Football coach Keith Armstrong has long been a popular figure among Finns, having left playing for clubs in the UK to continue his career on the pitch in Finland.
After ending his career as a winger, he took up coaching the game, with his most recent assignment being for Tampere-based Ilves during their campaign last season in the top-tier Veikkaus League.
However Armstrong’s relationship with the Tampere outfit came to an unceremonious end last autumn when the club booted him out after he missed one of the team’s key away games to provide live television commentary for commercial broadcaster MTV.
Armstrong demands 60,000 euros in compensation
Although the parting of ways wasn’t particularly acrimonious at the time, Armstrong took his former employer to court, demanding 60,000 euros in compensation for being fired.
The coach argued that his actions were not the reason for his dismissal, but claimed that there had been a difference of opinion over practices.
However the Pirkanmaa district court didn’t see things Armstrong’s way. The court found that the club had a right to discharge the head coach last year.
According to the ruling handed down Thursday morning, Armstrong was in breach of his duty to his employer when he chose the paid TV appearance over his coaching day job.
The court ordered Armstrong to pay the club’s court expenses, which amounted to 16,000 euros.
