It is easy not to understand the excruciating and sometimes debilitating working conditions footballers in the past had to endure when all the modern-day fan knows is the lavish and flamboyance of the present-day footballers.
A cursory assessment of the effect of the ‘Bosman rule’ concludes that not only has it been a gift that has led to the improvement in the financial and negotiating power of footballers but it has also been a curse abused by some football stars.
When a player from your favourite local or international club starts moaning about not being shown the respect he feels he deserves – whether justified or conjured – and threatens to leave, in the worst case downing tools just to force a move, know that some years back he wouldn’t have dared to do so.
Two cases in recent times stand out. The first is Dimitri Payet, who as a result of his performance for West Ham in English Premier League 2015-16 was named in the Professional Footballers Association team of the season, and the second is Thibaut Courtois, a former Chelsea goalkeeper.
Payet, for one, is notorious for forcing transfers by going on self-induced exile or simply refusing to play after issuing a transfer request. After signing a five-and-a-half-year contract extension worth £125,000 ($225,000) a week in February 2016, one would have thought it was an indication of his intention to remain at West Ham.
Unfortunately football contracts these days are worth less than the paper on which they’re written.
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had been angling for a move to Madrid for a major part of his second contract at Chelsea, first wooing Atletico Madrid with series of come-get-me statements. The ploy didn’t succeed because Atletico Madrid were more than comfortable with the performance of their Armenian goalkeeper, Jan Oblak.
Real Madrid, who had put in a failed bid for Manchester United’s David De Gea in the botched 2016 deadline day farce, had constantly been linked with Courtois. They signed the Chelsea goalkeeper for a fee of £32 million ($57.65 million) in the current transfer window.
Courtois had a fantastic World Cup in Russia playing for Belgium and was also into the last year of his contract at Chelsea. Despite being free to open negotiations with any club side, Courtois went AWOL in order to force the move through. This in addition to the constant open expression of love for the city of Madrid didn’t help the situation. This led to the Chelsea fans turning on him with vitriol.
The attitude of some players with regard to their contracts makes a mockery of the Bosman ruling. It is true that a workman deserves his wages. A contract is also binding on parties. However, players resorting to sly tactics or a unilateral leave of absence in a bid force a move reinforces the fact that players have become too powerful and that something urgent needs to be done to stem the tide.
Yesterday it was Dimitri Payet. Today it’s Thibaut Courtois. Who is it going to be tomorrow?
Mordee
Guest
I couldn't have said it any better. These contracts are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Matthew
Roar Rookie
C'est la vie as the French will say.
Matthew
Roar Rookie
Thanks Richie
Richie
Guest
Nice article Mr Matthew.
RUTH Martins
Guest
Good write up because I think this new era club football and the players not staying true to their contract signings is just so bizarre
Ozed
Guest
The Bosman ruling did not solve the problem, rather, it merely turned the tables the other way. For as long as people will always be greedy and ambitious, this trend will continue. Its a sad one.
Matthew
Roar Rookie
Reluctance, I'd say, won't function as a bar to the courts enforcing specific performance. You can't force an unwilling employee on an employer either. These days clubs insert sometimes release clauses in contracts to prevent players maybe as a deterrent. What do you do when there is a club willing to pay. Money, in the modern game, dictates everything.
Matthew
Roar Rookie
Sure Chelsea were at risk of losing Courtois for free, being that he on the last lap of it so it made financial sense to let him leave. Although I doubt Chelsea had a say in him leaving as he'd made it clear by his action that he wasn't resuming the new campaign with the team. Payet had just signed an extension! It shows clearly the clubs have little control over the players whose wages they pay.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Trouble with seeing out the contract is that once it is completed, there appears to be no transfer fee... free agency etc so it appears to be in the club’s interest to sell whilst there is time to make some money. However, the whole player movement process often leaves a very bad taste in the mouth for many.
Ruckin' Oaf
Guest
The common law is traditionally very reluctant to enforce or order specific performance in contracts for personal service. How would this change for football players ?