containing pictures of him apparently setting off for his interview - claims the former Bolton Wanderers boss is now the front-runner for the job. Lawton also adds that Allardyce was invited to the Cheshire home of David Gill, vice-chairman of the FA and member of the three man panel tasked with choosing Roy Hodgson's successor. Allardyce's hopes of getting the job have also been boosted by an endorsement from Sir Alex Ferguson (who also advised Manchester United to appoint David Moyes). Although it's thought that not everyone at the FA is convinced that Allardyce is the right man for the job, Lawton claims that Gill's influence over the rest of the board and the fact the meeting was taking place at his home is significant.

Watch this space.