It’s not just Mrdja, the whole transfer system is bunged

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By Davidde Corran, 9 Feb 2010 Davidde Corran is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: A-League, FFA, football, Football Federation Australia, nik mrdja

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Central Coast Mariners's Nik Mrdja, right, celebrates a goal against Queensland Roar during their A-League match in Gosford, Saturday Jan 10, 2009. (AAP Image/Aman Sharma)

I still don’t get it. Almost everyone feels like the integrity of the A-League has been compromised by Nik Mrdja’s pseudo-loan move to the Victory. Yet, as I wrote on Sunday, this isn’t new.

The A-League’s transfer system is a mess and always has been. Whether it’s the Jets and Song Jin-Hyung or Rostyn Griffiths and Adelaide United, similar moves have happened before.

Even the player movements that happen within the January transfer window take on an added dimension due to the short length of the A-League. Is Daniel McBreen’s move to Perth Glory really that much better because it happened in January as opposed to February 5th?

Perth Glory is going to use McBreen in the exact same way that Melbourne intend on using Mrdja in the final series.

Injustice is still just that, no matter to what degree.

Surely you can’t argue that Song’s signing, with his stellar performance in the Preliminary Final helping them to their first Grand Final, was unfair but Mrdja’s move is REALLY unfair just because he came from another A-League club!

And don’t get me started on loyalty. In football? Are you kidding me?!

There has been a problem with the system we use in the A-League for a long time. And that’s the point.

As far as I am concerned, if the Mrdja deal is what it has taken for people to wake up to this and finally become fed up with it, then fine.

I’ve been constantly bemused come the end of a season when teams take to the field with entirely different line-ups to the ones they started with. This encourages poor recruiting in the off-season and that is often what we get.

When it comes to the leniency permitted to expansion clubs when signing players, to me, that’s understandable as it really is a special circumstance. Look at the difference between Gold Coast United’s first season, who had that extra time, and Wellington Phoenix, who didn’t.

Then there is the banning of transfer fees between A-League clubs. It’s another anachronistic A-League rule.

I understand why this was originally instigated and at the time it had a place. Not anymore, however.

If a club has the money to spend, it should be allowed to. While clubs shouldn’t be allowed to go into debt to do so, any chance to spread what little wealth there is should be encouraged.

When the A-League launched in 2005, Football Federation Australia did well to tick so many things off its wish list. From sponsorship to television deals, they all got done (even if some of them were poor moves in the long term). Now some of these original systems need to be updated and modified.

FFA has announced a review of the injury replacement rule following the backlash, but we need a review of the whole system. Otherwise this opportunity to see the A-League evolve will go begging.

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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments

MartyB said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment

Keep things as they are with one change: Only injury replacements that are drawn from your NYL team may play in the Finals Series.

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Art Sapphire said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:16am | Report comment

Selective memory Davidde – Sydney FC brought in Jonas Salley for the 2007 from another A-League club for the finals campaign. Sydney FC set the precedent. Amazing how everybody in Sydney has so quickly forgotten.

Its up to the FFA to administer the game properly. Melboourne have played within the rules.

Do I also need to remind everyone that Sydney FC broke the salary cap to win the inaugural championship or has that been conveniently forgotten as well. That’s an example of playing outside the rules.

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Abdrew said | February 9th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment

You offer no solution what so ever.

Mrdja got released by his club and MVFC picked him up no different to anywhere else in the world besides the fact we have an injury replacement rule. Why do we have this rule? Because our squads are too small there is a need for a reserves team and a youth team not just one. Then we can get rid of this injury replacement rule but until then I’m pretty sure it’s going to stay.

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Dogz R Barkn said | February 9th 2010 @ 11:51am | Report comment

Davidde

You are right to continue driving this point home – it stinks.

Not only does this sort of thing not happen in any of our domestic codes, but it doesn’t even happen anywhere else in the world game (certainly not in the major comps).

Clubs have now been able to extend their lists with the inclusion of a youth league, and it’s up to them to have adequate back ups, even if they are younger players.

The truth is that the Victory sold Allsopp, and then let Ney Fabiano go, leaving them with one recognised striker, Thompson, they recruited a winger, Kruse, and then they have a few of youth players with Elasi, Dugandzic and Behich (all of whom have played senior football this year).

Clearly, this whole problem stems from having let Fabiano go too quickly.

So I don’t buy this argument about needing a special rule for injuries outside of the transfer window.

The Victory had all of January to fix up their list, for them to provide adequate cover for their striker if they thought Elasi and other youth players weren’t up to it.

They didn’t do it.

That’s a problem with the Victory list management, and nothing else.

Bringing in a big name player to play finals (and actually help win the Premiership with the last two games of the season) stinks to high heaven.

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George said | February 9th 2010 @ 1:04pm | Report comment

Jonas Salley and Sydney are similiar but one major difference, the youth league; The very concept behind this was to provide teams with adequate reserves.
Secondly Sydney were deducted points for breaking Salary cap rules.
This is not forgotten but I hardly see how blaming Sydney for Melbourne and FFA problems resolves anything.

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davelee said | February 9th 2010 @ 4:33pm | Report comment

Adam Casey as well Art

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Mick said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:11pm | Report comment

Another reason why the muppets running the a-league have no idea.

If you are under contract to a club A and you wish to leave club A then you can only transfer (1) during the off season as long as player and club agree, and (2) during the transfer window during the season.

If you do not have a contract with any club you can sign a contract any day of the year

You can not play for 3 clubs in a 12 month period (can not remember when it starts & finishes)

If a club is struggling for players, bad luck, they should just get them from their youth team or 1 of the state leagues

Nothing wrong with transfer system if done properly

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It’s not just Mrdja, the whole transfer system is bunged

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