SOCCER:BIRMINGHAM CITY are considering placing Alex McLeish on gardening leave as they seek €4.5 million compensation for their manager, and Aston Villa face a growing backlash against his proposed cross-city defection.
Peter Pannu, Birmingham’s acting chairman, and senior management at the club, held meetings with lawyers yesterday as they came to terms with McLeish’s decision to resign via email 24 hours earlier.
Pannu, who described the former Scotland manager’s actions as “irresponsible”, has refused to accept the resignation and is investigating whether McLeish has been “tapped up”.
The Scot is the firm favourite to succeed Gerard Houllier at Villa Park, although Birmingham’s arch rivals, who have sought clarification on the legal situation, have yet to make an official approach.
McLeish signed a new three-year contract in September and, although he was prepared to waive a lucrative pay-off by quitting while on holiday in Italy, Birmingham want maximum compensation for the 52-year-old before they allow him to talk to another club. The prospect of putting McLeish on gardening leave until Villa, or any prospective employer, meet their demands has been considered.
“He is still our contracted staff and Birmingham City FC does not grant him any right to speak to any outsiders until the matter is resolved,” said Pannu. “It’s about time discipline is instilled into this game and I am not a person who gets pushed about.”
Birmingham’s acting chairman, who was in Amsterdam to sign the PSV Eindhoven forward Danny Koevermans on a free transfer when he received McLeish’s email, said: “Just as I am flying back, Alex emails me of his resignation. This is so irresponsible.”
McLeish has endured a strained relationship with the Birmingham hierarchy since Carson Yeung’s takeover and was particularly aggrieved at the reaction to the club’s recent relegation, when Pannu announced “the board will expect him to lead the side back to the Premier League in the 2011-12 season”.
Villa’s willingness to consider a manager who led their rivals to a first major trophy in 48 years, the League Cup in February, but also to relegation has prompted a furious response on either side of the divide. More than 6,000 people have signed up to a Facebook page in protest at the prospect of McLeish joining Villa.
Nottingham Forest’s new manager Steve McClaren has been assured his mission to end the club’s 13-year exile from the Premier League will be supported financially by the board.
Forest wasted little time in appointing former England coach McClaren (50) as their new manager yesterday and believe they have at last appointed the right man to lift them back into the top flight. McClaren has signed a three-year contract at the City Ground and takes over from Billy Davies.
Davies often cited financial restrictions as one of the the main reasons why Forest have become the ‘nearly men’ in recent seasons, but Forest chief executive Mark Arthur insisted money had always been available for his former manager.
Arthur said: “Money has been available in the past. Nigel Doughty has put €28.5 million into the club in the last two seasons, so I think it’s a bit of a fallacy to suggest that no money has been made available.
“Steve will have similar funds available to him if he can identify a player of the quality who will enhance the quality of the current squad. We have a very good squad, but he will be looking to improve it in certain positions.
“I think we all know that the first position we must try and sort out is left-back.”
