NEW Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce revealed how Ellis Short has given him the go-ahead to be the club’s decision making manager in a move that should bring an end to the continental approach at the Stadium of Light.

Short’s last three head coach appointments have all worked under a sporting director on Wearside - and all have struggled to lift the Black Cats away from relegation danger.

The ongoing struggles which Sunderland have encountered have led to Short bringing back the ‘manager’ title to lure Allardyce to the North-East with a two-year deal.

Video: BBC News

And when the 60-year-old was paraded in front of the media for the first time yesterday he made it pretty clear he will be allowed to do things his own way, even though sporting director Lee Congerton is still working a 12-month notice period after handing in his resignation.

“I am a manager. I wear a suit on a match day. I organise the entire football structure at first-team level. The Academy looks after itself. I am managing people,” said Allardyce.

“My people skills are my life skills, not just the people who play for me but the people who work for me. So manager is the right title for me. I will make a lot of decisions on a daily basis. I have to make a lot of decisions very quickly, and I have to make sure the vast majority of decisions are the right ones.”

He added: “I am not in charge of everything. I am in charge of picking the team, looking after the staff, talking about recruitment and talking about players.

“Ultimately it is not my decision who stays or goes, it has to be an owner’s or board decision but that is the case at every football club.

“The day to day running of the football club is for the manager and taking the responsibility for that to manage the team on and off the field on a daily basis. So we become much more efficient and get better results.”

Allardyce is renowned for his wheeling and dealing in the transfer market and will look to unearth a gem when the January transfer window opens.

Before that he could still bring in a free agent or two if he feels something is urgently required after he has assessed the players he has inherited from Dick Advocaat’s seven months in charge.

Former West Ham players Kevin Nolan, Morgan Amalfitano and Carlton Cole are a few of the likeliest contenders to be targeted, while he has also been linked with ex-Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar who is training with AZ Alkmaar after a serious knee injury.

Allardyce, who has spoken with former Black Cats' boss Steve Bruce, feels it has been Sunderland’s work in the transfer market which has let them down over the last few years.

He said: “More than anything else, without being too critical of anyone, it has to be recruitment. You live or die on what you recruit to play for you. You have to have good backroom staff and they have to be highly educated professionals to deliver in this environment.

“At West Ham, in the end, it all boils down to me recruiting better and better each year. It was me taking over as manager and the owners backing me to sign the players we did, we made fewer and fewer mistakes over time at West Ham.

“I call my last year at West Ham as the best of my life. If we can get recruitment right … but it’s the hardest job in football. The hardest part of football is finding a better player in the Premier League than you have already got.”

He has rubbished the theory that Sunderland are not attractive enough for good players to join. He said: “If you get them here, this facility, get them around the stadium ...

“You've got to pay 'em as well. They all want paying well or you won't get them in the first place. That is the natural process of supply and demand. If you don't hit the mark financially you don’t get the player.”

Allardyce insists Short has not given him a specific transfer budget to work to after taking over, but he is likely to make changes as he looks to keep Sunderland in the Premier League.

Firstly he needs to guide the team to a first league win of the campaign, starting with Saturday’s trip to West Brom, and hopes to make a quick assistant manager announcement to help him. Former Newcastle and Middlesbrough coach Steve Round and Blackpool boss Neil McDonald the top contenders.

But Allardyce, who watched the Under-21s on Monday night with first team coach Paul Bracewell and goalkeeper coach Adrian Tucker, will not rush into wholesale changes until he weights up if there are existing members of staff he can use.

Allardyce said: “When that person who I have spoken to gives me the answer I will let everyone know if he is joining me, then I won’t be looking to make another appointment until I have seen how people do the job here already. I may have to address problems as we move forward. I sincerely hope there isn’t. That is in the future.”