Ben Haim suing Portsmouth over claim of unpaid wages

Israeli defender will file lawsuit over what he claims are 1.4 million pounds owed to him by the English soccer club.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
Tal ben Haim 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Tal ben Haim 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
As reported first by British tabloid The Daily Mail, Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim is set to file a lawsuit against English soccer team Portsmouth, over what he claims are £1.4 million claim in unpaid wages owed to him by the club.
Ben Haim has taken legal advice and will make his case against the Pompey side at a Football League hearing in July.
According to the English newspaper’s report, the 29-year-old player alleges he has not been paid since returning from a loan spell at West Ham in January.
If successful, a transfer embargo will remain in place at Fratton Park until Ben Haim is paid, representing a huge blow for manager Steve Cotterill, who has only eight players under contract.
The move could not come at a worse time for Portsmouth fans, who hoped the £15m purchase by Vladimir Antonov’s company, Convers Sports Initiatives, from previous owner Balram Chainrai earlier this month was the end of the worst period in the club’s history.
But Ben Haim, signed by Pompey from Manchester City in 2009, is adamant the club has failed to honor his £36,000-a-week contract and, although the problems started under previous owners, the legal process is continuing because Antonov has not paid the money claimed.
Ben Haim did see any action for Portsmouth in the most recent campaign, but played in eight Premier League contests for West Ham, tallying no goals and an assist. In three starts for Israel this year, he has one goal.