Uttalande från Bonser
Walsall FC har nu gjort ett officiellt uttalande angående att Paul Merson lämnar klubben med omedelbar verkan.
Redan igår fick vi reda på att Paul Merson blivit avskedad som manager för Walsall Football Club och klubben sa att man varken bekräftade eller dementerade dessa uppgifter utan hänvisade till en presskonferans som hölls för ca en timme sedan.
Walsalls ordförande Jeff Bonser höll i presskonferensen och för att få citaten rätt så publicerar jag dem här utan att översätta dem.
"I felt that we had reached a point where it was in the best interests of both the club and Paul that this decision should be made."
"I hope that our supporters will never forget the euphoria created when he joined the club. He must have been the most high-profile signing ever made by us".
"Nor should we forget the extraordinary skills he displayed while playing for the club. He must surely have been the most gifted player to represent Walsall FC.
"He accepted the position of Team Manager at a most difficult time, following relegation from what is now The Championship and the draconian financial fall-out that followed the demise of ITV Digital".
"Inevitably, relegation led to a number of key players leaving the club, and a very limited availability of funds to rebuild the team".
"Nor has Paul enjoyed much luck during this period. In all my 18 years involvement in football, I have never known a time when we have been so hard hit by injuries. So far this season, as well as Paul himself having a long-term injury, Darren Wrack is out of the season with a broken leg. Players such as Steve Staunton, Andy Oakes, Chris Westwood and Ian Roper have all had lengthy absences. Our most experienced striker, Jorge Leitao became homesick and returned to Portugal".
"If all of these players had been available to Paul throughout the season, I have no doubt that our results and position in the League table would have been very different".
"I have always admired the way that he has been prepared to give young players their chance, and hopefully some of them who have been groomed by Paul will go on to have bright futures in the game, and will have much to be grateful to him for giving them their first chance".
"All of us at Walsall FC have enjoyed working with Paul and wish him every success in the future."
Det är oklart vem som nu kommer ta över som manager för Walsall FC men tills vidare kommer ungdomslagets ledare och hjälptränare Mick Halsall att ha ansvaret för a-laget tills det att man hittat en ersättare till Paul Merson.
Jeff skickade även en hälsning till alla supportrar att stötta nu på lördag så man säkrar tre viktiga poäng.
Källa: www.saddlers.co.uk
