Players banned by FIFA rule

**harpskid** · 21/03/2007, 10:41 AM

Any word on these cases?

**Philly** · 21/03/2007, 11:08 AM

We really should just ignore the rule like the Finnish league did. They didn't get an hassle over it from FIFA from what I heard.

I would actually encourage this rule to be enforced. But the months involved should be switched for summer soccer.

It could help stop the journeyman footballing culture of the eircom League.

**Mr_T** · 21/03/2007, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Magicme

How can you call anyone a muppet if their schedule for running football in the world is full. You try getting a meeting with any business & you often have to wait. This is a quick time span in reality. Jeeze have to wait almost 3 weeks to get my sons eyes tested in a town where there are 3 optictians!

The FAI should have sought this meeting 5 weeks ago when the recieved the registration forms for the players in question. Clubs registered players in good faith, its up to the governing body to advise them prompty if theres a problem with any of the registrations, not tell them 2 days before the first game, and only then start the process with FIFA to sort it out.

Originally Posted by Ebmania

Am i the only one who thinks that this rule should actually be enforced. Mascareno case has turned the rule into a joke. If they dont want to enforce it then do away with it, otherwise make the players wait.

Agree 100% Philly. The rule should be enforced, but our season being out of time with the majority of the footballing world means we should have a rule appropriate to our season calendar. The rule is valid and its there to prevent players for playing for 3 clubs in the same season, but is worded to preclude players from having 3 clubs in the period 1 July to 30 June. Some of the players involved here had 2 Irish clubs last season, i.e. made one move during last season (including possibly a loan), and for that reason are preluded from signing for a new club this year because its within the July-June period. If that player was out of contract at the end of 2006 season having played for 2 clubs last year he is now efectively precluded from earning a living till July.

**passerrby** · 21/03/2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_T

The FAI should have sought this meeting 5 weeks ago when the recieved the registration forms for the players in question. Clubs registered players in good faith, its up to the governing body to advise them prompty if theres a problem with any of the registrations, not tell them 2 days before the first game, and only then start the process with FIFA to sort it out.

The league only realised this problem just before the start due to the fact that clubs only registered there players at the final days before the start of the league to be fair to fran gavin and co they acted as soon as permission was granted by council to act was given and also requesting a meeting and getting a meeting are two different things.

**neville neville** · 21/03/2007, 12:52 PM

anybody any idea on when it will be sorted out?

**Mr_T** · 21/03/2007, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by passerrby

The league only realised this problem just before the start due to the fact that clubs only registered there players at the final days before the start of the league to be fair to fran gavin and co they acted as soon as permission was granted by council to act was given and also requesting a meeting and getting a meeting are two different things.

Not true. I know one of those player for certain had his registration form sent in 4 weeks before season started.

In any case, the transfer deadline, the deadline for all registration forms to be with the League was about 2 weeks before the season started, yet clubs were only told 2 days before kick off that there was a problem. The FAI have done an admirable job in trying to progress this since then, but definately cocked up in not recognising the problem sooner.

BTW, are you Fran Gavin?

**gufct** · 21/03/2007, 1:39 PM

We were told on the wednesday before the sligo game that Gary Rogers was ok to play and then subsequently got a phonecall on the the Thurday to say he couldnt. The situation is a farce the football league in England totally disregards this rule but our best in practice world class league do nothing about it.

I cant see this being sorted this week lads !!!!!!!!!!

**A face** · 21/03/2007, 2:41 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_T

Not true. I know one of those player for certain had his registration form sent in 4 weeks before season started.

In any case, the transfer deadline, the deadline for all registration forms to be with the League was about 2 weeks before the season started, yet clubs were only told 2 days before kick off that there was a problem. The FAI have done an admirable job in trying to progress this since then, but definately cocked up in not recognising the problem sooner.

BTW, are you Fran Gavin?

The FAI feiced up and they know they did, obviously they wont admit it and the jury is still out as the whether or not it will happen again next year. Saying the administrators of our league are not at fault for this is ludicrous. Things will never improve otherwise.

At saying that at least they got in gear when doing something at the fan was no longer an option. I wondered did it effect Corks appeal though, who were a full week ahead of them in this. I suppose it would look bad if the FAI were shown up by a lowly domestic league club in sorting it out, quite word in the ear, job done, i mean err, not done.

