EVEN if UEFA’s rather startling decision to ban Chelsea from operating in the transfer market for a year proves slightly fruitless in terms of punishing the Londoners, it has at least prised open the lid on how just amoral modern football has become. Although we probably didn’t need much further proof that something rotten lies at the heart of the once-believed-to-be-beautiful game – the one where supporters themselves now justify blatant diving with this week’s catchphrase: “There was contact”. Roman Abramovich’s lawyers will be sharpening their chequebooks at the prospect of contesting the ban. What’s more, even with no new players for a year, the league title already looks destined for Stamford Bridge. Perhaps we should hope that the transfer embargo is overturned then, as the prospect of Chelsea’s insufferable supporters if they end up winning it “against all the odds” is not a pleasant one. UEFA’s rules apparently stipulate that children can’t move from one club to one in another country unless their parents have moved for non-football reasons. The decision to have a degree of flexibility is clearly a well-meaning one – a kid’s career shouldn’t be over the moment his dad gets a job abroad – but where others see good intentions, football, or the greed machines of the Premier League at least, see weakness. And weakness equates to opportunity. Because if we are to believe Chelsea and Manchester United, there’s been an inexplicable outbreak of wanderlust among the parents of some of France’s most promising young players. “Why would you want to uproot us all now and move to England, especially when little Henri is doing so well at his football? “Think about it. X Factor, Heat Magazine, and Curry Club at Wetherspoons on a Thursday. If he decides to stick with the football I’m sure he will find another club eventually.” Seems feasible. The truth is, top level football is driven by fear. On the one hand, fear that other clubs will get even the slightest advantage, and on the other, individuals’ within clubs are petrified that if they don’t produce results then they might get elbowed off the gravy train. As the old saying goes: If Chelsea didn’t poach youngsters from abroad, would Frank Arnesen even exist? This latest ‘storm’ will blow over eventually, but the sort of behaviour that underpinned it in the first place is worth bearing in mind the next time anyone suggests trying to get the top clubs to buy into anything as sensible as, say, a salary cap.
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