Cedric Roussel has revealed that cash-strapped Coventry City offered five players in exchange for John Hartson because the club couldn’t afford the full fee.

He has slammed Coventry City directors for trying to persuade him to move to Wimbledon as the make-weight in the deal to bring John Hartson to the club.

Roussel, who caused the deal to collapse after he refused to move, said in The Guardian:

“Coventry’s directors phoned me several times each day trying to get me to give in.

“However, my son had just been born the previous week and I had plenty of other things on my mind – all the more because I have recently had a house built in Coventry, I am really happy here, and that is why the attitude of the directors hurt me badly.

“I had the chance to sign for several classier clubs last season, but opted instead to sign a five-year deal with Coventry because they gave me my chance in England. Now this is the way they reward me for my loyalty.”

Roussel claims that Coventry could only afford half of the £5m wanted by Wimbledon for Hartson, and five players were offered in an attempt to broker the deal for the injury-prone overweight Welsh centre-forward.

He said:

”Wimbledon were only willing to let him go if I went in the opposite direction. But there is no question of me going, even if they offer me a better salary. Wimbledon have no chance left of regaining their top-flight place at the end of this season.”

He warned that unless the Sky Blues improved, they too will be slipping down a division at the end of the season.

His anger follows comments by Bryan Richardson about the players’ attitude in recent weeks, and the admission by Gordon Strachan that his family no longer comes to watch Coventry play.

SEE [23 JAN 01] FAMILY STAYS AWAY AS STRACHAN SQUIRMS
SEE [22 JAN 01] RICHARDSON BLAMES PLAYERS AS CITY SLUMP AGAIN
SEE [19 JAN 01] HARTSON SAYS SKY BLUES DEAL IS DEAD