now it's us

[Michael Brookes]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would imagine FIFA make money out of every transfer that goes through? If this is the case would they really want to put a ban on all major spending clubs?

If they do I imagine its a tiny tiny percentage. You want the people who run football to favour and bend the rules for the clubs with money? I certainly dont.

I agree, i guess its just the fact that other clubs have been doing it for years without punishment, and just now that we have come into money and start to do the same the curtain seems to fall!

Its weird, even tho we (allegedly) broke the rules, I cant help feeling 'hard done by/treated unfailry'!!! How money changes perceptions!

[avoidconfusion]

To be honest I don't believe for a second that City behaved incorrectly in any shape or form here.

All there is right now is accusations from some french guy in a newspaper article.

Why would we have to break any rules to sign a young player? We simply don't have to, for that reason alone I doubt that these accusations are actually true.

What I do believe however is the following. Chelsea were found guilty for poaching a youngster and got banned, now suddenly all these tiny french clubs come out of the woodwork, possibly because they got huge Euro/Dollar/Pound signs in their eyes now and are trying to get a piece of the cake.

I am not worried at all. And I hope City respond like United and take them to court.

[Blue2]

To be honest I don't believe for a second that City behaved incorrectly in any shape or form here.

All there is right now is accusations from some french guy in a newspaper article.

Why would we have to break any rules to sign a young player? We simply don't have to, for that reason alone I doubt that these accusations are actually true.

What I do believe however is the following. Chelsea were found guilty for poaching a youngster and got banned, now suddenly all these tiny french clubs come out of the woodwork, possibly because they got huge Euro/Dollar/Pound signs in their eyes now and are trying to get a piece of the cake.

I am not worried at all. And I hope City respond like U***d and take them to court.

Flawed logic mate, why would Chelsea?

[ross.mcfc]

To be honest I don't believe for a second that City behaved incorrectly in any shape or form here.

All there is right now is accusations from some french guy in a newspaper article.

Why would we have to break any rules to sign a young player? We simply don't have to, for that reason alone I doubt that these accusations are actually true.

What I do believe however is the following. Chelsea were found guilty for poaching a youngster and got banned, now suddenly all these tiny french clubs come out of the woodwork, possibly because they got huge Euro/Dollar/Pound signs in their eyes now and are trying to get a piece of the cake.

I am not worried at all. And I hope City respond like U***d and take them to court.

Flawed logic mate, why would Chelsea?

Extremely flawed. Talk about blue tinted glasses. These are just allegations at the moment no one other than the club knows if we are guilty or not.

[Ted Hughes]

I'd be very surprised if we're done on this one. We've waited, as far as I can see, for all the overseas young players we've signed to reach 16 before we've signed them. That's not a coincedence; that's because we obviously think that we're legally able to sign them at that age & are being careful not to break any laws. To then blatantly break one wouldn't make sense so we will have looked at the situation & presumably we believe we haven't broken any laws & are on safe ground.

That would mean a serious legal case to challenge the legality of the original contract before even answering any UEFA charges should they bring any, especially as there seems to be some doubt as to what he actually signed. Long long process, involving laws of different countries if UEFA do charge us I recon. Could take many years going by previous performance.

[Blue Toy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would imagine FIFA make money out of every transfer that goes through? If this is the case would they really want to put a ban on all major spending clubs?

If they do I imagine its a tiny tiny percentage. You want the people who run football to favour and bend the rules for the clubs with money? I certainly dont.

I wasn't suggesting we get preferential treatment..... I was saying that I don't think FIFA will want to bite too many hands that feed them.

[avoidconfusion]

Flawed logic mate, why would Chelsea?

Extremely flawed. Talk about blue tinted glasses. These are just allegations at the moment no one other than the club knows if we are guilty or not.

Blue tinted glasses?

Maybe ... but:

Chelsea have a history of behaving incorrectly in the Transfer market. Ashley Cole, Mikel (I think? Or was it Essien?) ... to some extent Sturridge...

I firmly believe that City have behaved in an impeccable manner ever since ADUG took over, I very much doubt City would risk the plans of the owners by signing some 17 year old "prodigy" in a way that could result in punishments such as a ban.

[Bingo Lewis]

If we've done it, we've gotta accept the consequences.
I just hope the club have some kind of contingency in case Chelseagate MKII does happen.

[avoidconfusion]

I still don't believe that the ban against Chelsea will actually stick.

[lets all have a disco]

I still don't believe that the ban against Chelsea will actually stick.

Me Neither, how can you restrict trade in such a way?

[Beefymcfc]

Until we know all the details, not just one clubs hype to get a pay-out, it is hard to judge. I personally think that a lot of clubs are jumping on the bandwagon and we are the creme-de-la-creme of clubs to attack. They will be looking for some sort of settlement I reckon, and a big one at that.

The Prem clubs are always going to come under the spot-light due to it's standing with regard to global success and monetary value. Chelsea and Scum are already there and now we here things about us; I just wonder when Arsene will become a target?

[Hazy]

I may have missed it, nothing on SRFC Website, nothing on FIFA.

