By David Gold
June 14 – Birmingham City have refused to accept the resignation of manager Alex McLeish, who announced his intention to leave his post at the club on Sunday via e-mail, and are believed to be looking for financial compensation.
McLeish’s resignation has prompted an angry response from the club, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Birmingham insist that there was no forewarning of the Scot’s resignation, and have insisted that he cannot discuss terms with any other side until the legal dispute now being discussed is resolved.
However, the Blues say that they have been contacted by manager-less Aston Villa, their local rivals, to ask about McLeish.
The two sides are currently in discussions to resolve the impasse, with acting chairman Peter Pannu telling the BBC that they would seek to hold McLeish to his contract unless compensation can be agreed.
Given that McLeish has more than two years to run on his contract, any compensation could be significant.
Birmingham’s financial position, which was uncertain before their relegation, is now at increased risk, so any compensation would be particularly important for the club to secure.
Pannu has said that McLeish, as a contracted member of staff, does not have permission to speak to any other club until the impasse is broken, making it harder for him to take up the vacant managerial post at Aston Villa which he has been increasingly linked with.
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