Dock them points! Angry Leeds demand Premier League 'predators' are hit hard

09 September 2009 01:28
Leeds United have called on clubs to be punished with points deductions for poaching young players. The League One leaders have won compensation of several million pounds from Chelsea after losing three young players to the club and, as Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday, were told they will get up to £1.55million from Everton for 16-year-old defender Luke Garbutt. But chief executive Shaun Harvey believes such recompense is inadequate and has called on the game’s authorities to hold a full review of the registration system and produce stiffer penalties. Leeds will receive only £600,000 up front, with the rest performance-related, and Harvey said: ‘Compensation awards, we feel, are no longer a sufficient deterrent — and perhaps now is the time to start considering points deductions. Luke Garbutt Gone: Luke Garbutt (left) was tempted away from Leeds by Everton ‘We need to arrive at a system whereby in any transfer there is a willing buyer, willing seller and willing player.’ Chairmen and chief executives from all Premier League clubs are expected to discuss the situation at a meeting on Thursday in London, with accusations being levelled at Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City. United chief executive David Gill angrily warned Le Havre yesterday not to insult the Premier League champions in their dispute over 16-year-old Paul Pogba. Paul Pogba Tussle: Manchester United are battling over Paul Pogba The French second division club claim United paid Pogba’s parents £85,000 each and bought them a house when they signed the France youth international in July. United said they would take legal action if Le Havre persisted with the accusations. Gill added: ‘We will not accept the good name of Manchester United being trawled around on websites and the press to say we have done these things, which we are not allowed to do and we would never do. ‘We’ve done everything, we think, by the book. ‘It is an insult by Le Havre to suggest that Manchester United and the employees of Manchester United have paid the players’ parents and bought the parents a house. We are not intimidating Le Havre. We have no intention of intimidating Le Havre.’ Le Havre have not yet officially complained to FIFA, who last week banned Chelsea from signing players until January 2011 after ruling they induced Lens midfielder Gael Kakuta to break his contract in 2007. Jeremy Helan Gael Kakuta Arrivals: Manchester City's Jeremy Helan and Chelsea's Gael Kakuta Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon says that football is in shock following FIFA’s decision. Talking at the European Club Association meeting in Geneva, he said: ‘I think there is a general shock and Gael is shocked like a lot of other people. Gael is a very good young man, he is a good professional. The fact we are appealing tells you our position.’ Kenyon insisted yesterday that Chelsea are behind the ECA’s move to support a UEFA and FIFA plan that would ban the international transfer of under 18s. He added: ‘It has been talked about for the last 12 months and Chelsea have signed up fully to the ECA and UEFA’s position, along with FIFA’s. We need to separate our overall position with the specific case.’ Kenyon added that Chelsea will be mounting the strongest possible appeal and the case is bound for the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. In another twist, though, it was claimed on Tuesday night that Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester City were warned three times by French club Rennes back in January that they would be reported to FIFA if they pressed ahead with their pursuit of 17-year-old defender Jeremy Helan. City have denied any wrongdoing in relation to their capture of Helan, despite Rennes having complained to FIFA that the youngster had already signed a pre-contract agreement to join them. On Tuesday night Rennes technical director Pierre Dreossi revealed that they wrote to City at the start of the year, a month before Helan eventually joined. Dispute: Helan, in action for France Under 16s against Germany Dispute: Helan, in action for France Under 16s against Germany One letter went to executive chairman Garry Cook, another to chairman Kaldoon Al Mubarak and the final one going to club lawyer George Davis. On Tuesday night Dreossi said: ‘Jeremy Helan signed a contract with my club four years ago, just before going to the French national academy. The contract began at the moment he left the academy. ‘The player then said, “I don’t want to go to your club. I want to go to Manchester United”. When that deal didn’t come about he went in secret to Manchester City. ‘We told City it was not possible to sign him as he was our player. City have played him anyway but they can’t. It’s forbidden. He has a contract with us and can’t have a contract with two clubs.’ Rennes reported the case to FIFA on March 19. Helan is believed to have had a two-year contract that was due to have started after he left Clairefontaine, the French national youth academy. On Tuesday night City declared their innocence and pointed out that Rennes are involved in a French court case with the player relating to his previous contractual situation. A City statement said: ‘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. We are comfortable we have acted within the rules throughout the process.’

Source: Daily_Mail