Such disrespect from the man who shook the board by telling all that Don Cowie had agreed to sign six months before it was revealed, the man who caught on to the CC situation and pleaded for him to go gracefully, the man who knew about Brewster months before anyone else and the man who shook the Board and led to change their minds about ditching DP.
And what do you know:
Hagi quits Steaua Bucharest after owner's interference
RADU TIMOFTE
GHEORGHE Hagi resigned as Steaua Bucharest head coach on Thursday before hitting out at the flamboyant Gigi Becali, blaming the owner for constantly undermining his authority.
Hagi quit after the team lost their opening Champions League Group H match 2-1 in Slavia Prague on Wednesday.
"I stopped my job with Steaua this afternoon," the former Romania midfield great told reporters. "I took the decision two days ago but I did not wish to abandon the team before an important match."
Becali said: "It was Hagi's decision. A resignation is a resignation, it is all over now."
Hagi's decision was not unexpected after Becali repeatedly interfered in team matters, including picking the players.
"The owner always called me on the bench to tell me who must get on the field and who must be replaced. I remained dumb."
Becali told Realitatea TV: "I admit I humiliated him. It is very hard to work with Becali. If you resist, it's all right, if not, goodbye. One cannot work with Becali if he doesn't have results."
Last month the owner threatened to sack Hagi after complaining he did not stick to the line-up Becali had selected for their first league match of the season.
Becali also asked Hagi to pick two players he wanted in the team for Wednesday's match in Prague, saying the coach would have to leave unless he obeyed orders. "I wanted to make Hagi a great coach," Becali told Sport.ro TV. "It's my greatest regret I failed to make Hagi a huge coach, leading my fighters through victories in Europe."
Hagi, who took over in June, led Steaua undefeated through the Champions League preliminary rounds but they are struggling in seventh place in the domestic league after scoring only four goals in six matches.
"Becali always said the wins were down to him and the defeats were because Hagi failed to take the correct decision," said Hagi.
"Becali destroys the players. A player is a toy for Gigi, today somebody is a great player, tomorrow he means nothing, after tomorrow he must leave."
Hagi quit as Romania coach in 2001 after failing to reach the World Cup finals.
He also resigned as coach of Turkish club Bursaspor in 2003 after a disappointing start to the season.
Hagi revealed that he was going to pursue an opportunity in Scotland that had been offered to him recently by a Romanian businessman.
This article: http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1511502007
Last updated: 21-Sep-07 01:46 BST