**Risteard** · 21/03/2007, 3:19 PM

Face, who are Cork?
Anyway, you're right.
Farrelly and Healy appear to have been thrown in with the other 8 even though FIFA have everything they require since Friday last.

**A face** · 21/03/2007, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Risteard

Face, who are Cork?

No, that was just for the benefit of the people outside the republic .... in the other republic like

**pete** · 21/03/2007, 4:04 PM

I agree with comments about ignoring the rule. Does anyone think FIFA actually care what we do in the eL? Even Uefa don't care what we do with registrations.

Sure Rogers played with Dublin City whose results have been erased. What sense does that make?

**Philly** · 21/03/2007, 5:38 PM

Perhaps the CLUBS should read the rulebook?

The FAI aren't meant to have to explain every rule to them like!!

**pete** · 21/03/2007, 5:55 PM

Originally Posted by Philly

Perhaps the CLUBS should read the rulebook?

The FAI aren't meant to have to explain every rule to them like!!

The FAI registered some of these players before they even realised the rule themselves...

**Philly** · 21/03/2007, 6:08 PM

All I'm saying is that most people, and I'd imagine this goes for the people who run clubs, are not overly confident in the FAI's ability to do anything. Therefore why rely on them to let you know whether you are acting in the rules or not?

I'm saying this because I know for a fact that KCFC people knew of this rule and acted accordingly. All the blame can't always be hoofed at the FAI all the time.

**Magicme** · 21/03/2007, 7:09 PM

Just got this press release

FAI delegation meets with FIFA regarding player status

An FAI delegation met with the head of FIFA’s Player Status Committee this morning in Zurich in relation to Article 5.3 of FIFA’s Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players.

The meeting was called in order to discuss the eligibility of ten eircom League of Ireland players currently affected by the rule, which states that no footballer can play for more than two clubs between July 1st and June 30th of the following year.

Present at the meeting on behalf of the FAI were Fran Gavin, Director of the eircom League of Ireland, Sarah O’Shea, legal advisor to the FAI, and Eoin Hand, Manager of Football Support Services.

The FAI delegation informed FIFA that the eircom League of Ireland was affected by Article 5.3 due to the playing season, which runs from March to November. FIFA said that they now recognise the issues surrounding Article 5.3. The governing body of world football advised the FAI to put a submission to the Player Status Department, who can bring it to the attention of the Executive Committee with a view towards resolving the issue on a permanent basis.

FIFA congratulated the FAI on their actions to date in relation to the eligibility of the ten players affected by the ruling. The FAI had requested clubs not to field the affected players until the situation is resolved, and FIFA stated that this had been the correct course of action.

With regards to the ten players currently affected by the rule, FIFA informed the FAI that no decision could be made before the middle of next week. However, following further submissions from the FAI delegation and given the urgent nature of the situation, they resolved to attempt to have some cases ruled on Friday, March 23rd.

Fran Gavin said: “We were very pleased with the meeting and hopefully FIFA will deal with some of the cases before Friday, with the others being ruled on by the middle of next week. Given the fact that it took twenty days for a ruling to be made on Javier Mascherano before his recent transfer to Liverpool F.C., we are grateful to FIFA for attempting to clear ten cases from our league in such a short period of time. The cases are now in the hands of a FIFA judge, Mr. Slim Aloulou from Tunisia. We are also satisfied that FIFA now understand the difficulties Article 5.3 throws-up for leagues operating over the summer months.”

**Sniffer** · 21/03/2007, 7:15 PM

Bah, beat me to it

**Aaron** · 21/03/2007, 7:17 PM

So the FAI have thrown a spanner into this rule. Bout time they did something wothwhile

**Magicme** · 21/03/2007, 7:18 PM

Originally Posted by Sniffer

Bah, beat me to it

**YankExile** · 21/03/2007, 9:20 PM

Originally Posted by Magicme

We are also satisfied that FIFA now understand the difficulties Article 5.3 throws-up for leagues operating over the summer months.�

I don't think Fifa really understand the issues involved, they will more likely treat these ten players as special cases like the Liverpool case. When they amend the rule to account for seasons that don't fit entirely from July to June so hearings and appeals like this aren't needed, then I will believe they understand.