[h=3]Battle lines drawn as Albion and Poyet head for showdown[/h]8:30am Tuesday 18th June 2013 in Albion By Andy Naylor
Gus Poyet has been defended by the LMA
ALBION’S fight with suspended boss Gus Poyet has descended into outright warfare after the League Managers Association leapt to his defence.
The Uruguayan swerved a disciplinary hearing with club bosses, due to take place at The Amex yesterday morning but now rescheduled for Thursday.
The Seagulls blamed Poyet’s no-show on “disputed legal reasons” but the League Managers Association hit back on the Uruguayan’s behalf.
They have accused the club of not giving him enough time to prepare, setting the hearing for an unsuitable date and failing to adhere to “basic employment rights”.
Poyet returned from holiday in Spain to appear late on Sunday evening as a pundit for Uruguay’s Confederations Cup clash in the BBC’s Salford studios near Manchester.
He was due at the club hearing hours later, after a four-week investigation by Albion into alleged multiple breaches of contract, but did not turn up.
The club, in a statement issued yesterday afternoon, revealed: “Following the completion of a detailed internal investigation, Gus Poyet’s disciplinary hearing commenced this morning.
“However, Gus Poyet elected not to attend for disputed legal reasons. The club’s disciplinary panel chose to adjourn the meeting to later this week to provide Mr Poyet with a final opportunity to attend.”
The LMA said in response on their website last night: “Brighton & Hove Albion FC ordered Gus Poyet to attend a crucial disciplinary hearing today, despite the fact that he only returned from annual leave yesterday and the charges were not particularised until 13th June.
“Further, the very lengthy appendices to the initial report comprise around 500 pages and these were also only delivered recently. Clearly Gus needs to have a fair and reasonable opportunity to respond to what we believe are unfounded charges against him. “Also, it has repeatedly been made clear to the club that Gus’s LMA representative, Richard Bevan, was not available to accompany him today, but was available to attend on Thursday 20th or Friday 21st June as well.
“These two dates fall within the five working day period for an employee to offer alternatives to the original date set by the club as set-out in the club’s own handbook.
“We believe that our members are entitled to the same legal protections that other employees enjoy. Football clubs need to observe basic employment rights like any other employer in our view. Just to be clear, however, we are confident that Gus will demonstrate there is no case to answer in this matter.
“Notwithstanding these important points, the club decided to go-ahead with the hearing in the absence of both Gus and Richard Bevan.
“Late this afternoon the club agreed to adjourn and reconvene the disciplinary hearing to Thursday 20th June 2013. The LMA is pleased that the club has agreed to an arrangement whereby Gus and his chosen representative will be able to attend.”
Albion have confirmed the separate internal investigation into suspended first team coach Charlie Oatway is continuing after the suspension of Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco was lifted last week. Meanwhile the Seagulls’ first home match of the season will be against League Two newcomers Newport County in the first round of the Capital One Cup at The Amex on Tueasday August 6 (7.45pm).
Original article
ALBION’S fight with suspended boss Gus Poyet has descended into outright warfare after the League Managers Association leapt to his defence.
The Uruguayan swerved a disciplinary hearing with club bosses, due to take place at The Amex yesterday morning but now rescheduled for Thursday.
The Seagulls blamed Poyet’s no-show on “disputed legal reasons” but the League Managers Association hit back on the Uruguayan’s behalf.
They have accused the club of not giving him enough time to prepare, setting the hearing for an unsuitable date and failing to adhere to “basic employment rights”.
Poyet returned from holiday in Spain to appear late on Sunday evening as a pundit for Uruguay’s Confederations Cup clash in the BBC’s Salford studios near Manchester.
He was due at the club hearing hours later, after a four-week investigation by Albion into alleged multiple breaches of contract, but did not turn up.
The club, in a statement issued yesterday afternoon, revealed: “Following the completion of a detailed internal investigation, Gus Poyet’s disciplinary hearing commenced this morning.
“However, Gus Poyet elected not to attend for disputed legal reasons. The club’s disciplinary panel chose to adjourn the meeting to later this week to provide Mr Poyet with a final opportunity to attend.”
The LMA said in response on their website last night: “Brighton & Hove Albion FC ordered Gus Poyet to attend a crucial disciplinary hearing today, despite the fact that he only returned from annual leave yesterday and the charges were not particularised until 13th June.
“Further, the very lengthy appendices to the initial report comprise around 500 pages and these were also only delivered recently. Clearly Gus needs to have a fair and reasonable opportunity to respond to what we believe are unfounded charges against him. “Also, it has repeatedly been made clear to the club that Gus’s LMA representative, Richard Bevan, was not available to accompany him today, but was available to attend on Thursday 20th or Friday 21st June as well.
“These two dates fall within the five working day period for an employee to offer alternatives to the original date set by the club as set-out in the club’s own handbook.
“We believe that our members are entitled to the same legal protections that other employees enjoy. Football clubs need to observe basic employment rights like any other employer in our view. Just to be clear, however, we are confident that Gus will demonstrate there is no case to answer in this matter.
“Notwithstanding these important points, the club decided to go-ahead with the hearing in the absence of both Gus and Richard Bevan.
“Late this afternoon the club agreed to adjourn and reconvene the disciplinary hearing to Thursday 20th June 2013. The LMA is pleased that the club has agreed to an arrangement whereby Gus and his chosen representative will be able to attend.”
Albion have confirmed the separate internal investigation into suspended first team coach Charlie Oatway is continuing after the suspension of Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco was lifted last week. Meanwhile the Seagulls’ first home match of the season will be against League Two newcomers Newport County in the first round of the Capital One Cup at The Amex on Tueasday August 6 (7.45pm).
Original article