Curtain to fall on transfers in three years By Rob Draper

Football's transfer system will be destroyed within three years as players demand the contractual rights of other workers within the European Union.

That claim is made by agent Jon Smith, who represents leading players such as Nwankwo Kanu, Steve Howey and Les Ferdinand.

Smith is prepared to challenge in the European Court the legitimacy of clubs charging transfer fees and win players the right to walk away from contracts as and when they please.

Smith said: 'It only needs one major agent to challenge this in the European Court and we would win. I think we are ready to do that.

'It's a case waiting to happen. We will be pushing for the abolition of the transfer fee. Footballers are the last of the bonded employees.

'If a player has a legitimate grievance at present, he can't just hand in his notice and leave. That will change.

'If a player goes to his club and has a reason to leave, he will be able to serve a reasonable period of notice, maybe six months or a season, and move on.

'I believe within three years transfer fees will be scrapped.'

That will revolutionise the game in much the same way as the Bosman Ruling, laid down by the European Court of Justice in 1995, which abolished transfer fees for players at the end of their contracts.

If transfer fees are abolished the current wages spiral will continue to soar. But the transfer cash that has been the lifeblood of lower division clubs will dry up and many will go to the wall.

'I think Second and Third Division clubs will have to look at a tradition which, while it has protected them, is holding the game back,' said Smith.

'The whole structure of football will have to change. You have to envisage ground-sharing and feeder clubs in the lower divisions, which in turn means that the FA Cup will become a denigrated competition.

'The transfer system will be turned on its head. Players will be rewarded by a basic salary and sizeable loyalty and performance bonuses.'

The move would clearly be a bonanza for agents and players. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has already voiced his fears that UEFA is ready to introduce such a scheme and has spoken out against it.

The European Commission is currently in talks with UEFA and FIFA to demand that footballers have the same employment rights as other workers.

EC spokesman Christopher Forax confirmed to Sports-mail: 'It is clear the transfer system is not compatible with EC law. We have to see how to change it.'

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000