Southend chairman Ron Martin has explained why Henrik Larsson pulled out of a deal to manage the club.
The Swede was set to be part of a back-room team that included former teammates Johan Mjallby and Tommy Johnson but the move fell through at the 11th hour when Johnston dramatically pulled out of the proposals.
Larsson was so upset at the 11th hour collapse he decided he'd rather cancel the entire deal than bring in a replacement.
Keen for the former Hoops hero to take over, Martin offered make a better financial offer to Johnson but Larsson decided that he could no longer work with someone who had let him down.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Martin said: “All the contracts were agreed and he was Henrik’s man.
“When he pulled out I think you could have knocked Henrik over with a feather.
“He and I get on really well and he is a pretty cool customer but he was absolutely fuming when he got a call from Tommy.
“The rest is history. We did talk about who else could replace Tommy but he didn’t have anybody else in mind.
“It just took the wind out of his sails and it disappointed us all.”
"Tommy is going to another League One club.
“I did say, ‘if it’s money, tell us what we need to do’.
“I then spoke to Henrik, and he said, ‘I couldn’t work with him’.
“I get that and that supports everything I think about Henrik, he is a principled guy and he didn’t want to work with a person who had just let him down.”
Larsson scored 242 goals in a storied spell at Celtic Park where he is still revered as a legend.
