sport

CURBS DISMAY AT HAMMERS EXIT

Curbishley - 'gutted' to leave Hammers.

Alan Curbishley was "gutted" to walk out on West Ham - but felt he had no other option after claiming he was undermined in the Barclays Premier League club's transfer policy.

The position of the former Charlton boss had been under intense scrutiny for some time, although Curbishley's men opened the new campaign with two wins from three Barclays Premier League matches which went some way to placating the club's demanding supporters.

But Curbishley's main problems were behind the scenes - under the direction of the Icelandic owners and new technical director Gianluca Nani, high earners such as Freddie Ljungberg departed over the summer as the squad, and wage bill, was cut down to size.

Anton Ferdinand and then fellow defender George McCartney - on transfer deadline day - were late departures from Upton Park against Curbishley's long-term plans for the team.

That proved a step too far for the 50-year-old, who had started his playing career at Upton Park.

"I felt I could just not stand by and let what happened [pass], especially at the weekend, so I made a decision," Curbishley told Sky Sports News.

"Some managers may not have taken this action, but I could not sit around and be silent on it.

"I am absolutely gutted I have had to come to this decision."

Curbishley - appointed in December 2006 and who presided over what was a remarkable escape from relegation that season - added: "I have overall say on players who come in and out of the club, although I have no say on transfer fee or any financial negotiation with the players, that has been made quite clear in my contract.

"On Sunday morning, I went into a meeting with [chief executive] Scott Duxbury at Upton Park perhaps hoping to bring some loans in, and I was told I would not be in that position unless someone left the club.

"I said straight away, 'well let's go home then because I do not want anyone to leave'.

"I was just quite happy we get on with it as we are, especially coming off the back of the result against Blackburn.

"I was quite happy to stick with it, even if it meant I could not improve it.

"The criticism I have had, I took that in a dignified manner.

"But I was taking it all on the chin, and trying to turn things around.

"I think a lot of fans would have seen I was doing a decent job.

"Staying up and finishing 10th with the injury problems we had as a team was creditable, but I know they wanted more and I just got a little glimpse of that at the weekend with one or two more players returning, we would be on the right road."

Curbishley's departure was announced on the West Ham official website earlier this afternoon, and the former Charlton boss later released a statement of his own, hitting out at the "breach of trust and confidence" at the club.

He said: "The selection of players is critical to the job of the manager and I had an agreement with the club that I alone would determine the composition of the squad.

"However, the club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me.

"In the end such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I had no option, but to leave."

The search will now begin for a fifth West Ham manager in seven years.

Any short list is expected to include former Hammers defender Slaven Bilic, the Croatia manager, as well as one-time boss Harry Redknapp, while Sam Allardyce has been out of work since leaving Newcastle and ex-Hammers striker Paolo di Canio would relish the chance to come back to England.

The West Ham board are understood to be now formalising a plan of action, with the next Premier League match, away to West Brom on September 13, not until after the international break and reserve team boss Kevin Keen ready to take temporary charge.

Hammers chairman and owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson maintains the east London club are heading in the right direction.

"In my first full season as chairman of this great football club, I can assure our loyal supporters that we are working hard to bring sustained success to West Ham United," he said

"Everyone, including the chief executive and board, is committed to this common goal.

"We have a long-term strategy that takes into account all aspects of West Ham United's past, present and future and we will not be deterred.

"Our fans can look forward to many positive years on and off the pitch."

The Hammers also today took the step of releasing an extensive statement - which was posted before the official announcement of Curbishley's resignation - defending the club's activities in the transfer market.

"The transfers of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney along with the release of Freddie Ljungberg were right for the club and decisions had to be taken based on our best long-term interests," the statement read.

"In the past week, agreement could not be reached with Ferdinand on a new contract to replace his original deal that had just two years left to run while McCartney handed in a formal written transfer request after failing to resolve his personal reasons for wanting a move away."

Alan Curbishley factfile

1957: Born, London, November 8.

Plays in midfield for England schools, youth and under-21 level.

1974: Joins West Ham. Makes 85 appearances and scores five goals.

1979: Joins Birmingham and in his first season does not miss one league game.

1983: Signed by Aston Villa but has an unhappy time, making only 36 appearances in one and a half seasons.

1984: Joins Charlton early in the season and makes a total of 63 appearances with six goals in three seasons.

1987: Moves to Brighton and quickly becomes a regular, scoring 13 goals in 116 matches.

1990: Rejoins Charlton but after a first season when he appeared 27 times, only plays once in each of the next two seasons.

1991: Takes over as joint manager with Steve Gritt.

1992: Club returns to The Valley.

1995: Gritt leaves, putting Curbishley in full control but Charlton finish a disappointing 15th.

1996: Charlton lose in the play-off semi-finals to Crystal Palace. Lee Bowyer sold to Leeds for £2.6million.

1998: Charlton qualify for the play-offs again and this time win promotion in the most dramatic of climaxes. At 4-4 after extra time, they defeat Sunderland in a penalty shoot-out at Wembley.

1999: Relegated from Premier League.

2000: Promoted as champions of Division One.

Breaks club transfer record with £4million deal for Bolton's Danish midfielder Claus Jensen.

2001: Addicks finish ninth in the Premier League.

June 8 - Curbishley signs new four-year contract to quash speculation linking him with vacant West Ham hotseat.

2002: Charlton finish 14th in the league.

2003: The Addicks improve to 12th in the Premier League.

2004: February - Signs three-and-a-half year extension to his contract at Charlton.

May - Charlton finish seventh in Premier League.

June - Linked with vacancy at Liverpool but Anfield club appoint Rafael Benitez.

2005: May 1 - Admits he might consider his future after losing 4-0 to Manchester United at The Valley, leaving the side languishing in 11th after pushing for UEFA Cup place just weeks earlier.

2006: March - Holds preliminary talks with FA chief Brian Barwick about the possibility of replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager after the World Cup.

April - Denies speculation he has had a second meeting with the FA about the England job, claiming continued the continued reports had "hijacked" Charlton's season.

April 29 - Announces he is to leave Charlton at the end of the season after almost 15 years in charge.

December - Appointed West Ham manager with Mervyn Day as his assistant.

Beats Manchester United in first game in charge but club become embroiled in a relegation battle and a controversial legal saga over the registration of striker Carlos Tevez.

2007: May - West Ham complete their escape from relegation with a 1-0 defeat of Manchester United in their final game, Tevez scoring the winner.

2008: May - West Ham finish 10th in the Premier League.

September 3 - Resigns as West Ham manager.