[Archived] Chelsea

[rovers1995]

This punishment is very, very harsh. I hope it gets reduced for the sake of English football. Just think of the amount of money that will stop filtering down the leagues and it's going to make Chelsea much stronger money wise. This is because they will gain money through league finishes and cup wins and won't spend it so it will get saved up. As well as this they are definitely going to need Di Santo back in January.

[Manc Rover]

Another setting an example statement by the look of things (like the Eduardo incident). Bet your bottom dollar the ban gets squashed on appeal, or at the worst until Jan 2010 which is the next window anyway.

[Shabani]

as much as i admire the decision and support it, its clear that uefa had an ulterior motive. They clearly see english clubs as being bad for the european game and are trying to punish them any way they can

[Lathund]

Good decision IMO, hopefully will lead other clubs to think twice in the future.

EDIT: Removed the original post. Not a topic that would lead anywhere anyway.

[tonygreenbank]

Almost certainly then it means that Di Santo will go back to Chelsea in January to cover for African players on Cup duty.

[Al]

Good decision IMO, hopefully will lead other clubs to think twice in the future.

EDIT: Removed the original post. Not a topic that would lead anywhere anyway.

Not surprised. It had my hackles up straight away but it had been changed before I had chance to reply.

[modes98]

If Chelsea are guilty then surely Arsenal, Man U., Man City, and Real have all induced players to break their contracts and should receive similar bans.

Correct me if I am wrong but I think it refers to encouraging a player to walk out on his contract with a club to sign for Chelsea, with no agreement with the club or compensation paid.

The other clubs talk to agents to clarify that they want to move for a player but never directly ask a player to rip up his contract.

That might be the difference, just a slight difference in tactics. Most clubs don't mind as long as they get a fee they are happy with. i.e. Mikel to Man U/Chelsea.

[Dunnfc]

Remember them doing it with Woods, Taiwo the two young midfielders from Leeds a while back so they just payed Leeds off.

[joey_big_nose]

Almost certainly then it means that Di Santo will go back to Chelsea in January to cover for African players on Cup duty.

Completely agree. Bugger.

[Mattyblue]

Personally, I see it as yet another example of FIFA and UEFA trying to weaken the strength of the Premier League. If they broke the rules then they should be fined and compensation paid to the French club, but this seems way over the top. When you look at the racial abuse that our players have had to withstand in Spain and yet that barely gets a mention by the suits of FIFA or UEFA. Kakuta has been banned for FOUR months - which seems harsh on a lad who was 15 or 16 when this happened.

While I have no sympathy for Chelsea if they broke the rules, I do feel that FIFA and UEFA are determined to put a stop to the money that is flowing into the Premier League. Does anyone believe that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona or any of the top Italian clubs would have been treated the same?

I would hope that Chelsea would challenge this ruling in a higher court.

From a Rovers point of view, if this stands, then I think that Franco di Santo will certainly be returning to London in January.

It will only weaken the TOP of the Premier League, they don't represent Blackburn Rovers, I feel absolutely no affiliation with the likes of Chelsea at all. Abramovich aside, Their constant presence in the latter stages of the Champions League has placed them in a different stratosphere from ourselves.

[tcj_jones]

Chelsea will appeal and the ban will be reduced to just the January transfer window.

It will still be a significant punishment but, such is the strength of their squad, I don't see it having an detrimental effect on their title bid nor on their longer term success.

[PAFELL]

The thing is that if they cant sign players, and the African nations is coming up I can se Di Santo being called back in Jan.

Unless they have included the return of loan players - sadly they won't.

What about man city, it appears the pursued lescott via the media, agents etc - it seems to me they hounded everton.

Chelsea need 'legal grounds' to appeal. They have none.

[Steve Moss]

I hope the decision is not reduced on appeal. Compensation is all well and good, but all it does is make Chelsea pay fair value. Chelsea and other clubs who play these games need to be punished above and beyond mere compensation, as otherwise it becomes a simple check writing exercise. And with their kind of money, that's not much of a deterrent at all.

More importantly, if they get a slap on the wrist and only pay compensation, every time a small club doesn't want a player to go, Chelsea will induce the player to rip up the contract and then Chelsea will write the check. If Chelsea can get away with that, clubs like Blackburn will be at an even bigger disadvantage when negotiating with the big guys.

[LeChuck]

What about man city, it appears the pursued lescott via the media, agents etc - it seems to me they hounded everton.

Totally missing the point if you think they're comparable!

They've basically stolen a 15 year old from a club. It's a world away form unsettling a player to the point where they want to leave - Everton still made the decision to sell Lescott, whereas Lens had a player stolen from them.

It sounds like they're also making a big deal of this because of the age of the player.

Platini a few months back: "The question of minors is above all a moral and ethical issue. We have a duty to take concrete steps to protect young players and training clubs."

[American Rover12]

While I'm sure we can all agree that all the big clubs do this, Lens was the team that reported the tampering and probably pushed extremely hard for something to happen. While the other big clubs aren't in hot water yet, I'm sure we will see smaller clubs around Europe, who are used to just dealing with the mighty clubs of the world poaching their youngsters, starting to report these violations.

A year is a heck of a long time, but I won't be upset one bit if the ban doesn't get reduced. The first one to get caught always gets the harder beating, someone has to be the example.

