WEST Ham's new signing David Di Michele has been labelled unprofessional by furious Torino President Urbano Cairo.

The 32-year-old striker missed the start of last season after being banned from football for gambling, following what had been a complicated summer 2007 switch to the Stadio Olimpico from Palermo.

And after finally getting his career underway for The Maroons he managed just six goals in 25 appearances last season.

And having now sloped off to Upton Park, Torino chief Cairo has been left counting the cost of Di Michele's failings during his less than productive year in Turin.

“I tried to get him to stay until the end,” Cairo told channel4.com. “I asked him to give me one quality championship.

“However, David showed himself to be ungrateful for what I did a year ago when we bought him in spite of the shadow of suspension.

“From the start of pre-season he hasn't shown the good faith we did and he has skipped an incredible number of training sessions for vague reasons, including a headache.

“He didn't behave like a real professional and so with a heavy heart I decided to sell him.”