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Phoenix hit back at claims over Smeltz

Roar Guru
4th February, 2009
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Wellington Phoenix chief executive Tony Pignata has hit back at claims the A-League club is trying to cash in on Shane Smeltz by agreeing to let the newly-crowned Johnny Warren medalist move to Turkey.

Smeltz has signed a two-year deal with Gold Coast United for the next two A-League seasons, but is contracted with the Phoenix until March 31 and now wants to move to Turkish side Hacettepe SK.

Hacettepe are owned by Genclerbirligi, the team who were linked with Smeltz late last year and have Socceroos Bruce Djite, Mile Jedinak and James Troisi on their books.

Gold Coast have maintained they will not release the 27-year-old New Zealand international, who led the A-League scoring charts with 12 goals this season, from his contract despite being entitled to a transfer fee.

“As far as I am concerned we have signed and agreed the papers for Shane to go to Turkey,” Pignata told AAP.

“But given that he had signed a Gold Coast contract they have to agree to the transfer as well but that is something they and Shane have to sort out,” said Pignata.

“At the end of the day Shane is still our player and is being paid by us and he now wishes to pursue his trade in Turkey.”

Smeltz’s agent Leo Karis said on Tuesday he knew nothing of the approach by Hacettepe and accused the Phoenix of trying to cash in on their star player, who has a clause in his contract allowing him to move if an overseas club wants to sign him.

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“Whether or not his agent knew or not is nothing to do with us,” said Pignata.

“We weren’t going to get a massive transfer fee at all for Shane, less than six figures .. all we did was everything Shane wanted us to do,” Pignata said.

“We got approached late last year. We sat down with Shane and (coach) Ricki Herbert and we asked him if he was interested and he said he was, and asked us to pursue the matter.

“I thought the whole thing had come to nothing, but then out of the blue on Monday the Turkish club got back in touch with us and Shane said he wanted to move so we signed the papers.

“We are not trying to snowball things, Shane wanted to go, I signed the papers, end of story.

“It seems there are issues and complications arising with the Gold Coast that I am not privy to but it seems Shane can’t get out the contract with the Gold Coast and has to stay there.”

Melbourne-based agent Dragan Jevtic, who works as Genclerbirligi’s representative in Australia and was behind the moves of Jedinak and Djite to the club from the A-League, refused to comment when contacted by AAP.

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