football - loan signings fiasco

Preston have just 'loaned' Sean St Ledger to Middlesboro. So they've loaned their star defender, hence damaging their own potential, to a rival club, thus theoretically at least, boosting that club's prospects. It would be bad enough, had it been a genuine sale, but to disguise it as a loan, makes a mockery of the transfer window and the loan system. Whether there should be a transfer window in the first place, is highly debateable, but as long as there is, imo this practice should be stamped out. Sanctioned 'emergency loan' deals are OK, but this is simply a transfer outside the window. Sounds as though he will officially sign for Boro in January for £3m or thereabouts....unless of course, he receives a career threatening injury in the meantime.

hull are loaning celab folan to middlesborough

One of the aims of the 'window' was to prevent (particularly smaller) clubs being destabilized, at least for set periods of time. On that front, it's entirely failed.

Emergency loans & bigger teams loaning players out to the lower divisions, in order to gain; experience, match fitness or even with a view to a permanent deal, always seemed perfectly reasonable. This is a different issue & you can replace Boro, North End & St Ledger with any clubs & player of your choice.

Incidentally I'd snap their hand off at £3m, had it been done properly last July or this coming January.

Whilst my original view has not changed one iota..what a farce this turned out to be. North End loan the guy out on the 'understanding' that they'll get the £4m transfer fee in January. Meantime, they get so f**ked-up, the manager gets sacked. Boro play like the shi*s, their manager gets sacked & sonny boy returns with his tail between his legs & astonishingly gets cheered on his re-appearance in a North End shirt..eventhough he's still b*tching, whining and angling for a move away.

Don't you just love the class and integrity of professional footballers.

St Ledger...kiss my avatar

Did anyone see that Barry Fry documentary where St Ledger through a cup of tea at Fry's head at half-time? Bazza should have killed him right there on camera.

(16-01-2010 06:59 )Colbert Rules Wrote:  Did anyone see that Barry Fry documentary where St Ledger through a cup of tea at Fry's head at half-time? Bazza should have killed him right there on camera.

Yes I did & that's a good call. He'd probably have had another heart attack though.

My belligerent side would have St Ledger playing in the 'A' team (not the one with Mr. T) on a Monday afternoon & let him rot there, until his value was £4 and his international career, nothing but a distant memory. That said, don't they have some crybaby 'oh they're bullying me' rules about that sort of thing now? I would counteract that with my 'shut the f**k up you whining pussy' ruling (yet to be sanctioned in Brussels)