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Sam Allardyce has claimed he turned down the job Chris Coleman took in China.

The former Wales boss has replaced Manuel Pellegrini at Hebei China Fortune on a £3.5m a year deal.

But ex-England boss said: “I got offered that job too I refused to go to china. I want to enjoy my life. I coudn't see myself enjoying the life outside footbal. The money was massive.”

Allardyce, who left West Ham in 2015, also called for the Irons owners to back new boss Pellegrini in the transfer market.

He told talkSPORT: “I am not sure if David Sullivan and David Gold realise that he will want the best players to come to the club.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters) (Image: Get Reading) (Image: Gareth Copley)

"If West Ham wants to grow, they have to give their manager a bit of leeway and certainly give him in the early stages a couple of big signings that they didn't expect.

"Try and find the funds and the money to go with it. Because you have a lot of dissatisfied West Ham fans with that stadium and I think the only way you make that stadium work is by putting a top team on the pitch.

"The West Ham fans will not worry about the stadium then – they will just go ahead and support the team.”