[avoidconfusion]

Don't get me wrong, if we really did something wrong, then by all means we should face the consequences... but right now this just looks like Le Havres is hoping we will give them a ring and throw money at them so they drop the charges (which I hope we do if there really is anything to them).

[Beefymcfc]

From BBC:

Man City dismiss 'poaching' claim

Manchester City have denied claims from French club Rennes that they unlawfully signed one of their players.

Defender Jeremy Helan, 17, signed for City in February and Rennes have reported the matter to world football's governing body Fifa.

Rennes believe Helan was bound to them through a pre-contract agreement but City insist that they did everything above board in signing the player.

Chelsea were recently found guilty of inducing a Lens player to join them.

The London club have been banned from signing any players until January 2011.

Fifa's dispute resolution chamber ruled that Chelsea had been guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

And Fifa has confirmed to the BBC that there is a case pending involving Helan, City and Rennes with their player status department, which deals with the registration of footballers.

Rennes technical director Pierre Dreossi told The Independent newspaper: "For us it was strange to have no discussion from City.

"And now, in the week after the declaration on Chelsea, I would hope that it will be the same thing for Manchester City."

Rennes claim Helan signed a pre-contract agreement with them as a 13-year-old that tied the player and club to a deal if the player represented France at junior level. The defender, dubbed the new Patrice Evra, went on to captain the France Under-16 team.

City told BBC Radio Manchester that no inducements were offered to Helan to break a contract with Rennes and that the transfer was totally legal.

As it stands, European law prevents players from signing formal contracts tying them to clubs before their 16th birthday meaning that the club is in danger of losing them to another team when they reach that age.

This is further complicated by the fact that different nations are governed by different rules and sporting jurisdiction is sometimes at odds with employment law.

Helan had initially been the subject of interest from Manchester United but eventually joined City - with The Independent reporting that the French Football Federation provided an International Transfer Certificate.

Droessi said this had been provided in error and added: "Manchester City must now realise the consequences of their attitude in the Helan case as it is even more illegal than Kakuta."

In addition to the cases involving Kakuta and Lens, and Helan and Rennes, another French club has made claims against a Premier League side.

Le Havre have alleged that Manchester United offered financial inducements to the family of 16-year Paul Pogba to lure the teenager to Old Trafford.

United say they will take legal action against Le Havre unless they stop making the allegations.

If they gave a certificate, it was authorised correctly; right?

[john@staustell]

"..........eventually joined City - with The Independent reporting that the French Football Federation provided an International Transfer Certificate.

Droessi said this had been provided in error..........."

Careless mistake that, transferring somebody by accident! Stupid twat. French clubs just want to jump on the wagon and i suggest City do exactly the same as Scum and threaten to sue them right now.

[ant london]

Key part in why (it looks to me like) we have no case to answer is set out below

The player was already pursuing a civil claim against Rennes to be released from his contract before we came on the scene according to this

Fifa have confirmed that they are investigating the French club's complaint into City's actions in luring the defender to Manchester in 2008.

A Fifa statement said: "We can confirm that there is a case pending with Fifa's Player Status Department involving Jeremy Helan, Stade Rennais FC and Manchester City."

With Chelsea last week served with a transfer ban until Jan 2011 due to their signing of another French teenager, Gael Kakuta, from Lens, City could now face a similar penalty should Fifa deem that they have broken transfer regulations.

But the Abu Dhabi-owned club, who have spent in excess of £200m in the transfer market since Sheikh Mansour's takeover 12 months ago, are confident that a pre-existing civil action on behalf of Helan against Rennes rules out any suggestion of wrongdoing on their part.

Having signed a contract with Rennes as a 13-year-old, it is understood that Helan's action centres on the restrictive nature of his agreement with the club.

The civil action pre-dates City's move for the youngster, a product of France's world-renowned Clairefontaine academy, and with the player already in dispute with his club over his contract, City are confident that they cannot be accused of inducing Helan to break his agreement with Rennes.

City signed the player, who has performed for the club's U17 team this season, after Manchester United dropped out of the running to secure his services.


(oh and that's from the Telegraph btw)

[BlueinBosnia]

More to the point.. who the bollocks is Jeremy Helan?

Doesn't even have a wikipedia page or youtube vids.

HUGHES OUT!

;)

[Fish111]

Man City release statemen saying ''we have acted within the rules when we signed Helan''

Time will tell i suppose.

[london blue 2]

I'm sorry but it's really hard not to be a conspiracy theorist looking at this...the top clubs in the UK being targeted...a hefty transfer window ban to a Champions league contender with the promise of more big english teams following suit when clubs in this country are the dominant force...meanwhile Real Madrid and the European elite seemingly being overlooked?

Platini must be rubbing his hands in glee

Not to mention Aresenal who have been poaching the worlds best youngsters for years now!

[Wonderwall]

CLub statement on OS says

Manchester City is aware of the ongoing contractual dispute in the French Labour Courts between Jeremy Helan and Stade Rennais. The dispute between the player and the Club pre-dates any interest from Manchester City.

Manchester City obviously cannot comment on the case until the French Judicial Process has run its course, however we are comfortable that we have acted within the rules throughout the process and in no way induced any breach of contract by Jeremy Helan.