Premier League - Crewe report 'illegal approach'

Eurosport - Mon, 07 Sep 16:13:00 2009

Crewe have reported an unnamed Premier League club to the FA for an alleged illegal approach for one of its young players.

FOOTBALL Crewe Alexandra director of football Dario Gradi - 0

Director of football Dario Gradi revealed the League Two club had complained in the wake of FIFA's decision to ban Chelsea from signing any players until January 2011.

"We have a situation where one of our 15-year-old's has been approached," said Gradi, who was Crewe manager between 1983 and 2007 and brought players such as David Platt, Danny Murphy, Robbie Savage and Dean Ashton through the ranks at Gresty Road during his time in charge.

"He is an outstanding player by any standards and he has come in and told us that he wants to leave right now to join a big club.

"The big clubs are stealing other people's players and you worry financially for the clubs where the players are stolen from.

"What sort of compensation are we going to get for all the work that has gone into developing him? Any compensation is insignificant for the effort that gone in."

Gradi, 68, has given his support to FIFA's decision to place a transfer embargo on Chelsea after they were found guilty of inducing 18-year-old French midfielder Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

Chelsea have confirmed they will launch the "strongest possible appeal" to the ruling.

Premier League champions Manchester United could also face an investigation after it emerged that another French club, Le Havre, are going to ask Fifa to look into Paul Pogba's move to Old Trafford last month.

Gradi added: "I'm delighted with what has happened with Chelsea. I would hope all the big clubs are frightened to death. There is no excuse for breaking the rules."

PA Sport

Comment 1 - 12 of 12

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  1. ann d is off again with her fixation of man utd..lol,­ madrid do it constanty and out in the open to any­ player they want, be it a man utd play or other, they­ need sortin,
    end of the day the kid is 15, how can a­ 15 yr old sign a contract, it be like any one of us­ wanting to move jobs because of better pay, am sure you­ would love you old place if they complained to keep you­ on cheep wages, its all about money these days

    From ArcAngel Mike, on Tue 8 Sep 4:35AM

  2. Lets get real here, until EUFA and FIFA ban the so­ called poaching of young players, up to and including­ them signing a pro contract with the clubs that brought­ them trough the ranks this will always happen. At least­ if a ban is imposed the smaller clubs may seak a decent­ price for these players. So EUFA and FIFA make a­ ruling, there can never then be this situation again.­ Also ban parents from entering contracts for their­ children, make it that a panel is set up by each­ countries governing body to arbitrate between clubs and­ young players.

    From John W, on Tue 8 Sep 4:31AM

  3. some of you on here say its ok to rob other players­ from their home club home or abroad so when real­ madrid tapped that urd player real was wrong but­ then again utd did it to spurs so by rights fifa or­ uefa should have ban them for tapping up players so­ utd fans oh and chelsea cause they tapped players­ before today should get a ban but also kicked down to­ league 2

    From ann d, on Mon 7 Sep 11:14PM

  4. He looks like the baddie from "@#$%"

    From Paul C, on Mon 7 Sep 10:08PM

  5. I can see a situation where the big clubs will all be­ transfer-banned for doing this, as they all do, and the­ little clubs will collapse because they can't sell­ their prodigies to the big clubs anymore, as the big­ clubs sign any toddler who shows any coordination.

    From Kevin, on Mon 7 Sep 9:01PM

  6. Lets face it Who would you rather play for ? Le Havre­ or Manchester United, Lens or Chelsea, I know where I­ would be heading, if this is how the big clubs find­ players like Christiano Ronaldo and Kaka and Benzema­ and should I keep naming them then so be it, its what­ we all pay to see so xxxx xxx fifa and the rest of the­ prawn sandwich brigade its what football is all about,­ the big clubs want the best players and are prepared to­ pay for them, whats wrong with that ??????????????????

    From Man U Forever, on Mon 7 Sep 8:39PM

  7. Good on you dario!! Alex till we die!!!!

    From John, on Mon 7 Sep 7:24PM

  8. By the end of the season every club in the top league­ in every country is going to be banned as well lets­ face it like it or not ALL TOP CLUBS DO IT

    From U R SOLES, on Mon 7 Sep 5:26PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Really ?lol.........Just heard that he is ho-oking up­ with a nice gi-rl on the inter-esting cl-ub called:­ ____Tallconnect Co M____, really ? Sounds it is a­ famoaus on-line service.

    From garyzh001, on Mon 7 Sep 4:17PM

  10. We are going to hear all this and also how WAYNE ROONEY­ is now the Premierships "GREATEST DIVER OF ALL­ TIME"

    From Ozone, on Mon 7 Sep 4:03PM

  11. Robbie Savage wasn't "brought through the­ ranks" at Crewe. They signed him from Manchester­ United where he'd come through the academy and won­ the Youth Cup alongside the likes of Ryan Giggs David­ Beckham and Gary Neville, etc.

    From decorativeedison1, on Mon 7 Sep 2:58PM

  12. this is all were going to hear now!

    From yip, on Mon 7 Sep 2:45PM
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