Dutch threaten Saints with court over coach Poortvliet (From Daily Echo)

Dutch threaten Saints with court over coach Poortvliet

6:00am Tuesday 3rd June 2008 in News By Adam Leitch, Chief Sports Writer

DUTCH club Helmond Sport are digging their heels in on the release of Jan Poortvliet - until a compensation package for the new Saints head coach is settled.

The Dutch World Cup finalist was unveiled to the media as Nigel Pearson's replacement last Friday on a one-year rolling contract at St Mary's and he is due to begin work with Saints on June 20.

But Poortvliet later revealed to a Dutch newspaper that he has only at this stage signed a pre-contract agreement and a compensation fee has yet to be agreed with Helmond, which he is due to pay himself.

Although this has led to suggestions of a potential stalling of Poortvliet's arrival at St Mary's, Saints remain confident he will officially be the club's head coach on his scheduled starting date.

The Daily Echo understands that, though Helmond are reluctant to lose Poortvliet after he steered them into an unexpected play-off spot in the Eerste Divisie last season, the hitch centres on agreeing compensation rather than if the move to Saints will take place.

If push comes to a shove the fee will be decided by a Dutch FA arbitration panel and could at most amount to the full value of the year remaining on his two-year contract.

Full story in today's Daily Echo