Monday 16 March 2015

Poyet Out!



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."
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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."
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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."
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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."
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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.
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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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