To be fair you signed a contract with say a months notice. A never ending one at that (probably) A footballers contract is just the number of years (which I won't go into you know all this). The first footballer who asks for a contract with one months notice likely won't get a contract and be told to do one. But I do agree it will come up at some point when the next bosman kicks off because he can't move. Saying that I also believe the transfer windows should be illegal. After all it's a restriction on trade when clubs who sell to survive.... Can't sell. It won't last forever this I'm sure
I agree with a lot of what you say jay although the situations aren’t analogous because clubs have often paid a fee in the first place which is arguably what they’re protecting and feel entitled to recover if the player moves on. The restrictions on movement as discussed above are similar to restrictive covenants which are in lots of employment contracts. They’re enforceable if they protect legitimate business interests which I guess transfer fees arguably do with football contracts.
Removing the transfer window would be the death of modern football IMO any player that went on a 4 or 5 match run of form would be bought immediately
As apposed to starting your argument with 'Christ'? Why would anyone bother entertaining you after that?
Good point in this. I signed a contract with a 3rd party to have some software developed for us. In that agreed contract I agreed that I wouldn't poach staff and in return I couldn't jump ship and join them either. For 12 months......
But without a fee in the first place, there's no fee to protect. How that comes to an end though, I don't know, I have no answer.
Yep. I get that. But it's still a restriction on trade. Imagine Amazon only being allowed to sell twice a year....
Yep that’s true - it also brings into question the validity of demanding a fee when you’ve obtained the player on a bosman. There is merit in what you’re saying for sure.
Yep agreed- just unsure that there’s an answer with the amount of power and wealth focussed around certain clubs
As I said, I understand being tied down for 12 months. A football season lasts 12 months (well 9 months but you prepare for 12), you've got to be able rely on individuals for the length of that project.
what is also relevant here is that you’re subject to the competition rules If you don’t like them then erm, you no longer get to play any football matches..
It's hard to get through it all. Be interesting to see a modern day contract though to see just what is in place these days. Football's a different world. (rightly or wrongly) I just think no one has the right mindset or ability to overturn it all. (At the moment) Except when the solicitors involved are about to trouser some almighty coin to challenge it. And i think it will happen at some point. It will almost certainly wipe out a load of grassroots clubs.
Do you think that most footballers would swap the terms of their contract with the terms of yours? I'd bet the vast majority wouldn't even consider it. They may not be able to give a months notice like we can but we do not get the same protection of earnings that they enjoy.
I understand that but I don’t think there is a remedy - I.e if you don’t like it then you have the option to leave if you wish but not much else I’m not sure if there is a mechanism to challenge the rules apart from perhaps the European courts - so that gives us about 7 months
I haven't proposed any terms of contract. I haven't thought about it enough to offer an alternative. I just don't believe wanting to move employers makes a footballer a bad/greedy individual, as is often the suggestion when a they makes such noises, as opposed to the rest of us who are congratulated by friends and family when we get a better/more well paid job. Nor do I think the transfer system sits comfortably with current employment laws and restrictions.
I'm not sure it will. I don't think human beings are going to want to stop playing and watching football. I think it might make it the people's game again, put an end to these ridiculously high transfer fees and make watching football affordable.
We would hope that to be the case anyway. Somethings got to give. But we've all being saying that for a few years. And strangely everything gets more and more obsurd. I've no idea what the future holds but it can't be sustainable and everything increasing at its current rate.... can it?