Pandiani takes aim at Deportivo in fresh attack

The Birmingham City striker Walter Pandiani has launched another blistering attack on his former coach and team-mates at Deportivo La Coruña, saying he has no intention of returning to the Primera Liga club, writes Patrick McCurdy in Madrid.

The Birmingham City striker Walter Pandiani has launched another blistering attack on his former coach and team-mates at Deportivo La Coruña, saying he has no intention of returning to the Primera Liga club, writes Patrick McCurdy in Madrid.

The Uruguayan, who is under contract to Deportivo until 2007, was loaned out to the Premiership side until the end of the season in a last-minute deal before the end of the January transfer window after fierce criticism of the coach Javier Irureta.

In his latest attack he reiterated his criticisms of Irureta and went as far as accusing some of his former team-mates of arriving at training in an unfit state.

"The coach wronged me," Pandiani said yesterday. "He selected players who shouldn't have played and chose the ones who trained the least. Some players arrived late for training, and others arrived having drunk too much and they were never reprimanded by Irureta and I wasn't happy about it. I wouldn't go back to Deportivo for anything in the world. I'm very happy at Birmingham."

Irureta refuted Pandiani's accusations and said the striker was clearly frustrated at his lack of success at Deportivo.

"It is absurd, what he has said is not true," Irureta said. "From my point of view I hope he scores lots of goals and is very happy but also that he stays in England. I would never allow anyone to train who isn't in proper shape.

"He has got his own idea of football and believes that all that matters is to be physically fit."