Tom Taiwo's move to Hibs is 'wrong decision', says Carlisle Utd boss

By Jon Colman

Last updated at 11:55, Monday, 17 September 2012

Greg Abbott today poured scorn on Tom Taiwo’s move to Hibernian and claimed: Nobody else wanted him.

Tom Taiwo

The Carlisle United manager admitted his surprise at the former Blues midfielder’s switch to Edinburgh after originally claiming he wanted to be closer to his family in Yorkshire.

Abbott also claimed Taiwo had been “badly advised”, though insisted he did not hold a grudge against the former Chelsea man.

Many Carlisle fans are surprised that Taiwo has moved to a Scottish club and Abbott said: “So am I, considering what he said to us and in the press.

“It’s up for people to make their own judgements on that one. I think it’s just a crime that he's not playing his football here with us.

“We offered him a terrific deal, he probably got advised wrongly, and he’s probably a little bit upset he’s ended up there.

“But there was nobody else interested in Tom, so that forces his hand and gives him a bit of an excuse to say why he arrived in Scotland.

“Nobody else actually wanted him, which does surprise me.”

United last week revealed they had agreed a deal for an undisclosed “small” compensation fee, with a sell-on clause written into Taiwo’s Hibs contract. Carlisle were entitled to such a fee due to the out-of-contract player’s age.

The 22-year-old trained with the his new team last week and his registration with Pat Fenlon’s SPL side is likely to be confirmed early this week, after Hibs thanked Carlisle in a statement for their co-operation over the move.

Abbott added: “I wish Tom good luck, I don’t have fall outs and never hold grudges. I think he’s made the wrong decision but that’s for Tom to make that choice.

“I would always be there if he needed me as a friend but the players at Carlisle United are the ones that matter to me to look after.”

Former Blues defender Lubo Michalik was an unused sub for Portsmouth in their 2-1 home defeat to Walsall after signing a month-long deal.

First published at 11:26, Monday, 17 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk