The New Zealand Herald are reporting that Dean Barker is "absolutely gutted" at the way he has been treated by Team New Zealand.
Barker told Campbell Live he heard about the rumors he was to lose his job as helmsman of Team NZ through reports on media last week.
He heard from Sir Stephen Tindall that Team NZ management would seek a retraction from the media last week that reports were incorrect, but was told today that the rumors were true.
"Today I learnt in a statement to the media that that was the case," he said.
"I'm absolutely gutted in the way I've been treated by Team New Zealand."
Barker said it was "incredibly difficult" to understand what had happened in the past week.
He said he had sent a letter yesterday to Team New Zealand and its management to explain he didn't agree with any of the processes conducted around his dumping.
He said since San Francisco he had pushed strongly to form the executive team of which he was the sailing director.
"I've always worked on the basis that that was my role with Team New Zealand."
He indicated he was unhappy with the role offered to him by Grant Dalton.
"I'm a sailor, I love competing and I love racing. This performance coaching role is not a sailing role, it's a data role, it's an analysis role, it's not why I signed up to part of Team New Zealand. If that was the role that was on offer at the start of last year I wouldn't have re-joined the team."
Barker said he had received offers that would have paid more than Team New Zealand on a number of occasions by teams including Alinghi and Luna Rossa.
He said he never seriously considered taking any of them.
"It's not about the money. For me it's about bringing the America's Cup back to New Zealand. That's the most important thing for me and my family."
He said he couldn't say whether he would now again be offered positions in other teams, or whether he'd take an offer from another team.
"I've put everything I have in to this team. I've never seriously thought about the opportunity to go and work for another one."
The team announced Barker has instead been offered a role as performance manager and sailing coach, with a place on the executive committee. Barker is yet to accept the offer.
Australian multihull specialist and wing trimmer for the 2013 campaign Glenn Ashby has been appointed sailing director and he and Peter Burling will take on helming duties.
He had spent 20 years with Team NZ and said half his life had gone in to the team.
"You put everything in to it.
"Regardless of what happens with me and where I end up I want the team to be incredibly successful."
Barker said he still hoped the team would bring the America's Cup back to New Zealand.
Chief executive Dalton told the Herald the organization are determined to retain Barker, but admitted there are bridges between the pair the needed to be mended. Dalton said he had not spoken to Barker for almost two weeks, but had been corresponding via email.
"We want to get together with Dean and sort things out. We hope he stays - that's what his teammates want, that's what we want. The ball is in his court."
Barker was left shellshocked after news he was to be replaced at the helm by Burling was leaked to Newstalk ZB last week, and is said to be considering his future with Team NZ - an organization he has been with for 20 years.
Asked if he regretted the way the news was made public, Dalton said:
"If it has caused Dean and his family distress, then that's very regrettable."
"Was it a leak from this organisation? I'm not 100 per cent sure, I don't think any one actually knows the answer to that. But I can tell you that we're going to try and find out. I can't imagine any one is going to put their hand up high though."
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