Source: Daily_Mail
£2m bill for West Ham after Curbishley wins constructive dismissal case
West Ham have suffered another defeat - this time in the courts - after former manager Alan Curbishley won his claim for constructive dismissal.The hard-up Hammers, trying to build momentum as they look for a first home win of the season against Aston Villa tonight, could be hit for millions by the decision, which follows Curbishley's departure in September 2008. Breaking point: The sale of Anton Ferdinand triggered Alan Curbishley's exitCurbishley's original demand for compensation is believed to be around £3million but the Barclays Premier League tribunal have yet to decide a final figure, though the former manager is thought to be expecting £2.2m. West Ham hope the figure will be at least £1m less.The former West Ham manager, who also played for the club, resigned after players Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney were sold without his agreement. He had a clause in his contract that gave him control of transfers in and out of Upton Park.Curbishley said: 'On joining the club I insisted my contract contained a clause confirming I would have the final say on selection of players to be transferred to and from the club. 'The club completely ignored my contract when selling Ferdinand. When McCartney was then sold, the club, having given me assurances that no player would be leaving after the sale of Ferdinand, gave me no alternative but to resign.' The case follows that of Kevin Keegan, who won £2m compensation from Newcastle with a similar claim.Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers' Association,said the outcome demonstrated the need for clubs to respect contracts.Bevan said: 'Naturally we are delighted with the outcome for Alanbut, at the same time, sorry that he wasn't able to continue at WestHam United, a club that has played such a prominent part in hisprofessional career both as a player and manager. 'The findings of the tribunal demonstrate the critical importance ofrespecting contracts which need to set out the roles andresponsibilities of the parties in clear and unequivocal terms.' Curbishley is friends with Hull owner Russell Bartlett and is keen to get back into management, making Phil Brown's position at the KC Stadium even more precarious.Curbishley has the perfect experience for the Hull job, having saved West Ham from relegation in 2007 and operating on a tight budget in the top flight with Charlton.While Hull are a long way from his Essex home it is thought the right deal would be persuasive. Paul Jewell, Peter Taylor and Gareth Southgate have also been linked with the post. Hammer blow: Alan Curbishley has heaped further woe on relegation threatened West Ham after winning his case for wrongful dismissal against his former clubOn the playing front, Hammers coach Steve Clarke has told Sunderland manager Steve Bruce to shut his mouth and stop talking about other club's players. Bruce had called West Ham defender Herita Iilunga 'a' pansy' for going down in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Sunderland from a push by Kenwyne Jones, who was sent off.Clarke said: 'It was wrong of Steve Bruce to comment on our players. We have a manager (Gianfranco Zola) who doesn't speak about other team's players. I find it incredible that the player who was the victim is the player everyone is talking about.'Someone pushed him in the face. He has recently recovered from a triple fracture of the jaw. Maybe he thought a punch was coming. There was no over-reaction. He was pushed and he had to protect himself because Jones is a very big boy.'If you want to talk about the opposition also find it incredible the Sunderland captain (Lorik Cana) wasn't sent off. He was booked for a terrible tackle on Mark Noble and then persistently fouled.'If people have a go at my players, then I am going to have a go. He also made a bad two-footed tackle on Guillermo Franco, which the referee knows he'd have had to send him off for if it was given.'Clarke cooled down enough to welcome central defender James Collins - sold to Villa by cash-strapped West Ham - back to Upton Park on Wednesday night. Clarke said: 'James had to go. But he left on very good terms.' Bruce is wrong to comment on our players - fumes West Ham No 2 ClarkeHammers boss Zola boosted by Parker return for crunch Villa gameAlessandro Diamanti: I'll sparkle for the West Ham fans just like Paolo Di CanioPavlyuchenko and Cassano at top of Zola's West Ham United shopping listWEST HAM UNITED FC