We
tweeted the above in the aftermath of Sunderland's 0-4 defeat to Aston
Villa on Saturday - a result that leaves Poyet on the brink.
However,
don't expect him to resign as a Guardian individual close to the club
writes "... the suspicion is the Uruguayan would rather welcome the
sack and its attendant pay-off."
___________________________________________________________________________________
Vicente
Rodriguez on Gus Poyet: "He is the worst person I've come across in
football. For me, he is a selfish person, very egocentric... I have seen
things here [Brighton & Hove Albion] that I have never seen in
my career."
___________________________________________________________________________________
This
whole unpleasant narrative began at the 2013 Championship Play-Off Semi
Final 2nd Leg between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal
Palace, The tie was in the balance after a 0-0 draw in London when
certain individuals within the Seagull's hierarchy decided that it would
be a good idea to spread excrement around the Palace dressing room for
their arrival at the ground - an arrival that was deliberately delayed
by erroneous routing of coach according to Palace manager Ian Holloway.
Poyet
sent a furious email to staff at the club after Brighton were beaten
0-2 and was then suspended for an alleged breach of contract. He decided
to take action against the club over wrongful dismissal after he was
eventually sacked by Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner.
On
July 22nd 2013, we contacted Richard Bevan at the League Managers
Association (LMA) to offer to help Poyet in his action against Brighton
as, having known Bloom for nearly two decades, we questioned his
suitability (as an ex-bookmaker and current professional gambler) to be
in charge of a football club.
Bevan responded on the 25th and we sent through an outline of what we might offer on the following day.
Interestingly,
Bevan denies receiving this email although we know his office opened
the communication and Gus Poyet referred directly to contents within
(and Bevan's reaction to such content) when I eventually spoke with him
on August 15th.
So we instantly have to surmise that Mr Bevan entertains economy with truths!
After
speaking at length with Poyet, we sent through a detailed dossier
including all of our evidences about Mr Bloom and his modus operandi. We
discussed gambling, financial issues, money flow information, strategic
options, a listing of potential contacts and an assessment of Bloom's
psychological flaws.
In that time was of the essence, the files
were delivered on word of mouth agreement (a fact that I regret as I
trusted Poyet and Bevan despite my lawyer's insistence that I was making
a mistake in such trust).
Early in November, Poyet and
Brighton & Hove Albion reached an out-of-court settlement. This
was the primary strategy that we suggested to Poyet as we knew that
Tony Bloom, in a window of attempting to launder his reputation, would
not wish for certain details to become public.
On
November 11th, I wrote to Poyet: "I was delighted to hear that you have
reached a suitable settlement with Tony Bloom and Brighton &
Hove Albion. I know that my input has helped you considerably on this
matter... I would think that a token gesture payment for my time and
efforts would be reasonable as agreed."
Poyet responded:
"At the end everything was sorted, somehow, really difficult people to
deal with (sic). Please send me an address where I can send you a
"token". Regards and thank you very much."
In the
following month we provided Poyet with assessments of his new job at
Sunderland and addressed fitness issues, sabermetrics, corruption in the
Premier League and general analytics.
But no "token" ever arrived.
On
January 3rd 2014, we decided to burn our bridges and move on - "...
very disappointed in your behaviour. In that you have not sent the
"token" you promised, you are not a man of your word."
We
terminated our communications with Richard Bevan at LMA on February
12th 2014: "By the way, your comment about not receiving the email of
July 26th is an economy of truth on your behalf.
We
know that the email was received and opened and Poyet referred to your
reaction to the email in a phone conversation. So you bend realities and
Poyet isn't true to his word."
___________________________________________________________________________________
On
August 20th 2014, Malky Mackay and Iain Moody were reported to the FA
and accused of being racist, sexist and homophobic in a shocking series
of texts between the two during their time at Cardiff City.
Richard
Bevan and the LMA responded to this news by claiming that the offensive
texts were merely "friendly banter" causing a huge uproar in the game.
Leading
anti-racism campaigner Jason Roberts tweeted: “LMA actually wrote this.
They are actually being serious! Somebody drafted that … WOW!”
Don't Mess With Tan
Vincent
Tan and Cardiff City called on Richard Bevan to resign over the
"friendly banter" comment, stating that his position had become
"untenable".
The club statement read: "That the LMA has sought to
criticise the club for the timing of the report to the FA is
preposterous, because the offensive communications have been in the
knowledge and possession of LMA for many months... It was made clear to
them [Malky Mackay and Iain Moody], and their LMA appointed lawyers,
that the nature of the communications meant the club was under a duty to
report their findings to the FA... The LMA was therefore complicit in
the attempt to conceal these messages... We consider that Richard
Bevan's position is untenable and we call for his resignation."
Of
course, Bevan didn't resign and the story was quickly buried by an
acquiescent mainstream media as Bevan, Mackay and Moody have rather
influential friends in the inner loop of British football.
In
that we are talking about racism here, it is worth mentioning that Gus
Poyet expressed a desire to go to court to defend Luis Suarez in his
racism case with Patrice Evra, leading Sir Alex Ferguson to comment:
"I'm surprised by Gus Poyet's remarks. It's
inappropriate at a time when people throughout the world are condemning
racism.
"I can understand why he wants to support someone from
his country but I think he should think more about it. His criticism of
Evra is a bit silly."
___________________________________________________________________________________
One
of the primary reasons for the festering nature of the game in these
isles is that virtually all positions of power are occupied by those who
are quite evidently not fit for purpose, not a fit and proper person or
of highly questionable integrity.
Bevan should be dealing with Iain Duncan Smith rather than representing league managers.
Bloom should be forced to come clean about how professional gambling and club ownership are inappropriate bedfellows.
Poyet should be kicked out of English football for good...
...
and he should also be forced by the authorities to explain the
incredibly suspicious fitness profiles exhibited by Sunderland in season
2013/14 with the eventually relegated Norwich City being particularly
impacted upon.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Over half of the 45,746 Wearsiders who attended Saturday's 0-4 debacle at the Stadium of Light left at half-time.
Club
owner Ellis Short and other board members want Poyet out with sporting
director Lee Congerton having called previously for Poyet to be removed.
NB: Three hours after this post was published, Mr Poyet was relieved of his duties.
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