Joel Griffiths of the Newcastle Jets celebrates. AAP Image/Paul Miller
A-League clubs can often be accused of naïveté when it comes to their transfer dealings. It’s why the Melbourne Victory deserves a bouquet – and not a brick – for its rejection of Borussia Dortmund’s bid for young goalkeeper Mitch Langerak this week.
The move prompted some hefty criticism from the 21-year-old’s agent, John Grimaud.
Langerak is part-way through a multi-year deal at the A-League club, and would not be one of the club’s top earners.
Grimaud accused the club of taking advantage of Langerak’s elevation past New Zealand international Glen Moss as the Victory’s No.1.
‘”Mitch has done well for Victory and they have been good for him, but he is being punished now for believing them when they said they would look after him. They told him they would not stand in his way if a good offer came in for him,” Grimaud told The Age’s Michael Lynch yesterday
“How can they not regard the chance to move to Borussia Dortmund, one of the biggest clubs in Germany, as a good offer?”
For who, John? Mitch or the club?
Because the rumoured bid of between $400,000 and $500,000, plus future percentages of transfer fees, is chump change for most European clubs. To put it in the German club’s currency, it’s roughly $300,000 Euros, give or take.
Dortmund spent $5 million Euros on Paraguayan international striker Lucas Barrios and a further $1 million on midfielder Dimitar Rangelov prior to the 2009/10 season.
If Dortmund wants Langerak that badly, it can afford to go a bit higher.
It’d be fair to state that the Victory would have trouble pricing Langerak out of the reaches of the European giant, a former UEFA Champions League winner and a club on track for a place in a continental competition next season.
Melbourne does not have a history of holding back its players, albeit by protecting its own interests at the same time.
Michael Theoklitos – the man Langerak has succeeded – left for his ill-fated stint in England with the club’s blessing.
Adrian Leijer (now back in the navy blue) and Danny Allsopp both secured overseas moves from the Victory when their estimations were met.
Too often A-League clubs have been hasty in accepting bids from circling foreign sides. Likea mark pulled into an alley by a mugger, they’re quick to cough up the goods.
While the Brisbane Roar did need the money, ask any fan if $1.4 million AUD was enough for three of the the club’s brightest sparks (Tommy Oar, Adam Sarota and Michael Zullo).
Or if Adelaide United supporters believe the loss of defender Sasa Ognenovski was worth just $350,000?
It was refreshing to see the Newcastle Jets dig in their heels over the sale of Joel Griffiths – ironically Langerak’s opponent last night – to make courter Beijing Guoan dig deeper itself.
Every player has a price, and most playing in Australia would jump at an opportunity to play overseas.
No-one could blame Langerak’s disappointment at the rejection of Dortmund’s bid.
The kid has a big future. Langerak has only recently began to shrug the “raw” tag after becoming the Victory’s first-choice shot-stopper this season.
Just watch the Victory’s 1-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale on March 31 for evidence of his potential.
But his club is well within its rights to hold out for what it thinks is fair value.
The Victory has nurtured Langerak and handed him the opportunity on the big stage. He has in turn rewarded the faith.
Both parties – not just one – need to be appeased for the youngster to move on.
It doesn’t matter who comes a’ knocking.
Wug
Guest
yes all aspiring young players should be given the chance to gain experience overseas but overseas clubs should not insult A-league clubs by offering so little
Socceroos Bandwagon '10
Guest
Langerak is still only 21. It's inevitable he'll head overseas, which is what our players should aspire to, but there's no harm in hanging around for another season in the navy blue. Another 12 months and hopefully Langerak will improve further and Victory will get a better deal than what was on offer. If Dortmund want him, they can take him, but for the right price.
