Transfer stitch-up is just taking the Chris out of FIFA cash rule
It’s not so much the smoking gun but a giant cannon which gives the game away over Chris Cadden’s ‘move’ to Columbus Crew.
As always with any good detective story, start by following the money.
The rolls and sausage which come compl imentar y at Motherwell’s press conferences stuck in the throat this week.
Hearing their out-of-contract midfielder had signed for the MLS club and been loaned immediately to Oxford United had Fir Park chief executive Alan Burrows brushing up on his Heimlich manoeuvre.
The news that Karl Robinson’s League One side were signing the Scotland cap on a season-long loan had the look of cloak and dagger about it.
Cyn ics would suggest a deal has been struck to get Cadden for nothing via an intermediary third club and I’ll save FIFA’s investigators time by pointing some fingers.
Oxford coveted the 22- yea r - old al l summe r but a £350,000 compensation fee was too rich for their blood so step forward U’s board member Erick Thohir and his specialist subject of collaborative agreements.
The question was who was Oxford’s link to the MLS and a bit of research brought us to the door of the American businessman.
A former co-owner of DC United, Thohir is all about forming strategic partnerships and teamed DC with Inter Milan when he assumed control of the Italian side several years ago.
That partnership included: “sharing of team, organisational and competitive best practices, subject to relevant rules and regulations of the appropriate governing bodies” and the plot thickens. Current Columbus Crew technical director Pat Onstad was assistant coach of DC between 2011 and 2013, a convenient coincidence in Thohir’s connection to the American club.
The problem with loopholes is they set dangerous precedents and the MLS only agreed in April to accept the international system of compensating clubs for developing young players.
However, there has been no confirmation of the ranking of American clubs. Motherwell believe Columbus are a Category 2 club and should pay £ 200,000 under FIFA’s compensation formula. They will go to FIFA next week to fight for what they are due.
Let’s hope FIFA see through the Crew’s tactics.
That said, the Steelmen should look at themselves because they priced Cadden out of moves to Hearts and Aberdeen in January by placing too high a fee on the head of a kid coming out of contract. That money would have remained in Scottish football.
Well assistant boss Keith Lasley summed it up when he said: “The FIFA system is designed to compensate clubs for the hard work and development that takes place from a young age.
“It’s vital to this club surviving and prospering and it is important it is adhered to.”
Cadden says he now has the best of both worlds by playing in England before going to the States the following season.
His old club privately doubt he’ll ever kick a ball for the Crew.
Oxford’s signing of Well kid on season-long loan has the look of cloak and dagger