Arsene Wenger says Sam Allardyce can improve England... but Arsenal boss dashes suggestions he could manage nation

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Arsene Wenger has tipped Sam Allardyce to unlock England’s potential and insisted the country’s new head coach will have his full support.

The Arsenal manager was high on the Football Association’s list of potential successors to Roy Hodgson but Wenger, whose side returned to action in Lens on Friday, would not discuss whether he held talks with the three-man committee of Martin Glenn, David Gill and Dan Ashworth.

Allardyce and Wenger would never be described as being acquaintances and their relationship has been fractious for a number of years, something which stems back to a heated game between Arsenal and Bolton that finished 2-2 in April 2003.

Arsene Wenger has tipped Sam Allardyce to push England forward after being appointed as the manager

Allardyce fulfilled a long-term dream when he was confirmed as England's new manager on Friday evening

But now Allardyce has been appointed, Wenger maintained he was happy for the 61-year-old and believes he will inherit a generation of players that can be successful on the biggest stage, regardless of the wretched way their performed at Euro 2016.

Wenger said: ‘I wish him well and now he can focus to win the next World Cup. I believe you have the players in England to do well. He has wanted the job for a long time, Sam Allardyce, because he was in contention when McLaren got the job. He has big experience and I wish him well.

‘Look, the team was a bit young to win the European Championship and if they stay together for the next two years, they have a better chance. They need experience to help them get in a better position in Russia.’

Wenger says that the England team can now focus on attempting to win the World Cup in Russia in 2018

Expanding on the rivalry he had with Allardyce, Wenger said: ‘Recently he has done well at Sunderland from a very, very bad position. He has a capacity to get the best out of his teams. His teams are always difficult to beat, yes. They are very well organised.

Asked what contact was made to him by The FA and whether he could manage England in the future, Wenger replied: ‘I wouldn’t like to talk about all the talks the FA had. I was focused anyway. I have always said I respect my contract and that is what I will do.

‘Look let’s get behind the guy who is in charge now. He has only just come in. Let’s not talk about me because that would be unfair. He has my full support. No matter who manages England, they have my full support. This is my second country. I was a supporter of England, I was at every game.

The Frenchman and Allardyce have had a rivalry for years but the new manager has Wenger's full support

‘I feel there is something there for this team to come out. They had some good patches in the Euros and they were just undone by a cruel day against Iceland when they just didn’t turn up. Overall I think here is some quality in the team.’

The idea of Wenger, whose teams always play attractive football, guiding England towards the 2018 World Cup in Russia greatly appealed to many observers and some still retain hope that he will get a chance in the future but he appeared to dash that idea.

‘It’s always an honour to manage a country,’ said Wenger. ‘But I said many times in the past for me it is more comfortable if it is a guy from the country who manages the national team because it represents the culture of the country. It looks to me natural that it’s a candidate from the country.’

Wenger went on to dash suggestions that he could go on to become England manager in the future