Premier League - Curbishley resigns at West Ham

Eurosport - Thu, 04 Sep 07:39:00 2008

Alan Curbishley has become the first managerial casualty of the season after resigning as boss of West Ham United.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Premier League West Ham Alan Curbishley - 0

The former Charlton Athletic boss has left his post at Upton Park after a year and nine months in charge.

Curbishley quit despite winning two of their first three league matches this season, having beaten Wigan Athletic 2-1 on the opening day and Blackburn Rovers 4-1 at the weekend.

Coach Kevin Keen has been given the role of caretaker manager while the club look for their sixth manager since Harry Redknapp left in 2001.

Croatia national team boss and former West Ham defender Slaven Bilic is seen as the favourite to replace Curbishley.

Curbishley had been criticised by the club's fans this season, and earlier this week he was humiliated by the club's hierarchy, who sold George McCartney against his wishes, and after he had publicly stated no-one else would be leaving.

It also emerged that he has also been under-fire in the dressing room, with skipper Lucas Neill involved in a heated argument with Curbishley after the win against Blackburn.

Curbishley said in a statement sent via the League Managers' Association: "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. It was made quite clear that I had the final say.

"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."

In an interview with Sky Sports News he added: "On Sunday morning I went into a meeting at Upton Park and was hoping to bring some loan (signings) in and I was told that I would not be in that position unless someone left the club and said 'well let's all go home then' because I don't want anyone to leave because I was happy with the way things were.

"I was quite happy to stick with the squad if I could not improve it, but that was not the case."

Referring to the sale of McCartney, he added: "I could not just sit around and be silent about it."

West Ham posted a statement on their official website which 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."

The club had not long before issued a statement regarding the sale of McCartney against Curbishley's wishes, believed to the final straw that led to the 50-year-old's resignation.

The statement reads: "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."

When the club was bought by the Icelandic consortium chaired by Eggert Magnusson and backed by billionaire Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson in November 2006, many expected the Hammers to receive significant financial backing that would move the east London club into the upper echelons of the Premier League.

However, despite numerous signings their injury-plagued squad finished 10th last season, having occupied that position for much of the second half of the campaign, and there have been reports that the club is in financial trouble having been forced to sell several players.

In addition to Ferdinand and McCartney, Curbishley has seen Nolberto Solano, Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil and Richard Wright leave the club during the summer, while Freddie Ljungberg had his lucrative contract cancelled at a cost of around £6 million to the club.

Curbishley leaves West Ham with a 39 per cent win rate, having won 28 of his 71 matches in charge of the Hammers.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 161 - 180 of 180

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  1. Why as english fans do we allow all this foreign @#$%­ to buy our any of our clubs,they in themselves cannot­ string two english words together,they may have the­ cash they certainly do not have the nowhow,or the­ manners to treat we english with respect,WHY DO WE PUT­ UP WITH IT?

    From A, on Thu 4 Sep 10:17AM

  2. I've supported the Irons for the last 35 years but­ right now I'm ashamed of the club! I'm a big­ fan of Curbs - he's kept his dignity throughout his­ time at the club, got ever-improving results and then,­ after our best start to a season in nine years, the­ board start making decisions that should be his! You­ can't dictate who joins the squad and then blame­ the manager when it goes wrong! I thought things would­ get better after Terry Brown went but now I fear for­ the club's future! All the best, Curbs - you­ deserved better!!

    From Worcs Hammer Fan, on Thu 4 Sep 9:28AM

  3. sorry to see Curbs go he won't be the last, anyone­ with a grain of decency will be blown away under this­ obscene rush for money that Scudamore and Sky made us­ have...yes, made us have as there was no­ opposaition...there is now...but too late Reds Fan

    From steviecalrow, on Thu 4 Sep 9:23AM

  4. good luck alan sad too see you go but understand why­ you did well done for sticking to your guns and not­ backing down i hope you get snapped up soon we need men­ like you in football men of principals and honour

    From zigman, on Thu 4 Sep 9:14AM

  5. As usual the Manager gets it. On the job discription it­ should state, attributes of a mushroom needed. To be­ kept in the dark, fed on Bulls***, and harvested­ regularly.
    Good luck Alan, hpoe to see you back soon.

    From plewis696, on Thu 4 Sep 9:10AM

  6. I blame the fans and the board at west ham, nobody has­ a define right to do well in the premeirship but when a­ club pulls together from all angles it has more of a­ chance to succeed, sadly this not the case at west ham,­ one minute in the FA Cup final next minute sacking the­ manager (pardew), Curbs has been a good manager for­ charlton and the hammers,with a bit more time he would­ have won something, somebody will strike lucky with­ him, has for the hammers see you in the championship­ next season.

    From ashleighwragg, on Thu 4 Sep 8:30AM

  7. What a state at West Ham, they get rid of a perfectly­ solid manager in Alan Pardew, Promotion, FA Cup­ finalist. And, replace him with another reasonably­ solid bloke, then constructively push him out, the­ board are doing all the buying and "SELLING"­ and promising the supporters they aren't. Bit like­ the Labour Government promising one thing doing­ another

    I've been a LOYAL West Ham supporter since­ dot! And I don't recognise these foreigners who­ have only come to plunder the pot. Amazing record­ season tickets sales then this. My advice to­ supporters, stick together and don't turn up.

