Trouble Brewing for Britney Spears' Father

Britney Spears' father has criticized the troubled pop princess' decision to fire her longtime manager Larry Rudolph, after he forced her to go into rehab.

Rudolph was given his walking papers last week, reportedly because of his intervention after a difficult start to the year, during which Spears partied every night for a month and then shaved her head.

Jamie Spears claims Rudolph was chosen by the singer's family to encourage her to seek help at Malibu, California's Promises Clinic in February.

He tells PageSix.com, "When Larry Rudolph talked Britney Spears into going into rehab, he was doing what her mother, father and team of professionals with over 100 years of experience knew needed to be done. She was out of control. Larry was the one chosen by the team to roll up his sleeves and deliver the message, to help save her life.

"The Britney Spears family would like to publicly apologize to Larry for our daughter's statements about him over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, she blames him and her family for where she is at today with her kids and career. Larry has always been there for Britney. For this, we will forever be grateful to him."

Britney Spears, in response, issued the following statement, "I am praying for my father. We have never had a good relationship. It's sad that all the men that have been in my life do not know how to accept a real woman's love. I am concentrating on my work and my life right now."

A friend tells PageSix Britney Spears was embarrassed to be sent to rehab when she was merely suffering post-partum depression: "(She) had no drugs in her system when britney spears wallpaper was admitted to Promises - they (tested her) and there was nothing. She was embarrassed she had to go in there when she knew she was suffering from postpartum depression, not a drug or alcohol problem."