[Archived] FIFPRO to challenge the transfer system

[Stuart]

Neekoy, normal folks have a career of about 50 years (ouch!) and can move from job to job. Professional footballers' careers last about 10 years, 15 if they are very lucky. The idea of notice periods are much different for normal folks (and will vary depending on the risk and ease at which someone can be replaced). It could almost be argued that notice periods are illegal, and I'd have more sympathy with the common man challenging this than a football/agent trying to complain about transfer fees, but they are there for a reason.

Footballers are different and in many cases, are more valuable than an employee, because of the difficulty in replacing their skills.

But take the case of a brilliant company CEO. If another company came along and poached him during his contract, and he decided to leave and didn't want to give 12 months notice, he would be in breach of his contract. His current company could then claim compensation. He may have to pay a sum of money to buy himself out of the contract (new consideration, money, in lieu of his original consideration, time/loyalty). If the hiring company valued him enough, they could pay the money on his behalf. That would become a 'transfer fee' if it happened frequently enough for the term to be coined.

Here is a nicely written wiki entry on the topic (the bit in bold is almost amusing):

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_(association_football)

The concept of a football transfer first came into existence in England after the Football Association (FA) introduced player registration sometime after 1885.

Before that, a player could agree to play one or more games for any football club. After the FA recognized professionalism in 1885, it sought to control professional players by introducing a player registration system. Players had to register with a club each season, even if he remained with the same club from the season before. A player was not allowed to play until he was registered for that season. Once a player was registered with a club, he was not allowed to be registered with or play for another club during the same season without the permission of the FA and the club that held his registration. The players however, were free to join another club before the start of each season, even if their former club wished to retain them.

Sometime after the Football League was formed in 1888, the Football League decided that restrictions had to be placed on the ability of richer clubs to lure players from other clubs to prevent the league being dominated by a handful of clubs. From the start of the 189394 season onwards, once a player was registered with a Football League club, he could not be registered with any other club, even in subsequent seasons, without the permission of the club he was registered with. It applied even if the player's annual contract with the club holding his registration was not renewed after it expired. The club was not obliged to play him and, without a contract, the player was not entitled to receive a salary. Nevertheless, if the club refused to release his registration, the player could not play for any other Football League club.

Football League clubs soon came to realize that they could demand and earn a transfer fee from any other Football League club as consideration for agreeing to release or transfer the player's registration.

*Hopefully SAR has me on ignore but before he starts this is my opinion based on my experience, training and knowledge of contracts.

[M-K]

My notice period was 12 months when I left the defence force, why don't they just stipulate the same notice period.

A long period of notice is fine. I don't think anyone's suggesting players could just leave at the drop of a hat. If they want to, they can already buy themselves out of the last year of their contracts, there's a precedent for that.

Rovers might have missed out on the £17m for Jones, but even with the current system we didn't get the going rate for Hoilett. And on the flip side, Rhodes wouldn't have cost £8m, Grella could have been released after a year, we wouldn't be stuck with unsellable turds like Best and Etuhu...

[thenodrog]

Karl Oyston's ways work best for clubs with limited finances and clubs who cannot afford to get it wrong. No agents allowed and it's either his way or the highway. Not rocket science is it?

[Guest Norbert]

Hasn't he opened talks to keep Ince recently? And does he pocket a lot of money for himself?

Otherwise he does keep Blackpool steady off the pitch.

[thenodrog]

Hasn't he opened talks to keep Ince recently? And does he pocket a lot of money for himself?

Otherwise he does keep Blackpool steady off the pitch.

What on earth is wrong with doing that? He owns the club, any or all investment is prob his and it isn't a crime to want a return on investment, its actually a definite and necessary requirement of any business investment.

[Guest Norbert]

You have a point, but surely reinvesting it in the stadium, players and facilities could bring better benefits, rather than taking all the money off the fans and building himself a new house or whatever. By taking a lot of the money out of the club, does it not look a little bit like one of those shady countries where the President uses tax payers money to build a lavish palace for themself and/or their family. I don't know why, but the extent that a temporary owner of a football club milks the fans can sometimes seem a bit wrong.

[yoda]

You have a point, but surely reinvesting it in the stadium, players and facilities could bring better benefits, rather than taking all the money off the fans and building himself a new house or whatever. By taking a lot of the money out of the club, does it not look a little bit like one of those shady countries where the President uses tax payers money to build a lavish palace for themself and/or their family. I don't know why, but the extent that a temporary owner of a football club milks the fans can sometimes seem a bit wrong.

It is Blackpool Football Club LTD, answerable only to the share holders

[bluebruce]

Actually, every football club (every business) is also answerable to its STAKEholders. The fans. @#/? your customers off and you undermine your whole business.

[yoda]

Actually, every football club (every business) is also answerable to its STAKEholders. The fans. kean your customers off and you undermine your whole business.

Now where would that apply

[Al]

At least Oyston refuses to deal with agents at all. All the other clubs would do well to do likewise and football would be way better for it.

[bluebruce]

Now where would that apply

Not even sure what you're asking.

[yoda]

The answer to make it easy for you BB2 4JF