BRIDGE OF LIES; Chelsea and Gullit locked in war of words.

RUUD GULLIT last night claimed there was a conspiracy to get him out of Chelsea as the bitter arguments surrounding his sacking erupted into all-out war.

In a dramatic day, claims and counter-claims flashed between Gullit and the club. First, Gullit blasted Chelsea at an emotional Press conference, accusing club officials of telling "incredible lies".

He rejected claims that he was greedy and insisted that the club used his pay demands "as a big stick to beat me with".

He insisted he was never made an offer to stay at Stamford Bridge.

He accused the club of plotting behind his back.

He claimed that he never stormed out of the club half-way through a meeting on the day of his sacking.

But the Chelsea hierarchy hit back. The club insist that he DID ask for a new pounds 2million contract AFTER TAX - the equivalent of a pounds 3.5million-a- year deal.

They say Gullit was offered a new deal, worth pounds 1million-a-year BEFORE TAX, which he turned down flat.

And the club claim there was nothing sinister about Gullit missing the negotiations to bring Brian Laudrup to Chelsea.

It was yet another day of allegations and rebuttals that must leave Chelsea fans wondering who is telling the truth. Managing director Colin Hutchinson and chairman Ken Bates declared at Thursday's hastily-called news conference that contract talks had broken down because the "gap" between the two sides at a meeting a week earlier was unbridgeable.

But Gullit dismissed that view. He said: "I asked for pounds 2million-a-year, but that was only what I'd asked for when I first spoke to the club - to Hutchinson and Glenn Hoddle - in Milan three years ago.

"I told the media and gave my word to Chelsea that I would stay, so my negotiating position was already weak.

"At the meeting in Milan, Hoddle and Hutchinson went out of the room for 15 minutes, came back and made me another offer (pounds 800,000 a year).

"I accepted that offer, and expected that a similar thing would happen here. That is what negotiating is all about - coming to a compromise.

"But they didn't offer me anything, didn't make me that

new offer, and didn't speak to me about it for a week - not a word.

"That made me suspicious, then I found out about Laudrup and asked myself `what's going on?'"

Gullit announced that he had not been made an offer, yet hours later Chelsea chief executive Colin Hutchinson said: "Perhaps he misunderstood, but I repeated the offer to him. It was pounds 1million-per-year gross, and I said `would you accept that'. He said `no'."

But as Gullit boarded his flight back to Amsterdam he continued to insist "No offer was made."

Gullit also said in his press conference that he asked for pounds 2million.

Hutchinson said: "Ruud did ask for pounds 2million. But pounds 2million in his hand when you add on the tax comes to pounds 3,720,000. That would have been a huge commitment for this club." Gullit said he may take legal action against Chelsea.

He said: "I will consult with my lawyers."

Amid the furore, Chelsea centre-back Frank Leboeuf appealed for calm, and said: "It is a difficult position because Ruud and Gianluca are two of my best friends, but the main thing is that we must all be behind the club. That's the only thing at stake."