By Stefan Djordjevic / sdjordjevic@eurohoops.net
On January 23rd, Khimki Moscow Region announced parting ways with Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe due to the personal circumstances of the players.
However, Jerebko talked to the Swedish media and explained that there were a few things that led to the breakup.
“It was a mixture of different things. I hadn’t seen my family in five months, so, in December I said I needed to go home and I was given time off. I was ready to go back on the (January) 4th, but the day before I received a text message from my agent saying I would stay home. The coach had said that I didn’t need to come back,” Jerebko told Aftonbladet and added that the club has been late with payments.
“It was not such a difficult decision to stay at home when he said so. Since then, there have been some non-payments and stuff like that. It’s not something you are used to. They are very bad on that side. But my agent will take care of it. It’s not something I’m worried about right away,” he said.
According to RIA Novosti, which refers to a source close to the situation, Khimki hasn’t paid salaries to players for the past two months.
On the other side, the club’s general manager Pavel Astakhov told RIA Novosti a different version of events that transpired.
“Jonas Jerebko, on December 30, without permission, without any agreement with the head coach and the club’s management, left the location of the team and the territory of the Russian Federation. The club did not give any permission for these actions of the player. If someone claims otherwise, he must provide official documents confirming the club’s permission. But the player not only left the club without permission, but he also did not return for the official games on January 3, 8, 12, 14, and so on,” Astakhov said.
“In full accordance with his contract, the player was fined for missing official games and training sessions without good reason, and the contract with him was terminated.”