Monday 24 June 2013

Brighton sack Poyet... but stunned ex-boss discovers news while appearing on BBC

Gus Poyet

Brighton announced they had sacked Gus Poyet on Sunday night, with their bemused former manager discovering the news as he appeared live on the BBC’s Match of the Day.

The Uruguayan was a pundit for coverage of Sunday’s Confederations Cup clash between Spain and Nigeria when Brighton released a statement claiming they had informed Poyet that his contract had been terminated ‘with immediate effect’.

However, when quizzed at half-time by presenter Mark Chapman, the 45-year-old insisted he knew nothing of the statement and had received no correspondence from the club.

In the studio: Poyet had been helping to cover The Confederations Cup on television
‘I’ve still had no communication from the club, no text, no email,’ said Poyet. ‘I didn’t receive anything. I’m probably the first to be in this position.

‘Everyone can make their own conclusions about the way I have been informed by you.

‘I think the BBC got a great story really because a manager getting the information that he’s been released from his employment during the time of a programme is quite surprising.

‘I suppose reading the statement I will be able to talk to them. It’s been really sad, they gave me so much, they made me so proud and not being able to answer a call or text or even an email for legal reasons is unusual for me.

Highly rated: But that hasn't convinced Brighton to retain Gus Poyet.

‘Are they messing with my career? We will see, it’s too early to say. I am looking forward to clearing this.

‘The only thing I’m concentrating on is the appeal. I will appeal because it’s the right thing to do. I cannot understand it any more, after this I will talk a bit longer with my lawyers and they are reading [the statement], and until we go through that it’s very difficult to make any comments.’

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