It would seem that after years of being pushed around by spoilt superstars Premier League Chairmen and Managers are fighting back.
Tottenham’s Daniel Levy has become the latest Chairman to refuse to let one of his star players tear up their contract and walk out because a richer club has come knocking for them.
If this is going to be a new trend then I say, about time, as we have come to a point in our beautiful game when players’ contracts are not worth the paper they are printed on and the thought that players may show loyalty to a club or its fans no longer even crosses the mind.
Levy is not the first boss to try and make a stand though and let’s hope he won’t be the last. Arsene Wenger is still doing an masterful job of keeping his captain and prized asset Cesc Fabregas, who has looked certain to pack his bags and return to his hometown club for 2 seasons and 3 transfer windows now.
But Wenger has dug his heels in deep and looks like he may have deflectedBarcelona’s advances for yet another window, although I would suggest he doesn’t hold his breath.
Wenger’s headache does not end there though, now another one of his star players from last season, Samir Nasri has also had his head turned, this time by the newly super-rich Manchester City but Wenger has other ideas regarding this bit of business also; voicing what is or was becoming something of a cliché “not for sale at any price”. I say this has become cliché as we have all heard this very statement all too often and then when it comes down to it what they actually meant was “offer us a bit more and we will put a bow on his head and send him first post”.
So are we looking at two of the most unlikely comrades in football? Spurs’ Chairman teaming up with Arsenal’s Manager to wage war against players not honouring contracts that they signed for 5 years just 6 months ago.
Who can blame these poor lads who wouldn’t want to change their job if someone was offering to double their wages? This is fair comment but I find it hard to feel sorry for somebody that gets paid 50k a week to do something they love and then moans because they want to leave so they can get 100k a week.
The only reason players sign 5 year contracts in the first place is because they are greedy. Despite this it has become an unwritten rule that if a player hands in a transfer request then they are allowed to leave. We’ve all heard the cries of “if a player doesn’t want to be there then no point keeping them”, with the general conception being if the players heart is not in it then they will not perform and Fabregas did little to disprove this last season.
Surely the least a Chairman should be able to expect from a player that they are paying the average yearly wage for Britain every week is that they play as well as they can?
These attempts by the two North London rivals to make a stand and tell their players that they will be staying as they are under contract and that’s that, although heart warming and ambitious I fear that it may just turn out to be money spinning bravado. Only time will tell if they are successful I for one will not be putting any money on either of them being at the same club come kick-off on the first day of the Premier League season.
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The reason Levey is taking this stance is because next year buying players will be a lot harder and more regulated. So Chelsea Utd cITY Liverpool are trying to build quickly before power shifts to the clubs who are well run and have younger players. The big problem is they will all be in trouble next year when there accounts are looked at by Ufa and Citys new deal will be seen has them trying to use a loop hole and they will be told it wont work and be thrown out of the Champs league.
I hope you’re right Davspur – only problem is I’m much more cynical about UEFA’s ability to fully implement their new financial laws – I guarantee they’ll bottle it.
I think davspurs is right. When people say UEFA can’t throw this team out, or that team, remember this. These FFP proposals will be self policing. If Liverpool or Spurs finish 5th in the Prem and City or Cheatski have finished above you by cheating the rules, denying you a CL spot, are you going to take it lying down? Of course not. You will refer it to UEFA, and their credibility is on the line. If you’re not satisfied with their decision you take it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They do not need to prove ANYTHING, they go on the balance of probability. Also if there is money “resting” in your account and you can’t show you came by it by legitimate means, they can draw their own conclusions
Please note Arsenal and Liverpool have already complained about Citehs £400m deal, and UEFA have already asked to “shadow” Citeh for a year
There is an excellent article somewhere on the web that shows that MC’s deal can quite easily slide under the acceptability gate at UEFA so do not raise your hopes too high. Remember!! there are cheats and there are legal machinations which mimic cheats in all bar their acceptability and the 400 mill is one of the latter.
In other words: if you have ENOUGH money, NOTHING is illegal……. written by someone around 200BC so not exactly new.