Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has questioned the tactics employed by undercover reporters in the sting operation that has placed Sam Allardyce s position as England boss in jeopardy.
The Football Association is investigating allegations that Allardyce used his position to negotiate a £400,000 deal and offer advice on how to circumvent rules on transfers after the Telegraph published hidden camera footage claiming to be from a meeting between the 61-year-old and two undercover reporters purporting to be part of a Far East firm.
In the video, Allardyce explains to the two men how they might get round rules regarding third-party ownership of players, which was banned by FIFA last year and has been outlawed in England s top flight since 2008.
But Rodgers, who backed Allardyce s appointment as Roy Hodgson s successor in July, said he found the reporters methods to be embarrassing and expressed sympathy for the former Sunderland manager s plight.
Speaking at a pre-match news conference ahead of Celtic s Champions League match against Manchester City on Wednesday, ex-Liverpool boss Rodgers said: What a tactic that is, isn t it? The poor guy is going into a job [with England].
It s actually embarrassing on some parts of the [media] profession.
I ve got nothing to add to it.
The Telegraph s claims against Allardyce form part of a wider investigation into alleged corruption in English football, with revelations implicating other high-profile managers set to be forthcoming.