Davstar
Guest
Poor form by Melbourne Victory he wont grow as a player never become a socceroo as long as he stays at victory
Art Sapphire
Guest
Interesting see that Ben Somerford has picked up the Bresciano story and published it in 442 :)
Art Sapphire
Guest
Sorry to go of topic - I have just read on a Greek website sport.gr that AEK Athens have made an offer of 1 Million Euro to Palermo for Mark Bresciano. They also report that AEK will also have to pay around 1.5 million Euro a Year in wages and that Bresciano has already received similar offers from Qatar. Here's the link http://sport.gr/default.asp?pid=4&aid=62941 With Bresciano able to command over that sort of money he might be at least 2-3 years away from coming back to the A-League.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
I don't think Borussia Dortmund's valuation of Langerak was "too low," but if Melbourne Victory want to try and hold out for a higher offer, that's their right. I think it's understandable that Victory want to hold on to one of their contracted players, just as it's equally understandable that Langerak might be disappointed at missing out on a move to one of Europe's best-supported clubs.
moo cow
Guest
So long as he gets game time I think 500,000k is alright, he won't be making a fifth of that in the A-league
Coach
Guest
What to you make of the issue then Mike?
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Dortmund's second 'keeper Ziegler is on the verge of a move to VfB Stuttgart, reserve team 'keeper Höttecke is mulling over a move to Union Berlin and the first team 'keeper and captain Weidenfeller is one of the more injury prone players in the squad. The Borussen are searching for a new 'second' goalkeeper, so there's a good chance that Langerak would have received some game time.
Simmo
Guest
I think the only party who comes off looking bad in this saga is the agent. Hardly surprising.
Damiano
Roar Rookie
A transfer to Dortmund is probably not likely to be in Mitch's best interests at this stage, as i doubt he'd get many starts in the Bundesliga.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
There is something in your last line, Zizou. Unfortunately I don't know the agents well enough to know who is a decent and fair agent and who operates on a somewhat lower ethical basis. Sadly the latter taint the entire industry and as a result the credibility of agents in the eyes of the general public, as opposed to the clubs who have a better grip on the modus operandi of individual agents, is somewhat tarnished.
zizou
Roar Rookie
It is a clear example of why Melbourne is one of the better run clubs in the competition. They have never stood in the way of a player's transfer and in most cases look to get the best deal for both club and player. I'm hoping that Langerak stays for another season or do a deal with an overseas club that sees him stay on our shores on a loan type deal. In order to develop, Langerak needs regular game time (as this season has proved) and I'm not sure shooting off overseas now is his best option. P.S. I would never trust anything an agent would say regarding a transfer.
Coach
Guest
I don't think the price for Langerak here is the issue. $500K does seem a fair deal for a young keeper, but it is just good to see A-League clubs not crumbling any time an overseas club comes calling. How many other A-League clubs do you think would do the same?
Tom
Guest
Yeah, 500k seems like a pretty fair price for Langerak. Much as I love him at the Victory a move to Germany would be better for his development and career overall. That said, if Melbourne can get Dortmund to pony up another 200k or so then not only do they get more money out of it but the Germans have a bigger investment in the player, which makes them more likely to play him and look after him.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
No doubt the agent was also outraged when the initial contract was negotiated with Victory. When young players sign for clubs there is a high risk-return factor worked in. Often people are happy for the clubs to absorb this risk however baulk when they are able to reap a return. Ironically this drives many to describe the clubs as greedy. If clubs made money on every signing they made this viewpoint would be valid; they don't.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Credit to Langerak he didn't let it distract him and he kept another clean sheet last night. I think in the end that he will go before the next A league season starts. You can't keep a kid on backup keeper wages from earning a decent crust but MV are doing the right thing by not caving immediatley and trying to get a better deal. I actaullly think 500k AUD isn't that far of from the value of an uncapped 21 year old keeper who would likely be on less than 100k wages a year. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on something like 50k a year unless they have offered him an upgrade recently. That offer is 10 times what they pay him each year so I wouldn't cry if he is allowed to move on. MV have unearthed Galekovic, Langerak and Theo so that's a pretty good record between the sticks.... Moss was dissapointing this season though.
agga78
Guest
No way Victory should sell for such a low price Victory should be looking at for over a 1million plus 20% of any future transfer deal or 1 million plus a player and 10% of any transfer deal. A league teams should hold out for bigger deals for there players especially the best prospects we have. Langerak is probably the best prospect Australian football has had since the A league started, more likely to succeed than Oar, Zullo, Burns or nikita rukavytsya in Europe. We all know the A League will be a selling league and if we are to sell our best young players we deserve top fees, if the A league clubs can continually get top dollar for there young prospects, A league clubs will more likely push young players through the ranks instead of playing seasoned professionals if their is a reward for taking a chance with young players.