League Championship Brighton & Hove Albion "hit back" at fired Manager GUS POYET Monday morning to deny his claim that he learned "he had been sacked as manager only after it was announced on the club's website," according to Sam Munnery of the LONDON TIMES. Poyet was appearing on BBC’s Match of the Day program as a pundit Sunday night when Brighton "released a statement confirming his dismissal." Poyet, who had been suspended by the club since last month and was the subject of a disciplinary hearing last week, said during halftime of Uruguay’s clash with Spain: “I think the BBC have a great story forever, because a manager getting information that he is being released from his employment by the BBC is quite surprising. I have had no communication, no texts, no email" (LONDON TIMES, 6/24). In London, Dominic Fifield reported Brighton released a statement "vehemently denying the Uruguayan's claim that he had been unaware of his dismissal until being told while working as a pundit" on TV. Brighton's statement read, "The club would like to point out that its disciplinary panel considered the matter on the afternoon of Friday 21 June and for most of Saturday 22 June. The club spent much of Sunday 23 June in discussion with Gus and his representatives. Gus was well aware, before he appeared on the BBC last evening, that his dismissal was pending" (GUARDIAN, 6/24).
