FIFA Spank Chelsea

[Slipperduke]

When the Powers That Be come after the English clubs, they certainly don't mess about. Last week UEFA slapped Arsenal's Eduardo with what appeared to be an arbitary two-match ban for diving and last night FIFA weighed in, smashing Chelsea to the floor with an unprecedented two transfer window ban on signing new players. What is it about the consistently successful and commercially dominant English Premier League that they don't like? There was already a feeling in the corridors of Stamford Bridge that there is a conspiracy at the heart of football's governing bodies, a desire to punish the English clubs, and them in particular, for their ostentatious spending. Imagine how victimised they feel now.

This is a heavy, heavy blow to the Blues, more so than it would be to any other club, given that they have a relatively thin squad of players, many of whom are either in or approaching their thirties. Factor in the exodus of players expected in January when the African Nations Cup begins in January and this is more than a body blow. It's a mortal wound. They are doomed to their existing squad until Janaury 2011, forbidden not just to buy players, but even to sign an unattached youngster. Chelsea's failure to develop a succesful youth policy has never looked as disastrous as it will in the cold light of this morning.

Chelsea's crime was to induce the young French starlet Gael Kakuta to breach his contract and it's a crime that they have been accused of before, notably with the controversial transfer of Ashley Cole. But it's a crime that lots of clubs have been accused of. It's a crime that seems to be at the heart of almost every major transfer. David Moyes recently insisted that Joleon Lescott wasn't for sale, but somehow the former Wolves defender got it into his mis-shapen head that Manchester City had a lucrative deal on the table for him. This, of course, is not to suggest that he was tapped up, only to highlight the suspicion that players may be induced to break their contracts, or at least not to honour them with any dilligence, all the time. Just as Arsenal are infuriated that Eduardo will sit on the sidelines while other divers escape punishment, Chelsea will surely demand that these draconian transfer embargos are dished out to everyone else in Europe.

But beyond the immediate shock and awe of FIFA's attack, it is the further ramifications that should terrify Chelsea fans the most. Football agents are not the most philanthrophic of operators. Will they seek to take advantage of this fiasco? What's to stop them approaching the club, proposing a vast increase in wages for their client and threatening to make him leave if their demands aren't met? What leverage will Chelsea have now that they can't replace them?

FIFA have crossed the Rubicon with this punishment. They, like UEFA last week, have set out to flex their muscles and make an example of a rich English team and there's no turning back now. Has Sepp Blatter got the appetite for a long, drawn-out campaign? He'll need it. There's no way that Chelsea will take this lying down.

 

[seany t]

Surely they can’t enforce this? First Eduardo, now this... FIFA have gone nuts haven’t they?

They’re really gunning for the top English clubs?

Still, I hate them all so bring it on!

 

[Pubey]

Chelsea will appeal and it'll be upheld, probably seeing a reduced ban. It is hugely disproportionate to the crime.. and this is something that blatantly happens everywhere, so it looks like a pointless deterrent rather than an actual punishment

 

[Napster]

I reckon Abramovic knew about this, he was moaning about big spending clubs recently.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Goddammit Slip... Beat me to the pulse by seconds.

Can't see an appeal coming to much, FIFA will take every action to make an example of Chelsea for this crime.

Here's my piece anyway:

I can just picture Carlo Ancelotti's face at the moment... Just what has he got himself into this time? A decaying squad that, courtesy of FIFA, won't be getting any younger for at least 18 months.

Yes, Chelsea have been found to have signed players illegally and everybodies favourite governing body FIFA has banned them from the next two transfer markets. Harsh? Yes, but tt serves them right though. There have been stories circulating for years now about their underhand tactics in recruiting young talent, Ken Bates told all who would listen that they'd been tempting Leeds youngsters away with promises of new kitchens for their parents, and the whole Obi-Mikel was confusing enough... Ok that was probably on the basis that he's not much of a footballer, but you get the picture.

FIFA's punishment relates to the signing of Gael Kakuta from his former club Lens, where it is alledged that Chelsea induced the French winger to breach his contract two years ago and sign for the London club. Lens lodged a complaint immediately, and it has taken two years for the ruling to take place. On top of the embargo, Kakuta has been fined £682,000, for which Chelsea are "equally and severably liable."

There's no doubt that the club will appeal against this, it seems a harsh decision at best that will cripple the club in both domestic and European competition, not least because the average age of their starting eleven is accelerating alarmingly above 30. Recent actions at the club, however, certainly lead me to think they might have just had an inkling about this... Earlier this year they scrapped almost their entire scouting network in order to "focus on coaching the current crop of youngsters" in a move that, at the time, sparked theories that Roman might just be pulling his Oil-stained rubels out of the club. Now, it seems, this could've been a very shrewd cost-cutting exercise and warranted change of perspective.

Will an appeal get Chelsea anywhere? Nobody knows with FIFA, I wouldn't even bet against them extending it because of a frivolous appeal. How will this punishment affect their title hopes? Only time will tell. One things for sure, there'll be jubilation across the board rooms of Manchester this afternoon... both City and United now sit almost unparalleled in their ability to spend big money on big name players, leaving them to have the pick of the bunch.

Franck Ribery was linked heavily with a move to Chelsea recently. Something tells me a Dubai-based Sheikh and a Swiss-based FIFA bigwig might have something to say about that...

 

[seany t]

I wish FIFA / UEFA would grow some balls though and tackle this ****.

This, diving, tapping up, over-inflated prices etc aren't new issues but are ruining the game. They need to be dealt with, but dealt with properly.

 

[Heskey]

FIFA Has lost its head. Getting the feeling they would prefer more power in the Spanish and Italians leagues. They hate the big four clearly!!

 

[OAJS]

Good write-ups Slipperduke and ESB :clap:.

This could affect us and a possible attempt to sign Sawyer in January in a negative way, because as he is a progressing youngster, and what they may have to rely on, they could well decide he is the future of Chelsea's midfield :thumbdown:.
Just some food for thought.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Not the first time chelsea have done this, the big clubs swagger about cherry picking players that other clubs have spent years developing. Something has to be done to stop it.