But sadly it is the way they will all go. Germany too eventually. It's simply corporate...

Darwinism. Consolidation of assets. Only way to stop it is to use something like the American football draft / transfer system with salary caps and penalties. But that is endemic in the sport and contained within one league in one country where it works. Almost impossible to implement in football.

You could do it if it were just in one country perhaps. Exchange the college draft for the transfer rights to players. Cap the transfer market to other teams so "first round buys" cost 10m and second round cost 7.5m etc, then cap salaries similarly. The players current team can choose to take the transfer or turn it down but once turned down he is out of that round entirely (meaning they would then lose cash so they would have the opportunity to sell or not but couldn't, say, turn down one team and sell to the next. That might work, and a "free agency draft" for those out of contract. But trouble is that football is so international. You couldn't justify the same salary caps and transfer fees for say Greece or Ukraine as you could for uk or Germany. Plus how would you work out the draft order internationally and you couldn't force a player to move countries could you ? Simply could never ever work so I'm afraid we are stuck withit

Posted By: Steve in Holland, Sep 10, 20:35:42