Dubai: Ahmad Hammad, the CEO of Al Ahli Football Club, says he's clueless over reports that former coach David O'Leary is seeking Fifa backing in a battle for compensation with the Red Knights.
The former Leeds United and Aston Villa boss coached Al Ahli from the start of the 2010/11 season, but was ousted just 10 months into a three-year contract, despite the club reaching third in the table.
Reports yesterday stated the 53-year-old Irishman had sought backing from the English Football Association and the League Managers' Association (LMA) in order to take his case for unpaid compensation from the UAE club to Fifa.
No option
But Hammad told Gulf News: "I have no idea about this situation. There's much difference between comment, no comment and no idea. As a club we simply haven't heard anything about this and don't have any idea."
Richard Bevan, chief executive of the LMA said: "David O'Leary has been left with no option but to place his contractual dispute with Al Ahli before the Players' Status Committee/Dispute Resolution Chamber of Fifa.
"The LMA is committed to protecting and, where necessary, enforcing the legal rights of its members and to ensuring that clubs honour their contractual obligations in the all-too-frequent event of a manager's dismissal.
Intervention
"Our commitment to this goal is the same whether our member works at home or abroad."
Graham Noakes, head of the Professional Game at the English FA, said: "Following application from O'Leary's advisers, the [English] FA has referred this matter to Fifa, which has the authority to intervene in disputes of this kind."
In all competitions — Etisalat Pro League, Etisalat Cup, President's Cup and GCC Champions League — O'Leary coached Al Ahli in 31 games, winning 11, drawing eight and losing 12, handing him a win rate of just 35 per cent.
