SAM Allardyce has not automatically ruled out taking the Manchester City job if it ever became vacant.

Stuart Pearce has been under pressure, and Allardyce's name has been put in the frame by the media as a possible target.

The Bolton boss says he does not take any notice of newspaper speculation and dislikes it when another manager is still in the job - but is open-minded about what may happen if City came calling.

He said in his weekly column for Zoo magazine: "I see I've been linked with the (Manchester City) job, but I take all that with a pinch of salt.

"The only time I really believe anyone wants me is when my chairman rings to say a club has asked for permission to speak to me.

"If Stuart Pearce was to leave and Man City were to make an official approach, who knows? But I don't like speculating when someone else is still in a job.

"It's personal and it's unprofessional, but it's a fact of life these days. Someone will be linked to my job when we next go through a rough spell. It comes to us all."

One job he would be interested in is Real Madrid. He said: "Jose Mourinho has said it would be "an honour" to manage Real Madrid, and he's absolutely right.

"If I was lucky enough to get the job, Fernando Hierro would be my assistant. Some of us have big enough egos to think we could make their club better - myself included."

Read the full article in ZOO magazine.