O´Neill´s Villa dispute goes to tribunal

Martin O’Neill will head to an arbitration tribunal to resolve a disagreement over his departure from Aston Villa.

The 59-year-old left Villa Park in August after four years as manager at the English Premier League club, and the two parties have so far failed to come to an arrangement over the terms of his departure.

A statement from the League Managers Association said that because the dispute could not be solved through mediation, it now must be heard by the body’s arbitration tribunal.

“It has not been possible to resolve the dispute concerning the termination of employment,” the statement read.

“Premier League managers’ contracts contain a clause requiring the parties to mediate their differences in the event of a dispute and, if the dispute cannot be resolved at mediation, that the case moves forward to the Premier League Managers’ Arbitration Tribunal.”

“The tribunal is ideally placed to resolve disputes of this nature, combining the skills and experience of prominent individuals from football and the law.”

It is not the first time the tribunal has been required to resolve cases like O’Neill’s dispute with Villa.

One-time West Ham boss Alan Curbishley and former Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan both had their constructive dismissal claims against the clubs upheld in 2009.