Arshavin move angers O’Neill?
By: Chris | February 4th, 2009In Aston Villa’s world, a 5pm transfer deadline on 2nd February is a 5pm deadline. In the Sky-backed, cloak-and-dagger world of the ‘Big Four’, a 5pm transfer deadline on 2nd February means that as long as some sort of deal is pencilled in, give or take 24 hours, that’s a-okay.
The excuse for allowing Arsenal’s signing of Andrei Arshavin to drag on a full day past an already extended deadline will be that the snow affected the club’s ability to get the paperwork in on time. That, of course, is bullshit of the highest order.
Quite apart from the very authoritative reports doing the rounds at the time that the sticking point was a payment demanded by Zenit St Petersburg from Arshavin, 24 hours is too long a period for snow to be the excuse. In my book, that means that the deal was not complete. Still, all that London snow was obviously preventing Lazy Andrei from coughing up the cash, right?
Anyway, we can forget any possibility of a satisfactory explanation – the footballing authorities in this country are so scared of the ‘Big Four’ and downright incompetent that their error will be swept under the carpet.
One man who won’t let it lie, according to the Torygraph, is Villa boss Martin O’Neill.
Reports suggest that Martin isn’t happy because Arsenal are hoping to catch up with us in the fight for the Champions League. And who could blame him.
Still, as long as the status quo remains intact that’s all that matters, isn’t it?
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Comments
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The FA+ The Transfer Window= Effin Joke
Posted from
United States
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My understanding is that the papers were in on time but were not processed because the FA didnt have workers because they went home early due to the weather conditions…
Posted from
United States -
“Substantively, the deal was done before the deadline,” said a spokesman for the Premier League. “It was lodged with us prior to the transfer window closing and we were satisfied that the deal was done in time.”
From your own linked article
Posted from
United States -
screw Arsenal, they are a Ligue 1 team in all but name. heaven forbid the FA would stand up for the rights of a predominantly English team now and again…
Posted from
United States -
So we’re blindly believing what we’re told now then, MoMoney?
I’ll put this as simply as I can for you: I think they’re lying.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Honestly, the Premier League’s word taken as gospel. Wonders never cease.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Chris, the FA is a joke when it comes to one of it’s “crown jewel” top four sides, we know they’re untouchable. If it was Villa, Spurs or Everton there would have been a big fuss and the deal would have probably fallen through. This is ridiculous but then again so is the FA so it doesn’t even surprise me anymore.
Posted from
United States -
Im just making the point that the story from that side is not that Arsenal turned it in late… Not making a claim either way.
Though I did see that another transfer (dont remember the name) was completed 48 hours after. I think it was Stoke City…
Posted from
United States -
Fair enough MM, apologies for the tone of my comment.
The point I’d make about Stoke is that it had become impossible for the authorities to say no by that point.
Posted from
United Kingdom
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