Club Statement

[London Villan]

We had to settle this quickly, so everyone can get on with their jobs.

Still doesn't make it the right decision... what a waste of cash. Even more so when he is most likely sacked sometime in the new year as we have a season of struggle and fan unrest.

Look at Gezza, how much/little support he got, let alone an unpopular manager. It's going to be a horrible, self-destructive season.

[hilts_coolerking]

Or not so much money and they asked us to keep quiet?

Possibly but, as you said, we're the ones who did the tapping up so that strikes me as unlikely.

[Risso]

Yes, being a demanding bugger and winning the Champions League as a result must be a nightmare for an owner.  Far better to appoint somebody much more manageable with two Premier League relegations to his name.

I know you'll take the anti-board line on most things right now, but in truth he wasn't about to win the CL with us.  My own reading of the situation is that we wanted too much cash for players and control on how and where it was spent.  And haven't we said that the board were complacent for allowing MON to do similar with deals like Harewood and Beye?

It would've all ended in tears, IMO.

They've appointed a manager that "ended in tears" is the most likely thing we'll be saying about him.

[hilts_coolerking]

It would've all ended in tears, IMO.

As opposed to appointing McLeish, which has all started in tears.

[Chris Smith]

Or not so much money and they asked us to keep quiet?

Possibly but, as you said, we're the ones who did the tapping up so that strikes me as unlikely.

As I also said, it was in their interests to settle too so the most likely outcome is a compromise figure that both sides are happy(ish) with.

[Risso]

Or not so much money and they asked us to keep quiet?

Possibly but, as you said, we're the ones who did the tapping up so that strikes me as unlikely.

As I also said, it was in their interests to settle too so the most likely outcome is a compromise figure that both sides are happy(ish) with.

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

[Villa'Zawg]

...

why does it have to be a good deal? Blues wanted the full payout, we said no, they met somewhere in the middle that alleviated the need for further distraction and cost. However you want to cut it, the end result is that it puts an end to this affair, and hopefully we can get on with preparing for the season.

Today's announcement doesn't change a thing in my eyes. We got a manager that most of us didn't endorse, but he's the manager and that's that. Had we got an employed manager like Moyes that was popular we'd have likely paid even more in compensation. All I know, at least from my persepective is that we now we have to get behind the club and hope that the decision made by the board is justified.

What grounds do you have for insisting that we "met in the middle"? Why are you discounting the possibility that we have simply had to pay the costs stipulated in the original contracts i.e. "the full amount"? What reason do you have for saying we would have paid more compensation for Moyes?

I'm not claiming you are wrong, I'm asking what reason you have for insisting these statements are anything other than conjecture on your part?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

If you'd have said a couple of months ago that we would be tapping up Alex McLeish and paying through the nose for the pleasure, you'd have been carted away by the whitecoats.

It defies belief.

[Chris Smith]

Or not so much money and they asked us to keep quiet?

Possibly but, as you said, we're the ones who did the tapping up so that strikes me as unlikely.

As I also said, it was in their interests to settle too so the most likely outcome is a compromise figure that both sides are happy(ish) with.

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

Yes they did, Houghton wants to bring in Calderwood as first team coach so needed Grant out of the way but that couldn't happen without a settlement.

[hilts_coolerking]

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

I agree.  While a compromise figure may have been reached, I think that Blues will have got the better end of the deal.

[VillaAlways]

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

I agree.  While a compromise figure may have been reached, I think that Blues will have got the better end of the deal.

Any ammount would have been the better end of the deal, as they got rid of a manager they couldn't afford to sack.

[Concrete John]

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

Aprt from McLeish's constructive dismissal case, that is.

[not3bad]

If you'd have said a couple of months ago that we would be tapping up Alex McLeish and paying through the nose for the pleasure, you'd have been carted away by the whitecoats.

It defies belief.

This

[hilts_coolerking]

The Blues had nothing to lose, we did.  I imagine the figure will probably be roughly a year's salary for everybody involved, which would make the £3m figure sound about right.

Aprt from McLeish's constructive dismissal case, that is.

I rather got the impression that was concocted to divert attention away from the tapping up.

[Brend'Watkins]

It would've all ended in tears, IMO.

As opposed to appointing McLeish, which has all started in tears.

It's this sort of 'out of the box' thinking that will bring us the success we crave.

We always start off liking our managers and end up hating them.  Wouldn't it be refresshing to see Fletch and Risso being roggered by AM for all their worth 3 years down the line?