James

I don't think we'd be accused, Ben Arfa reps have already made it clear it was the players decision. If he refuses to return he may be banned, but more likely Marseille will concede defeat and try to negotiate the best deal they can. Wishful thinking on my part perhaps but a simiar impasse was resolved when he left Lyon to sign for Marseille in the first place. Marseille don't have to concede defeat as they'd get what is left on Ben Arfa's contract in full, i.e. an estimated £4-5m

Eh, like Chelsea? Don't think anything will happen with us, we haven't talked to him, and the player came because he wanted to come, not because the club had invited him to a meeting. OK any club he joined the same season after breaching his contract would get the embargo, it is in the FIFA rulebook

This is getting dangerous. If he doesn't go back to Marseille, they can claim breach of contract which by the FIFA rulebook would cost based on his estimated contract £4-5m (hence given current transfer bids Marseille would actually benefit), and Ben Arfa would probably get the maximum 6 months ban. Furthermore, we'd be the party accused of inducing the breach, therefore as well as being jointly liable for the compensation, we'd be banned from signing anyone until January 2012. Marseille have to agree to let him go, and the best way for him to get that to happen is to go back to Marseille, follow the terms of his contract to the letter, and make life as difficult as possible for everyone else so Deschamps becomes desperate to get rid.

If I remember right Acuna's mum was dying of cancer, and Sir Bobby told him to go home.

Because the skill of the photoshop is getting so much praise, I may as well own up. It was me what done it.

That is from this: Regulation for the Status and Transfers for Players Part IV Articles 13-17 http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/status_transfer_en_25.pdf

If Ben Arfa wants to buy out his contract, Marseille will have to agree to this one, which is unlikely as they probably reckon they can get a higher transfer fee. Ben Arfa would have to pay more than the salary remaining on his current contract for it to be multilateral. Otherwise it is unilateral: Ben Arfa and the club he signs for will together have to pay Marseille the value of his remaining Marseille contract. Additionally, because Ben Arfa did not hand in his notice within 15 days of the end of the french 2009/2010 season: Ben Arfa would be banned from playing for 4-6 months The club he signs for will be banned from registering any new players until July 2011

You can't blame us for this, and you can't blame Marseille. The only person to blame is Ben Arfa.

Fair play to Marseille tbh. I wouldn't be complaining if we were in their shoes. Ben Arfa's had plenty of offers, but has decided to try to hold his club to ransom to get a move to the Premier League. Only the only Premier League club that want him aren't willing to buy him outright, probably due to the the fact that he is a moody and largely ineffective player who could be a complete flop in this division.

That is the guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Stansfield Last season 9 goals scored before January with time off intermittently due to a stomach complaint. Took time off for ailment to be investigated in January, diagnosed April. Horrific really.

Not a name familiar to most of you, but Exeter City striker Adam Stansfield has died of bowel cancer. He was 31. RIP http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10436~2117958,00.html

I think it would be a nice gesture to give him a first team squad number to show that his performances have been noticed. 99 or something.

I just don't see what other clubs would see in him. He has good footwork, but is not particularly creative doesn't work for the team and is a right moody fucker. YouTube and FM agree with me on this. If Jonas was a moody so-and-so who didn't track back but could do the FIFA skill moves then you have Ben Arfa.

Chillax. Things will happen when they happen and not before.

Nasri and Benzema didn't get into the France squad. Would you take them? Wouldn't take Benzema given the current allegations!

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. Why was noone else in for Enrique? Why was noone else in for Jonas? Why was noone else in for Routledge? Williamson? Coloccini? - these are some of our better players, and there wasn't exactly a fight to get them. The interest levels of other clubs means f*** all to a player's ability. Last thing I'm going to say on this, but those are really bad examples. Enrique was unknown in the PL at that time, and our interest inhim wasn't so well known. Portsmouth tried to sign Jonas at one point, and when we did it we got him on the quiet. We were the best club Routledge and Williamson could play for. Colo cost £10m. Ben Arfa is completely different. He has a very good track record and his availability is widely known but has been completely ignored by other clubs who could easily compete with us. Hence uncertainty. ... how do you reconcile this 'very good track record ' with your implication that he's shit? I don't think he's shit, I'm unsure he'll fit in and fulfil his talent on a consistent basis. Big difference!

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. Why was noone else in for Enrique? Why was noone else in for Jonas? Why was noone else in for Routledge? Williamson? Coloccini? - these are some of our better players, and there wasn't exactly a fight to get them. The interest levels of other clubs means fuck all to a player's ability. Last thing I'm going to say on this, but those are really bad examples. Enrique was unknown in the PL at that time, and our interest inhim wasn't so well known. Portsmouth tried to sign Jonas at one point, and when we did it we got him on the quiet. We were the best club Routledge and Williamson could play for. Colo cost £10m. Ben Arfa is completely different. He has a very good track record and his availability is widely known but has been completely ignored by other clubs who could easily compete with us. Hence uncertainty.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. You've got to be an elaborate wum. Surely you can't not see that question and feel any uncertainty. If this player is as good as he's been made out, his availability and price is of such that you'd expect the bottom half of the Premier League going for him. Why are these managers not doing so? There are always alternatives, fair enough I've named some bad ones, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any. I'm just unsure whether or not we'd get better over a season from looking at signing more hardworking alternatives. I'm not going to argue this any more though, as very typically for this forum, people have got attached to a name that is foreign and described as 'creative.' The reality is we'll all just have to wait and see.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. How come you're not waiting 12 months before giving your opinion on the transfer? Well if you look at my posts, I say things like "could be", "unsure" "uncertain" "gamble," things which I won't know for 12 months and am happy to admit that.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong.

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those. what for 800k, are you seriously taking the piss? That is a fairly expensive loan fee to be honest. at that price there could be alternatives, maybe not with the ability or track record, but with some talent and no tendency of going missing... right, name these players then or would prefer an amdy faye signing Cleverley, Wellbeck, Wilshere

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those. what for 800k, are you seriously taking the piss? That is a fairly expensive loan fee to be honest. at that price there could be alternatives, maybe not with the ability or track record, but with some talent and no tendency of going missing...

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those.

He would be the best player in our squad by an absolute chasm. If he was that good, he wouldn't be signing for Newcastle. To be honest I'm suprised the likes of Wigan and Sunderland haven't gone for him. Birmingham as well it would seem would rather sign N'Zogbia. Perhaps the fact that they haven't speaks volumes. This could be a player who thinks he is entitled to be at a much higher standard than he is, put in a series of complacent ineffective performances, and subsequently wreck the entire team. This is a massive gamble, we could get survival from this, but we could get yet another massive car crash. Bore off. I'd be very happy to be proven wrong on this one, but its a case of seeing what happens in 12 months rather than everyone telling me now that I'm wrong!