Cardiff City FC believes that WBA are taking a very hard and unreasonable stance in the transfer saga of their player Jason Koumas.

They are being able to do that because they own his contract and because they are using their position of being financially strong and are in a position of asking whatever they like.The truth is that they are 100% within their legal right to do what they like.

Jason Koumas at this point in time is effectively on strike. He is neither meeting his club's hierarchy nor coming to training. WBA are understandably fining him and if he persists they might dismiss him without pay and retain his registration. If that happens, the player will lose both his livelihood and his career.

Cardiff City FC has offered WBA £2million divided into 3 parts.£1million guaranteed, the other £1million is for games played (which should give them about £0.5million over the player's contract) and the rest if we reach playoffs or get promoted. Effectively, it is highly likely that they will get £1.5million and possibly £2million.

For the purpose of record WBA have asked for £1.5million guaranteed and £0.5million for add ons. We tried to give them exactly that on terms we can afford. WBA exercised their right and turned us down.

Moreover, we offered them a very very handsome loan fee plus taking over all the player's contract and in the meantime they can sell him to any club they want at any time. If the player was with us on loan, WBA will receive a good income, save the player's wages and the player will be match fit to go to any club which agrees to their terms. They also turned this down.

As we understand, no club has so far made an offer that is acceptable to WBA - this is given the fact that he has not been with them for over a year.

As a Club we are presently operating under very rigorous financial planning. We are building a massive project and are rightly following a business plan which we insist on adhering to in its entirety. We will not jeopardise our stadium project for anything.

So WBA have no real offer from anyone. They turn down a lot of money to sell for what they asked for but on different payment terms. They turn down a lot of money to loan. A player's livelihood and career may be ruined.

Where is the logic in that?

Yes, WBA are a powerful club financially at present. Yes they own the players contract.Yes - absolutely - the player is wrong to effectively go on strike. But with all that one has to ask if WBA's stance is reasonable?

All one can say is that Cardiff have done the impossible to get Jason and feel that WBA should reconsider their position both from a financial angle, a practical angle and more importantly a humane angle. Yes they are all powerful legally - but are they being fair?

We had taken the correct position in not saying anything publicly but felt that we had to put the record straight because WBA put some details about our negotiations on their website.