sport

HAMMERS REFUTE CURBS' GRIEVANCES

Alan Curbishley's claim that he resigned as West Ham manager over "a breach of trust" has been undermined by the disclosure that George McCartney made a formal transfer request and the insistence of the club that Curbishley was consulted on the sale of Anton Ferdinand.

In the wake of his surprise resignation, Curbishley specifically cited the departures of the two defenders as the reason why he had left Upton Park. "I felt I could just not stand by and let what happened, so I made a decision," Curbishley said. "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.

"Ferdinand had made it categorically clear to me that he wanted to stay. Then I said no other players would be leaving - but McCartney was sold on Monday."

Yet the West Ham hierarchy would argue that they become powerless to honour to any such assurances once the full-back personally handed in a transfer request over the weekend, citing his wife's inability to settle in London. McCartney, described as a 'volatile character', is reported to have explained that his marriage had become 'strained' as a result.

While his transfer could thus be depicted as compassionate, it also represented good business. Bought for approximately £1m two years ago, he was sold to Sunderland for £6m - an increase of £1.5m on the amount Roy Keane offered earlier in the summer. Nor would his departure necessarily weaken the Hammers squad with Curbishley told that the club had found a replacement in Toulouse's Herita Ilunga.

Curbishley's grievances over the sale of Ferdinand has also mystified - and angered - club insiders. According to The Independent, 'The club was furious at the way Curbishley talked about the sale of Ferdinand, who had refused to sign a new contract that would have paid him £35,000 a week. Having rejected the deal, Curbishley was consulted and asked if Ferdinand could be sold. He agreed. The board were then horrified to hear Curbishley say that "the decision was taken out off my hands".'

Despite holding an exclusive interview with Curbishley in which he stresses that his decision to resign was 'a point of principle', The Sun also reports that 'the problems go much deeper than that at a club in severe danger of imploding'.

The newspaper claims that Craig Bellamy and Matthew Upson had 'a bitter fight after Saturday's 4-1 home victory over Blackburn' while 'Skipper Lucas Neill had a blazing row with Curbs after the same game'. When the then-West Ham manager accused his players of nearly throwing away the match, they are said to have retorted that they had kept him in a job. As it transpired, it was the briefest of reprieves.