    From Greenjob, on Thu 4 Sep 8:14AM

  8. A reminder to everyone about these "little"­ non-entities with no footballing knowledge or­ experience should be the career of Sir Alex Ferguson at­ Man U..
    With his results during his first year, a board­ such as the current Hammers, Newcastle ( fill in any of­ your choice) would have sacked him but they opted for­ the long haul - and not all his purchases were good­ ones. However, they appointed him and did NOT undermine­ him. Who knows - he may win something for them soon­ !
    Still don't regret those wet evenings on the­ Chicken Run - at least the board were club men in those­ days. But can't see Curbs going to Newcastle (see­ earlier postings). Same there only it's that @#$%­ Wise and some other non-entity dictating player moves­ there

    From DAVID H, on Thu 4 Sep 6:44AM

  9. hi im a sunderland fan and its not right that anton­ ferdernand and george mccartney were sold behind alan­ curbishlys back good sigings for sunderland but a kick­ in the teeth for you westham fans

    From risinangel_2007xxx, on Thu 4 Sep 5:16AM

  10. Good luck Crubs, one of the best. Shouldn't have to­ be too patient - a quick look at the table suggest­ Spurs should be an option any day now.

    From philipbarraclough, on Thu 4 Sep 2:02AM

  11. the only rich english man to buy this club is gordon­ golden brown he takes all of our hard earned money­ thats why you get foriegners buying the clubs they make­ and break promises 2.

    From chris, on Thu 4 Sep 12:43AM

  12. time will tell how really good curbisley is, i feel­ sorry for west ham fans having lost a good manager. now­ they really are in trouble.

    From David, on Thu 4 Sep 12:27AM

  13. sorry to see alan go and who ever says hes not a good­ manager is off his head if i was a manager and the­ same happened to me i would walk you dont buy a club­ come out saying i have bought this club and this club­ will move up the league then sell some of your best­ stars from under the mangers nose chairmen and­ directors of football (sidekick to chairman) should­ leave all players duties to the managers

    From mark c, on Thu 4 Sep 12:17AM

  14. despite all of the above you cannot promise a manager­ what is expected on arrival and then take it away­ without even given a chance with a full fit squad which­ can happen.
    MONEY AS USUALL PREVAILS

    From jim, on Wed 3 Sep 11:37PM

  15. Hey dutch3032, that "italian nobody" you so­ freely insult is actually a good sport director and a­ top scout. The thing is English clubs are changing and­ are adjusting to a continental style where the club has­ final decision on transfers. You can understand that if­ the manager goes awol and buys a lot of rubbish then­ leaves it is the clubs that is left to pick up the­ pieces. The club belongs to owners not the managers. It­ is obviously the best interest of the club to buy the­ players that the manager want when possible but the­ club, West Ham, has a sporting director to have a wider­ look to the future. And in case you don't realise­ it, the latest loan "Di Michele" is an­ extremely talented striker and an international too and­ I am sure Curbishley had nothing to do with its­ purchase. He's a good manager but he's out of­ touch with modern clubs and knows little about foreign­ players. A championship club would suit him best I­ think.

    From Morituri, on Wed 3 Sep 11:13PM

  16. Hey dutch3032, that "italian nobody" you so­ freely insult is actually a good sport director and a­ top scout. The thing is English clubs are changing and­ are adjusting to a continental style where the club has­ final decision on transfers. You can understand that if­ the manager goes awol and buys a lot of rubbish then­ leaves it is the clubs that is left to pick up the­ pieces. The club belongs to owners not the managers. It­ is obviously the best interest of the club to buy the­ players that the manager want when possible but the­ club, West Ham, has a sporting director to have a wider­ look to the future. And in case you don't realise­ it, the latest loan "Di Michele" is an­ extremely talented striker and an international too and­ I am sure Curbishley had nothing to do with its­ purchase. He's a good manager but he's out of­ touch with modern clubs and knows little about foreign­ players. A championship club would suit best I think.

    From Morituri, on Wed 3 Sep 11:13PM

  17. bb

    From a.sasimowicz, on Wed 3 Sep 10:52PM

  18. Curbishly is a Championship manager and would have got­ Charlton promoted? Did someone seriously write that?­ Charlton were in the Top 10 of the Premier League under­ Curbs, they got relegated after he left. Seriously,­ dont comment if you dont know what you're talking­ about.
    Curbs is a top manager and does great with sides­ who have little to no money, he did wonders with­ Charlton on a shoe-string budget and turned West Ham­ from a relegation side to a Top 10 team. Imagine what­ he could do with money?!
    Hats off to him, he deserves­ respect. I'd have him as Liverpool manager any day.

    From Ian, on Wed 3 Sep 10:34PM

  19. shame to see alan curbishley go,amazed reading comments­ that people say he is only a championship manager??­ wasnt too long ago he was a England maybe,lucky escape­ on two accounts alan ,good luck you deserve it, maybe­ after hearing harry rednapps pre match interview and­ him calling fratton park upton park he should forget­ about one day owning bournemouth and form a consortium­ buy west ham and give the fan base what they deserve

    From glyndavis36, on Wed 3 Sep 10:27PM

  20. what the hell is a manager to do? if he stays with the­ club & keeps his mouth shut whilst a nobody from­ italy sells the younger spine of the team as well as­ the more experienced premiership players, then to add­ insult to injury, replaces them with over the hill and­ past their best serie A players who are unlikely to­ have any impact on a cold winter saturday afternoon, he­ will inevitably find himself sacked at the end or­ middle of the season because players that he did'nt­ want can't perform. The ironey would not have been­ lost on Curbishley.

    From dutch3032, on Wed 3 Sep 10:24PM
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