Gold: 'Dugarry was bound to leave'

Birmingham chairman David Gold admitted a drop in form and family problems had led to Christophe Dugarry leaving the club by mutual consent.

The 31-year-old, a World Cup and European Championship winner with France, was a revelation when he joined Blues on loan in January last year, inspiring the club to retain their Barclaycard Premiership place in their first season back in the top flight.

He was rewarded with a permanent contract at the end of last season but he has been unable to recapture his old form, starting just 12 league games and scoring just once for City this season.

A niggling knee injury and problems with his family settling in England have taken their toll and Gold believed it was right for the club and the player to now move on.

Gold said: “He’s been living in England while his family have been in France and that’s always difficult and I think his form dropped.

“He was spectacular towards the end of last season and I think the injury he suffered some five months ago has never really recovered.

“That’s affected his form and I don’t think he’s met the high standards that he set himself and adding all of those issues together he’s decided that it’s best to return to France.”

Gold insisted the club could not have done any more to help Dugarry and his family to settle, and added on Sky Sports News: “I don’t think you can [fight to keep him] under circumstances like that.

Clinton Morrison now gets an opportunity to excel with Christophe gone, so we mustn’t look on the bad side that we’ve lost a great player, but look forward and be optimistic for the future.

“This is one of the difficulties in bringing in foreign players. I know that the club and in particular the manager Steve Bruce were doing everything to make Christophe’s stay in England as pleasurable as possible.

“But when the family doesn’t settle, there’s very little you can do.”

Dugarry revealed in this morning’s L’Equipe that he had left Birmingham, saying: “Frankly, I was living on my own in the past six months because my family did not like living there at all and my son had problems at school.

“Since the club have nothing to fear nor to hope for anymore we agreed to part company on good terms.”