Not so long ago, the general scheme for working on a player’s contract renewal was to wait until halfway through the contract period. Due to his performance and the market opportunities, work was then carried out together with the players’ agent on the extension, which both sides felt was desirable. Times when it was important for the player to end the uncertainty that always hovers over you when playing football, to consolidate what you have achieved and to prevent a serious injury from causing you to lose everything you got from a good one has achieved career. It was important for the club to maintain the structure of a team that has performed well and a player who has proven himself on the pitch and who has also been an asset in the dressing room. Better than losing the player and having to go into a market that didn’t always give you what you asked for. This scheme was altered when an exceptional offer arrived for either party and work began on a transfer that was understood to be good for all and which activated the club’s knowledge of its scouting network to find the best successor for the departed determine talent
Of course, this scheme is also possible at this time and the mechanism is valid at these times, but we have seen how different forms of work have been introduced into the world of football.
More information
On the one hand the clubs who have started to move forward with their signing process and have received the approval of players who have started their penultimate contract season and have promised not to extend it and arrive at their new destination with the release letter. Yes, I know that FIFA rule prevents us from negotiating with players until the last six months of the contract, but there have always been informal conversations, discussions just about intentions, subliminal messages…let’s go to all that communication this is not explicit and they allow the player and the club to stay within the legality.
This system favored the economics of clubs getting quality players at zero cost and allowed the player involved and his agent to enjoy juicy contract premiums making this type of operation a much appreciated model.
Of course, like all things in this life, the subject had rough edges and problems. One of these stems from the risk associated with clubs’ general funding system, which is based on selling players and then investing in cheaper talent and lower contracts. The money from the football stayed in the football to continue to fuel the machinery.
The second had to do with what we did with this player who didn’t want to renew and who our market intelligence told us had an agreement with another team, although legally they couldn’t have any document to prove it. This could be true and never happen, see Dembélé case.
And here comes one of this summer’s most popular discussions, which talked more about economics than real football. The first version is always repressive, energetic and tough, that is, a player in the stands and a solved problem. Of course, this always creates problems because this player also trains and interacts with the team on a daily basis and can be a daily and continuous source of negative energy. And we lose his talent on the field.
So my option has always been that we use what we pay for, we eliminate excuses in the dressing room and we continue to have a player with high competitive value. Of course, every rule can and should always have its exceptions.
Follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Twitteror sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
reduced by 50 percent
Subscribe to continue reading
read limitless