Alan Curbishley has beaten Kevin Keegan to be the Premier League's first managerial casualty of the season by walking out of West Ham United, blaming a 'breach of trust and confidence' for his sudden departure.
Alan Curbishley

Curbishley had been under intense pressure for months and was the bookies' favourite to be first out.

And now the former Charlton boss, who took charge at Upton Park in December 2006, when he succeeded Alan Pardew, has jumped before he was pushed after guiding the club to their best start to a Premier League season for nine years.

A club statement said: 'We can confirm that we have accepted Alan Curbishley's resignation as we feel it is in the best interests of both parties.

'We wish Alan all the success in the future. A shortlist of candidates is being drawn up and an announcement will be made in due course about the new West Ham United manager.'

Curbishley's position had been the subject of speculation towards the end of last season when Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, a former West Ham player, was linked with the job. He is sure to be a target again just days before their World Cup qualifiers begin with England visiting Zagreb on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old Curbishley became disillusioned with the club's transfer policy after Anton Ferdinand was sold to Sunderland for £8million. The manager claimed it was a board decision aimed at protecting his value, despite the fact there remained two years on his deal.

Curbishley then stated it was the end of the player sales at the club and that seemed to ring true when Manchester City failed in a bid to take Craig Bellamy.

But on transfer deadline day George McCartney, an ever-present last season and one of Curbishley's favoured players, was sold from underneath him, also to Sunderland, for £4.5million.

Curbishley was said to have felt embarrassed by the whole affair and that he no longer had the authority to manage the football club.

In a statement released via the League Managers' Association he said: 'I started my West Ham United career when I left school in 1974 and have remained a lifelong fan. I have been incredibly proud to manage such a great club and my decision to resign has been very tough.

'The selection of players is critical to the job of the manager and I had an agreement with the club that I alone would determine the composition of the squad.

'However, 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. Nevertheless, I wish the club and the players every success in the future.'

The LMA went on to cite 'the club's unilateral actions around player transfers, without reference to their manager [which] have created irreparable damage to Alan's working relationship with the directors.'

Richard Bevan, LMA chief executive, said: 'The LMA has been working with Alan Curbishley over the past few days in an attempt to resolve his grievances with his employers. Sadly for West Ham United and Alan, reconciliation was not possible in the circumstances.'

Earlier today the club posted a statement on their website justifying their position with regards to their transfer policy over the last couple of weeks.

'West Ham United are looking to a bright future after a summer of consolidation and a positive start to the new season at the Boleyn Ground,' said the statement.

'The club is fully committed to a high-quality first-team squad based on solid financial foundations that will challenge at the top end of the Premier League and in the cup competitions.

'As stated before and during the close season, our intention was always to hone the size of the playing staff with several key performers returning to fitness and the emergence of homegrown talent.

'This has now been achieved with seven players sold or released and four recruited. Along with the importance of adding quality new signings with bright futures, a key aim has been to secure important players on long-term contracts.

'Such investment has ensured the club can keep together its strong spine of England internationals Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker, Kieron Dyer and Dean Ashton along with players with proven international pedigree like Lucas Neill, Valon Behrami, Julien Faubert and Craig Bellamy.

'Unsurprisingly this summer we received a number of significant bids for leading players - in itself emphasising the high number of quality internationals at Alan Curbishley's disposal - and all were rejected.

'However, in particular, the transfers of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney along with the release of Freddie Ljungberg were right for the club and decisions had to be taken based on our best long-term interests.

'In the past week, agreement could not be reached with Ferdinand on a new contract to replace his original deal that had just two years left to run while McCartney handed in a formal written transfer request after failing to resolve his personal reasons for wanting a move away.'

West Ham chairman and owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson added: 'In my first full season as chairman I can assure supporters we are working hard to bring sustained success to West Ham United.

'We have a long-term strategy that takes into account all aspects of West Ham United's past, present and future and we will not be deterred.'

Source

wow....so fast he resigned already ....i wonder who next??? how about ur opinion????

Expected it to happen,but not this soon...

Im guessing next manager to step down/quit will be Keegan,judging by all the problems in the NU board.

do we need to open 1 new thread just for Alan Curbishley?



Next, we will open KK a new thread...

this thread is about managerial casualties la bro...not just about alan curbishley....

maybe u shud chg the title to manegerial casualties?
juz my 2cents...

no offence k...paiseh paiseh...

eh?
Not Kevin Keegan first to be sack?

damn..he was such a great manager thou...
pitty that ending like this..

Nop
http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...4090109,00.html

Curbs reveals reasons for quitting

West Ham fan Alan Curbishley says his sudden departure from Upton Park was down to the club making "significant player decisions" without him.



Curbishley on Wednesday became the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season, resigning his post over a row regarding the make-up of the Hammers' playing squad.

In a statement released via the League Managers' Association he said: "I started my West Ham United career when I left school in 1974 and have remained a lifelong fan. I have been incredibly proud to manage such a great club and my decision to resign has been very tough.

"The selection of players is critical to the job of the manager and I had an agreement with the club that I alone would determine the composition of the squad.

"However, 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. Nevertheless, I wish the club and the players every success in the future."

The LMA went on to cite "the club's unilateral actions around player transfers, without reference to their manager [which] have created irreparable damage to Alan's working relationship with the directors."

Richard Bevan, LMA chief executive, said: "The LMA has been working with Alan Curbishley over the past few days in an attempt to resolve his grievances with his employers. Sadly for West Ham United and Alan, reconciliation was not possible in the circumstances."

It is understood Curbishley had grown disillusioned at the club's transfer policy this season under the Icelandic owners, which had led to the departure of high-earner Freddie Ljungberg and the subsequent recent sales of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney.

The Hammers also took the step of releasing an extensive statement - which was posted before the official announcement of Curbishley's resignation - defending the club's activities in the transfer market.

"The transfers of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney along with the release of Freddie Ljungberg were right for the club and decisions had to be taken based on our best long-term interests," the statement read.

"In the past week, agreement could not be reached with Ferdinand on a new contract to replace his original deal that had just two years left to run while McCartney handed in a formal written transfer request after failing to resolve his personal reasons for wanting a move away."

West Ham chairman and owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, meanwhile, maintains the east London club are heading in the right direction.

"In my first full season as chairman of this great football club, I can assure our loyal supporters that we are working hard to bring sustained success to West Ham United," he said

"Everyone, including the chief executive and board, is committed to this common goal.

"We have a long-term strategy that takes into account all aspects of West Ham United's past, present and future and we will not be deterred.

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...4091201,00.html

if kk resign....newcastle is going down....so far i think that kk is the right man for newcastle....dont forget he take newcastle to champion league when he in charge before....

aiyah...today's stupid newspaper misleading me

What a pity to have him resigning after all the good work in West Ham. To put it simple, it's just The Board vs The Manager.

I won't be surprised if he becomes Magpies manager later

Last year the first manager being sacked was Jose Mourinho...remember..

Anything can happened in football.

Still waiting for Big Sam to get rehired. He did well at Bolton.

edit:typo

This post has been edited by Pain_X: Sep 4 2008, 05:39 PM

Any vacantcy for Dollah Salleh?

wtf....its now kevin keegan just resigned.....so early season 2 manager have out of the job....

Sigh. Just let the managers do the signing! Let them choose the players to be released and recruited.

looks like Curbishley and Keegan resigned due to transfer policy...not that they're bad in coaching or what.....

Hum... resign is a bit different with sack..?

Let's see who is the one who get sacked.

Rafa Benitez for the chop we are performance still that so so only.