Axed A-League coach Dwight Yorke reveals the real meaning behind his Macarthur FC ‘pub team’ slur

Dwight Yorke has lifted the lid on his brutal dressing room spray that led to him being sacked by Macarthur FC, with the former Premier League star revealing he is ‘devastated’ by what eventuated. 

Yorke’s spell in charge of the Bulls came to an end in January after just 13 games, but the former Manchester United striker has insisted that he’d like to ‘set the record straight’ about what really happened.

Unsourced reports said Yorke tore into his team following the loss to Adelaide, labelling it a ‘pub team’ and using the term ‘mickey mouse’.

The 51-year-old confirmed he did use those terms during his scathing speech, but he wasn’t referring to the actions of the players, rather the senior management of the club. 

‘I don’t want to have a go at the club or the fans. This isn’t some sort of vendetta but it’s time the truth was told,’ Yorke told News Corp.

 The 51-year-old confirmed he did use the terms ‘pub team’ and ‘mickey mouse’ during his scathing speech, but he wasn’t referring to the actions of the players, rather the senior management of the Macarthur FC club.

‘There were other incidents that built up but what happened on that final day was the tipping point.

‘I don’t deny saying the club was like a mickey mouse slash pub team but that was not about my players. That was about the hierarchy in terms of how they run the team.

‘I’ve never once criticised this club. Even though I had a rant in the dressing room, I was just being honest because it’s no secret it’s being run like a pub team. The hierarchy just couldn’t take the truth.

‘We agreed to issue a joint statement saying it was mutual but they haven’t ever spoken to me since. It’s crazy. If you’re going to get rid of me, at least call me into the office and say ‘I don’t like what you said. We don’t see eye-to-eye so this is not going anywhere. Thanks very much.

‘But they didn’t do that. I just think that lacked class,’ said Yorke.

Yorke explained the dressing room meltdown that led to his axing happened after the club had abruptly transferred player Anthony Carter to Portuguese side Oliveirense without telling the coaching staff until a few hours before the game.

Yorke said that Carter also wasn’t told until the deal was sealed and had to get an Uber to the Adelaide airport to catch a plane home.

‘The incident (with Carter) was just one too many. How can you terminate someone’s contract three hours before the game without telling the manager? I felt there was just a lot of disrespect,’ Yorke said.

Yorke explained that the dressing room meltdown that led to his axing happened after the club had abruptly transferred player Anthony Carter (pictured) to Portuguese side Oliveirense without telling the coaching staff until a few hours before the game

Yorke revealed that he and assistant coach Russell Latapy were both told they were being sacked by email while returning to Sydney from Adelaide the following day – and hasn’t been back to the club since

‘Not only that, but you could imagine the embarrassment for the boy that we had taken all the way to Adelaide … To call an Uber and put him on the next flight while the bus is driving off to the game, that’s just a little bit cruel.

‘I’ve been around a long time but I’ve never seen anything like that at the professional level because that’s just not how it’s done.’

Yorke revealed that he and his assistant coach Russell Latapy were both told they were being sacked by email while returning to Sydney from Adelaide the following day.

The termination notices arrived on the same day that Latappy’s recently deceased brother was being buried, and not a long time after Yorke’s own brother had passed away.

‘The chairman (Marra) or the CEO (Sam Krslovic) never spoke to me about anything directly,’ Yorke said.

‘And my assistant (Latapy), his contract was terminated on the plane the following day, while we were travelling into Sydney.

Chairman of Macarthur FC, Gino Marra (pictured), does not agree with Yorke’s version of events and says Yorke’s allegations are ‘factually incorrect and self-serving’

The ugly split between Yorke and the club is now a legal issue

‘And then 30 minutes after that email came through, there was a follow up e-mail stating that I was suspended for ten days.

‘It all unfolded in less than 24 hours and we never even got the chance to return to the training ground to say goodbye to the players.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it and I’m devastated. I’m absolutely gutted because I have so much belief in all the players and was so committed to the club and so proud of the direction we were trending in.’

Yorke, who hasn’t been back to the club since and is now taking legal action, believes that senior management acted without ’empathy’ or ‘class’ and that people should know the truth about what transpired.

Chairman of Macarthur FC, Gino Marra, does not agree with Yorke’s version of events.

‘Macarthur FC strongly denies the allegations made by Dwight Yorke, which are factually incorrect and self-serving,’ Marra told News Corp.

‘The club is saddened to see Dwight take this course of action.

‘The matter is before the judicial process, the club will not be making public statements until the process has been finalised. The club wishes Dwight all the best in his future endeavours.’