Gibson gets tough on Ziege case

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has vowed to make both Liverpool and Christian Ziege pay for the way the German international was prised from his club’s grasp.

The Teessiders were this week given the green light to push ahead with their claim for compensation from both the Anfield club and their former player after three Court of Appeal judges decided there was a case to answer over the former AC Milan defender’s departure from the Riverside Stadium in August 2000.

Then manager Bryan Robson was furious that Ziege, who had resurrected his failing career at Boro to such an extent that he returned to his national side as a regular, was sold for £5.5m (€8.6m) after the Reds activated a get-out clause in his contract so secret that the former England skipper was not even aware of it.

The club, who placed a valuation of nearer £8m (€12.5m) on the player when their efforts to persuade him to stay failed, immediately vowed to fight for compensation, and their efforts were rewarded in the courtroom on Monday.

Now they will pursue substantial compensation from both Liverpool and Ziege, both of whom strenuously deny any illegal approach.

“The club, through its lawyers, will vigorously pursue both claims and will not rest in its pursuit of the truth surrounding this transfer and the role played in it by all those concerned, and for proper recompense for what happened in this unfortunate incident,” said Gibson.

“I am confident that this process will now put to close scrutiny all those involved in Christian’s departure from the club in August 2000 when everyone at the club had worked hard to successfully revive his international career and both he and his family appeared to have settled in the area.”

The move is the latest in an ongoing saga which has been fought out in a series of hearings, but Boro have always insisted they hold the moral high ground.

Ziege joined Boro in a £4m (€6.25m) switch from Milan in August 1999, but just a year later and after making 34 appearances for the club and scoring seven goals, completed his controversial move to Anfield.

Ironically, his spell on Merseyside was disastrous, after just 20 starts, he left for London within 12 months as Tottenham Hotspur paid £4million for his services.