Chamakh had limited options

15 October 2009 10:02
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Bordeaux chairman Jean-Louis Triaud has explained West Ham were the only club that Marouane Chamakh could have realistically joined in the summer.[LNB] The Moroccan striker made no secret of his desire to move to the Premier League in the close-season, with West Ham, Sunderland and Arsenal all mooted as suitors.[LNB]Chamakh's preferred destination was the Emirates but Triaud believes Arsenal's interest was tepid, while former striker Lilian Laslandes' nightmare spell in the North East back in 2001 proved off-putting.[LNB]"Sunderland didn't meet our criteria," Triaud told So Foot. "Laslandes went to Sunderland and he ended up depressed.[LNB]"They were against Laslandes. No, West Ham was better.[LNB]"Actually Marouane would have played one season with them, they would sell him, then they would pay us.[LNB]"I told Marouane: 'you choose'. And he called a press conference to announce he would be staying."[LNB]Arsene Wenger has intimated he may make another offer for Chamakh in the winter transfer window, but Triaud insists he is not waiting by the phone.[LNB]"They made me an unacceptable offer," he continued. "Then I had no further news for a fortnight.[LNB]Unacceptable"I picked up the phone and said: 'What are you doing Arsene?' and he told me: 'It's fine, I don't need Chamakh, whatever the transfer costs'."[LNB]Triaud insists that should the 25-year-old leave before the end of his contract in June it will be up to the club where he ends up and that he will not be held to ransom over an improved deal.[LNB]"I don't care at all about the player's wishes," he said. "From the moment he signed with us for four years, he signed for four years.[LNB]"I have known players who haven't been very good and they didn't come up to me to say: 'I'm paid too much, I'm going to terminate my contract for sympathy'.[LNB]"So why if they are good should I go and tell them: 'It's okay, we'll sort out the contract you signed'?"[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports