Popping The Question

Everyone has heard of the Bosman ruling in football, but could there be a new such football term on the horizon?

After challenging the way things were, Jean Marc Bosman changed football forever. Back in 1990, the then 25-year-old Bosman was nearing the end of his contract with Belgian side RFC Liege. Like many players his two-year stint had not worked out as he had hoped. The midfielder was offered an improved contract by French second division side Dunkirk, and the player was keen to move to pastures new and try and restart his career. However in those dark old days a player could not leave at the end of their contract unless their current club agreed to let them go on a free transfer, or received an agreed fee from the buying club.

Liege demanded a transfer fee, one that was too high for Dunkirk to afford. The deal fell through, and then Bosman’s wages at Liege were cut by around 75 per cent. So he decided to challenge the system. His legal battle lasted five years, but the case was settled on December 15, 1995. The ruling meant that now players could move to a new club at the end of their contract without their old club receiving a fee. While many players have benefitted from this ruling, – and some say that it was the catalyst to raising the profile of the European Champions League, – it did little for Bosman. He received a UKL312,000 compensation package in 1998, but since then has had a series of personal issues including struggling with an alcohol addiction, as well as depression.

There is a situation playing out at the moment which could have a big impact on young talented players in Western Australia, which may in time be dubbed “the Popovic Ruling.”

Perth Glory coach for the recently finished A-League season Tony Popovic used a clause in his contract to bring to a premature end his time as coach of the A-League club. It is believed that Popovic had a clause in his contract which allowed him to leave the contract early if he was offered an opportunity to coach in Europe. Australian Bill Papas had recently acquired the Greek club Xanthi and offered Popovic the chance to take on the role of head coach at the troubled club. So Popovic opted to leave.

That was all fine and dandy and everyone wished Popovic well, as the more Australian coaches that are successful overseas the better it will be for the game in this country. It will open the doors for others following these trailblazers, and it will also lift the reputation of those involved in the game in Australia.

However rather controversially Popovic during his time at Perth Glory opted to give two of his sons professional contracts. Something that had not worked out well for other previous Glory coaches, namely Steve McMahon and Alistair Edwards. Edwards son Ryan had arguably the best credentials as he was at the time under contract to Reading and was loaned back to the Glory, and is still playing in the professional game currently with Burton Albion in League one in England. Although McMahon Jnr had played for Blackpool, he had done so again when his father was the coach.

The giving of professional contracts and then the selection of his two sons Kristian and Gabriel did not go down well in parochial Perth. Were they deserving of a first team place? Were local players within the Glory set up more deserving? Was this simply history repeating at the club?

Where the interest lies now is whether his sons will follow him to Greece. The word is that they will. Their father wants them with him.

Already stories are emerging asking whether this is a wise move on Popovic’s behalf. Many feel that such a move overseas is both far too premature in terms of their ability and also rather convenient considering that their dad is the coach. Nepotism never goes down well, and you can guarantee that the other professionals in the Xanthi dressing room will be waiting to see if these two young boys are up to the level required.

Where the interest lies in Western Australia is whether the Perth Glory claim a compensation fee from Xanthi for releasing the two boys who are both under 23 years of age; the cut off age for compensation claims. Will the club demand that Xanthi pay the required UEFA Tier Two EUR60,000 per player per year of their two years at Perth Glory? This would be quite a windfall for the cash-strapped club, this would equate to almost AUD400,000. (This sum may be slightly lower with Xanthi being

If the club decides to let Tony Popovic take his sons with him to Greece without any money coming back to the club it will open up a can of worms when it comes to the club claiming compensation fees for players who have not played first team football at the club, but have been a part of their youth teams. Why should the former coach’s sons not have that burden linked to their move, while other players looking for that opportunity, their individual big break, have to overcome the burden of the club demanding a compensation fee for development?

Certainly if the Popovic brothers do leave without a compensation payment you can be sure that the parents of other talented players will challenge any claim made by the club for similar fees when their son or daughter looks to forge a career outside of Australia.

A-League clubs demanding compensation fees as per their entitlement under FIFA regulations has been a big issue in recent years. While all accept that football is a business, and most clubs survive on the back of transfer deals, many will waive such fees for an unproven player in order to allow them the opportunity to fulfil their potential and dream. Certainly many signing clubs are unwilling to pay such fees to overseas clubs for an untried and unproven player. That is where the demands from the A-League clubs has been seen as obstructionist at times, and holding back young players.

What is interesting is that Tony Popovic was able to walk away from the club with time still to run on his contract, due to the clause he had within that contract. Had his sons contracts expired or were they signed with the club up until the expiration of their father’s contract had it been seen through to the end? If they were, did his sons have a similar clause? Or if they still had contracts have they been released from those contracts and been given a free transfer?

The Perth Glory’s handling of this situation is one to watch, as the outcomes are sure to have an impact on the careers of many other young Western Australian players with talent and ambition.