[OscarRaven]

Almost certainly then it means that Di Santo will go back to Chelsea in January to cover for African players on Cup duty.

Assuming chelsea can re-register him?

[slough_rover]

The people laughing at Chelsea are complete morons and must have the brian capacity of a knat. This decision reeks of hypocrisy as all major clubs have "illegally" poached a youngster at some point in the transfer market. Just shows how anti EPL that frog leg eating a$$ Platini is. If they want to punish clubs they should punish them all not just the one. I dont see Real Madrid being reprimanded for all the illegal tapping up they've been doing including Ronaldo. It just reeks of double standards and instead of laughing at a fellow club who arent even our rivals, we should as EPL fans and supporters demand fairness across the board instead of being picked on by the ###### known as Blatter and Platini.

[Ronin]

L'Arse could've been buggered if they'd have got caught when they 'lured' away Fabregas away from Barca. Hopefully the Sky4 teams will sit up and notice at this - not everything goes their way.

[Mattyblue]

The people laughing at Chelsea are complete morons and must have the brian capacity of a knat. This decision reeks of hypocrisy as all major clubs have "illegally" poached a youngster at some point in the transfer market. Just shows how anti EPL that frog leg eating a$$ Platini is. If they want to punish clubs they should punish them all not just the one. I dont see Real Madrid being reprimanded for all the illegal tapping up they've been doing including Ronaldo. It just reeks of double standards and instead of laughing at a fellow club who arent even our rivals, we should as EPL fans and supporters demand fairness across the board instead of being picked on by the ###### known as Blatter and Platini.

I say good on Platini, as an 'EPL' fan how can you support the status quo which is complete domination by a select group of clubs? These clubs need bringing down a peg or two.

'Not our rivals' this just shows how much of a non-event this 'competition' has become. ALL Premier League clubs should be our rivals, thats the whole point of a league!!!!

[den]

Have I misunderstood this?

All clubs "tap up" players contracted to other clubs. This just means that they talk to the player and his agent - admittedly breaking the rules - with the aim of getting the player to ask for a move.

Isn't this Chelsea case different? Haven't Chelsea been found guilty of "inducing" the player to break his contract with Lens - meaning that the lad walked out on his club, while still under contract, then Chelsea settled the remainder of his contract with Lens? That isn't the same as simply tapping a player, is it?

Or have I missed something here?

[jim mk2]

I say good on Platini, as an 'EPL' fan how can you support the status quo which is complete domination by a select group of clubs? These clubs need bringing down a peg or two.

There is no such competition as the "EPL".

The top tier of English football is called the Barclays Premier League, or Premier League for short.

The EPL (or indeed the Premiership) does not exist.

Back on subject, I applaud Fifa's actions against Chelsea but look forward to them taking a similar tough line with the likes of Real and Barcelona.

[slough_rover]

I say good on Platini, as an 'EPL' fan how can you support the status quo which is complete domination by a select group of clubs? These clubs need bringing down a peg or two.

'Not our rivals' this just shows how much of a non-event this 'competition' has become. ALL Premier League clubs should be our rivals, thats the whole point of a league!!!!

How can you say "these clubs" when the only clubs and league that seem to come under scruitiny are the english teams!! I would be all for the bringing down of these clubs as long as it is done across the board but until it only involved english teams Platini can go screw himself. P.S your in dream land if you think we rival Chelsea

[PAFELL]

Totally missing the point if you think they're comparable!

They've basically stolen a 15 year old from a club. It's a world away form unsettling a player to the point where they want to leave - Everton still made the decision to sell Lescott, whereas Lens had a player stolen from them.

It sounds like they're also making a big deal of this because of the age of the player.

Platini a few months back: "The question of minors is above all a moral and ethical issue. We have a duty to take concrete steps to protect young players and training clubs."

I am aware they are not comparable - but everton were hounded, which is also wrong in my view. If a club says a player is not for sale then that should be it. If a player is refused permission to talk to another club then that should be it.

what chance have smaler clubs got if a club can be hounded and basically bullied by a bigger into selling a player.

But by fifa and uefa getting involved this way and including diving issues - they are opening a can of worms.

You are right I also believe it is a moral issue this thing with chelsea and rightly so. If that really is the issue then Chelsea and another club doing this to a 'minor' should be punished. That player has also gets his reputation tarnished now. It is strange that thy have also found the player guilty as well - even though under 16 years old at the time.

[Lathund]

How can you say "these clubs" when the only clubs and league that seem to come under scruitiny are the english teams!! I would be all for the bringing down of these clubs as long as it is done across the board but until it only involved english teams Platini can go screw himself. P.S your in dream land if you think we rival Chelsea

Two things;

1) Platini is head of UEFA. This punishment was imposed by FIFA.

2) The same thing has been done to Swiss club FC Sion, so it's not just English clubs.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good old "UEFA hates England" rant though.

If they want to punish clubs they should punish them all not just the one. I dont see Real Madrid being reprimanded for all the illegal tapping up they've been doing including Ronaldo

Chelsea also haven't been reprimanded for any tapping up.

[John]

From a Rovers point of view, if this stands, then I think that Franco di Santo will certainly be returning to London in January.

First thing which I thought of when I heard the news....