Stupid, Stupid West Ham

Magnusson pushed out of West Ham over spiraling wages tribalfootball.com - December 17, 2007 Eggert Magnusson was pushed out of West Ham United over the club's spiraling wage bill, it has been revealed.

The Sunday Mirror says Magnusson was forced out of West Ham after majority shareholder Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson launched a full-scale enquiry into the running of the club.

And it was the £110,000-aweek wages paid to Freddie Ljungberg - almost TREBLE his Arsenal deal - that sparked Gudmundsson into action.

Gudmundsson, an Icelandic banking billionaire, decided to take personal control after becoming concerned by Magnusson's increasingly high profile and some of his decision-making.

The owner had major concerns about the salaries Magnusson authorised for incoming players such as Ljungberg, Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson and Luis Boa Morte.

Ljungberg was paid around £38,000 a week by Arsenal and had been struggling with a series of injuries.

At 30 his career appeared to have reached a crossroads and the Gunners were prepared to let him move on.

And the Sweden international must have been laughing all the way to the bank when the Hammers offered him a pay packet of around £110,000 a week.

It has not helped Magnusson's justification of the deal to see Ljungberg sidelined for long spells this season.

So far he has made just eight appearances.

Lucas Neill was poised to leave Blackburn Rovers for Liverpool in last January's transfer window - until Magnusson opened the Hammers chequebook.

With the end of his contract approaching Rovers were ready to sell the tough-tackling defender for £1.5million.

Liverpool offered the Aussie £55,000 a week - only for West Ham to clinch his signature with an offer of £90,000 a week.