We've always been told that to sign a player you must submit the paperwork within the transfer window.
Now Crystal Palace have been allowed to sign a player fourteen hours after the deadline because "part of the deal was in place" at the time.
So presumably using this as a precedent all a club has to do now is agree some of the personal terms with the player in the window and then they can continue negotiations with the other club after the window has closed and sign them as soon as everything has been agreed - perhaps a month later.
If it wasn't for the fact that the football authorities are of unimpeachable integrity then I would think that money had passed hands or that they'd been drinking. As it is they have made a bizarre decision which I'm sure that others will utilise. Can you imagine the authorities telling Chelsea that they were too late now when their lawyers turn up a week after deadline to hand in the papers?
Is the Transfer Window Meaningless?
posted on 3/9/13
Load of garbage ain't it. Different 'rules' seem to appear every year - mainly when a PL team wants to buy a player. Ridiculous.
posted on 3/9/13
As long as the clubs, agents and players involved all agree the details before the deadline, then it's fair enough to allow more time for completion, so the player can physically sign a contract for one thing. Did Guedioura have a medical at Palace? that could be another reason for the extra leeway.
Frankly, I'm glad the deal went through because he asked for a transfer, imagine the awkward situation if he was still a Forest player today, from the fans and colleagues etc...
posted on 4/9/13
Don't care
If the player wanted to go why keep him.
The club made a profit. I'm all for extending the transaction time if the deal was agreed before the deadline.
posted on 4/9/13
Yes, it was probably for the best in this situation. In the main, though, surely having had all summer to put deals in place, they could have matters in hand well before 11pm. The whole thing is set up for the benefit of sports channels, anyway, not the players or fans!
posted on 4/9/13
I'm with Webbo
If you stop the deal everyone loses. Players up happy and the selling club are lumbered and worse off financially. And the buying club don't get thier man. It's best for everyone.
posted on 4/9/13
I'm glad Pep went in this situation, but I do have a problem with the way the FA do things. Almost all of their rules seem to be very loose and inconsistent. The transfer window is the prime example.
posted on 4/9/13
The transfer window is undoubtedly a bit of farce as regards to enforcement, but it should be remembered that it was brought in to stop clubs having their players heads turned throughout the season by "enquiries" and "bids" coming in all season long.
It's not perfect by any means, but it does offer a degree of protection from that sort of thing.
posted on 4/9/13
Might be better to have the close season as the period when transfers can take place, that way players would be with their new clubs at the start of the season.
posted on 4/9/13
The problem then is getting hold of the holiday-making players.. I don't think there's a perfect system, but having all the players back at their respective clubs so negotiations between all parties can take place makes the most sense out of them all.
If only we could go back to basics; have every professional player who wants to play in England and has the necessary clearance to do so line up against a wall and each of the 92 managers gets one pick and then their turn passes, until all the squads are full.
I still think Conor Sammon would be picked last
posted on 4/9/13
and he'd be goalie for a team that doesn't have one