Dutch second division club Fortuna Sittard has threatened some legal action against Sunday Oliseh over his claims that he was fired for “innumerable culpable acts” and a “disrupted employment relationship” with the players and other employees on Wednesday, February 14, 2018, wanted him to violate the law.
Oliseh, who was engaged by the Eerste Divisie side as their manager on December 27, 2016 after he left his job as the Super Eagles coach in February 2016, under controversial circumstances, claimed on his Twitter account after Fortunezen announced his ‘suspension’ that the club decided to suspend him because he refused to play ball.
The former Nigeria midfielder wrote on microblogging website, Twitter (unedited), “I confirm: Due to my refusal to participate in Illegal activities at Fortuna sittard & violate the Law, i have been Suspended from my duties as Coach by the Foreign Owners of Fortuna.Unfortunate for the lovely fans, my players & our hard fought phenomenal positioning for Promotion.”
I confirm: Due to my refusal to participate in Illegal activities at Fortuna sittard & violate the Law,i have been Suspended from my duties as Coach by the Foreign Owners of Fortuna.Unfortunate for the lovely fans, my players & our hard fought phenomenal positioning for Promotion
— Sunday Oliseh (@SundayOOliseh) February 14, 2018
Fortuna challenged the former Ajax player to substantiate his claims on Thursday, February 15, 2018, or face legal action.
The club denied that they decided to fire Oliseh from his post due to his “refusal to participate in illegal activities”.
“Fortuna want to fight the accusations made,” the club wrote on their official website.
“In this context, the club will also take the necessary legal follow-up steps. Fortuna does not recognise itself at all in these accusations, which were not highlighted by Sunday Oliseh internally.
“The case will be presented by Fortuna Sittard to the arbitration committee of the KNVB (the Dutch Football Association), an independent body, which will now make an assessment of whether there is sufficient grounds to terminate the employment contract of Sunday Oliseh.”
The club added, “Fortuna Sittard will no longer discuss any new unfounded accusations by Sunday Oliseh on the club’s website.
“Fortuna will take the appropriate legal countermeasures. If there are any questions from the side of the KNVB in this respect, Fortuna Sittard is fully open to internal investigation to show that the accusations are completely unfounded.”
The club on Wednesday, announced that they had appointed their youth team’s head coach Claudio Braga as the senior team’s caretaker manager “until the club has found a new trainer” after firing Oliseh.
“Several attempts by the club to encourage a change in the coach’s behaviour have unfortunately not worked, resulting in an unworkable situation,” the club said.
“The board of Fortuna Sittard emphasises that the decision to suspend Sunday Oliseh is not motivated by the current sporting performance.”
