To sack him in the tunnel after the game is not the West Ham way

West Ham legend Tony Cottee has hit out at the West Ham board over the way they sacked Avram Grant.

The Israeli was relieved of his duties as manager by co-owner David Sullivan immediately after the 3-2 defeat by Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Sullivan apparently met the former boss in the tunnel straight after the match and took him into a room before breaking the news that his services were no longer required by the club.

The timing of the incident fumed Cottee, who believes the club should have acted in a far more dignified manner.

“The way West Ham got rid of Avram Grant after our relegation to the Championship was disgraceful,” he said.

“Of course Avram Grant had to go, but to do it in the tunnel immediately after the game showed a complete lack of class.

“This is a club, who had managerial greats such as Ron Greenwood and John Lyall and for the club to get rid of Grant in this way is really poor.”

It was a sad end to a dreadful campaign for the Israeli at Upton Park and Cottee pulled no punches when assessing his tenure after the Wigan defeat.

“It was a game which summed up our season and once again proved Avram Grant was out of his depth,” he said.

“He didn’t know his best team and was tactically na�ve.”

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