Swansea sacked me after six-hour U-turn by chairman Jenkins, claims Laudrup



Michael Laudrup says he didn't want to sign Marvin Emnes and David N'gog



The Dane was speaking for first time since he was sacked earlier this month

Laudrup sacked by email after 'refusing a change to his backroom staff'



Laudrup says Jenkins couldn't explain what rule of his contract he breached



Sir Alex Ferguson and Gary Lineker phoned Laudrup after he was axed



Michael Laudrup has criticised his sacking by Swansea City, claiming chairman Huw Jenkins performed a six-hour U-turn on the day he was dismissed by email.



The Dane called a press conference at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday and spoke for the first time about the chain of events a fortnight ago that led to the end of his Liberty Stadium tenure.



In a wide-ranging briefing, in which he also indicated none of his main summer targets were signed, Laudrup claimed that Jenkins met him before training on February 4 to suggest a change to his backroom team.



VIDEO Scroll down to watch Michael Laudrup discuss his Swansea sacking



Facing the media: Michael Laudrup, sacked by Swansea earlier this month, addressed the press on Tuesday

Making his point: The Dane claimed Huw Jenkins performed a six-hour U-turn which led to his sacking

Laudrup said he refused and shook hands with Jenkins, before receiving an email that afternoon to inform him he had breached his contract and was sacked with immediate effect.

Laudrup said: 'In mid-January I was told they were not satisfied with the whole training staff. We spoke about it. I always want to listen but I don't agree with what is said.

'After that we played a cup game (against Birmingham), which we won, and a league game we won (against Fulham), then my last game against West Ham, we lost. After that I get another message that I should really consider changing the staff.

'My answer is that we discussed that but I agreed to have a meeting on Tuesday. I had a very personal matter on the Monday that my chairman knew. It wasn't in Paris (as reported).

Long walk: Michael Laudrup was sacked by Swansea City earlier this month

Looking up? Laudrup is sure to be in demand having impressed at Swansea until the final weeks of his tenure

'I said we already talked about it and I said it was a big mistake to talk about it in the week before one of the most important games, against Cardiff.



'What surprised me is that the meeting on Tuesday, things were already in the papers. I leave that with the chairman.



'We ended up saying we have to stay together, we shook hands and he said 'thank you very much because you want to help the club',



'Later this afternoon I received an e-mail saying due to breach of contract, with immediate effect they would terminate. Just hours after we shook hands. I was very confused. I asked what is going on. They said, "Yeah, but after thinking…"



'I said by the way, what does breach mean? He (Jenkins) couldn't explain. He didn't know. While I was on the phone, my wife said it was already on the internet that I had been dismissed.'

Laudrup also criticised the nine-day wait he experienced between his sacking and the receipt of an explanation from the club. He would not divulge what was written, though he added: ‘After nine days I got a piece of paper with some silly or ridiculous words on them.’

Up in the air: The Dane led Swansea to their League Cup triumph over Bradford last season

Laudrup is currently seeking legal advice in an effort to recoup compensation that is believed to be in the region of £3m for the remaining 16 months on his contract.



The parting of ways followed a tumultuous year in which the club’s form slumped dramatically after they won the Capital One Cup and was punctuated by a bitter dispute in the summer over transfer strategy.



Laudrup’s agent, Bayram Tutumlu, was effectively banned by the club in the fallout – a pertinent allegation from Swansea was that he tried to sell Ashley Williams without the club’s consent – and Laudrup was particularly aggrieved over the lack of progress made in signing players of his choice.



He said: ‘We agreed that when you want to maintain your position, you have to improve because the others will. ‘I tried hard to get players to Swansea. Some didn't want to come, they wanted to go to bigger clubs, others agreed – they said we want to come and play for you.



Backing: Laudrup claims Sir Alex Ferguson and Gary Lineker called him after he was axed by Swansea



‘I moved these names on to the chairman because I don't negotiate the contracts. I make the contact and talk to players and agents and try to convince them, but the negotiation part is for the chairman or the board.

'But for one reason and another that I don't know, none of these players came through.’

Laudrup rightly pointed out that the club achieved terrific success in his first season, winning a trophy and finishing ninth in the Premier League. He went on to claim ‘he would have’ kept Swansea up this season.



He said: ‘A lot of people have called me, like Sir Alex Ferguson and Gary Lineker called me. The LMA called and said unfortunately some clubs they are using these things but you are not a special case unfortunately.

'The lawyers are speaking, so we just have to see what happens - if we can find a solution and unfortunately, if not, we have to take the legal way.

‘In this case it will be the manager's arbitration tribunal. I end where I started. It's sad to sit here and talk about this but unfortunately this is how sometimes it ends.’