Roussel lifts lid on Coventry cash problems
Coventry City's mounting problems increased yesterday when their striker Cédric Roussel launched an attack on the club, predicted they would be relegated unless they sorted things out and revealed the extent of City's financial worries.
Coventry are second bottom of the Premiership after losing 3-1 at home to Everton on Saturday, a defeat which prompted calls for the dismissal of Gordon Strachan. Several fans tried to confront the manager by the tunnel at the end.
Now Roussel has accused the chairman Bryan Richardson and his fellow directors of trying to force him to join Wimbledon as a makeweight in Coventry's attempt to sign John Hartson, a deal that fell through because the Belgian refused to move to the London club.
"Coventry's directors phoned me several times each day trying to get me to give in," said Roussel, a £1.2m signing from Ghent last season.
"However, my son had just been born the previous week, and I had plenty of other things on my mind - all the more because I have recently had a house built in Coventry. I am really happy here, and that is why the attitude of the directors hurt me badly.
"I had the chance to sign for several classier clubs last season, but opted instead to sign a five-year deal with Coventry because they gave me my chance in England. Now this is the way they reward me for my loyalty."
He added that Coventry's financial worries are such that "they could only afford half the £5m Wimbledon wanted for John Hartson, and they initially offered five players in exchange. However, Wimbledon were only willing to let him go if I went in the opposite direction. But there is no question of me going, even if they offer me a better salary than my present one. Wimbledon have no chance left of regaining their top-flight place at the end of this season."
Roussel, who is recovering from a hip injury, watched the latest setback on Saturday and said:"We really plumbed the depths at the weekend. The side never looked like it was playing for its survival.
"Everton were missing a host of players, but they were still 3-0 up inside half an hour. It was the first time I'd ever seen our fans show their dissatisfaction so angrily.
"It is high time we found a solution. Unless we do, the club will inevitably drop into the First Division."
Crystal Palace have agreed a £750,000 fee with Gillingham for their 11-goal top scorer Carl Asaba. The 27-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer and is a Palace supporter, will discuss personal terms at Selhurst Park today.
"We couldn't match his expectations," said Gillingham's chairman Paul Scally. "It's a terrible deal for this club and when we signed him from Reading we didn't expect to be in this position now. But times have changed and we have to move on."