Premier League - Blatter: Ronaldo is a slave

Eurosport - Thu, 10 Jul 15:13:00 2008

FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes Cristiano Ronaldo should be allowed to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid and is a "modern slave".

2008 Cristiano Ronaldo in Amsterdam - 0

The Portugal winger is one of the hottest properties in the sport after a superb season at Old Trafford last term and speculation about a move to the Spanish side has dominated the summer's transfer gossip.

There has been an ongoing war of whispers emanating from both clubs for several weeks and when asked about the protracted wrangle over the 23-year-old's future, Blatter insisted players should be allowed to leave with impunity when they want to move clubs.

"The important thing is, we should also protect the player," he told Sky News.

"If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it's not good for the player and for the club.

"I'm always in favour of protecting the player and if the player, he wants to leave, let him leave."

Blatter believes the issue raises interesting questions about the way transfers and contracts are dealt with in the game.

"I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere," he continued.

"We are trying now to intervene in such cases. The reaction to the Bosman law is to make long-lasting contacts in order to keep the players and then if he wants to leave, then there is only one solution, he has to pay his contract."

Blatter went on to dismiss the Premier League's much-criticised '39th step' proposals, insisting plans to play competitive matches overseas - either in the league or domestic cups - was doomed to fail.

He said: "The 39th game as presented will never happen. To my knowledge what they (the Premier League) want to do is perhaps to play some of the League Cup matches somewhere outside of England. That's the last information I got.

"They should just forget about that."

TeamTalk / Eurosport

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  1. My dad makes 15 grand a year as a gardener for the council, me and my dad read in the paper yesterday that ranaldo spent 15 grand in 2 hours buying bubbly for paris hilton. Its absolutely discusting that he can spend what my dad makes a year working his arse off for in just 2 hours and think nothing of it. Plus i also think that its like rubbing it in everybody elses faces who are suffering and struggling to cope in these resessionary times.

    From SARAH JANEW, on Sat 13 Jun 8:12AM

  2. Guys like Platini & Blatter = Dumb & Dumber
    They dont give a d*mn to club football..
    I'll be the slave for 120,000 a week..

    From alfredlim12, on Fri 11 Jul 3:58PM

  3. for the president of fifa to openly encourage a player to break his contract and move to another club is simply staggering, how on earth did an imbecile like sepp blatter get to such a position of power, add to this the comments of the uefa imbecile plattini we have a frightening senario, a complete vacuum of common sense and decency, did they ever consider advising the slave ronaldo to HONOUR his contract.
    if the boot was on the other foot and ronaldo was a madrid player and united were trying to poach ronaldo could you imaging these two imbecile's trying to help united sign him? they are simply ANTI ENGLISH its as simple and as basic as that!

    From fluffy.bits, on Fri 11 Jul 3:34PM

  4. ok who was it that went to Portugal and press ganged Ronaldo threw him in a box on a slow boat to Manchester put a gun to his head and forced himto sign a contract to earn more per week than i earn in years to play football note on the play it is not work Blatter needs to shut the f**k up this has nothing to do with the president of fifa oh and by the way if this is slavery then i want some please

    From utdtilidie, on Fri 11 Jul 11:34AM

  5. A Slave On £100,000 per week? Ohhh gosh Please i want to be a slave also.

    From h.hepworth215@..., on Fri 11 Jul 7:57AM

  6. Blatter is totally out of order not only is he clueless regarding football now he has managed to stick his other foot in his mouth and shown he has no knowledge of what a contract is. Blatter seems to be as uneducated as CR someone should point out the meaning of a contract.
    Protect the players what about the game and clubs. With players getting ridiculous salaries holding clubs to ransom CR can go football in general does not need players carrying on like this i would be surprised any club wants to hire a self centered prima donna. He obviously has no loyalty to a club that helped bring on his game it is a team game. Blatters I do believe Utd paid him for the job he did, slavery what a ludicrous statement.. Utd won the league and championship not CR the reason he gets all these goals is the team support.

    I think Blatter and Platini realize the obvious that the premier league is the world leading body in football now Blatter and plats have no control which is the reasons for blatters comments.

    Real Madrid see CR as a marketing strategy as they did Beckham it’s a sad end to a once great and respected club. It would be interesting to see the size of Real Madrid’s chairman’s bed and how many people are actually frolic in it at the moment.

    If real madrid had any sense its Alex they should be bidding for.

    From Tim B, on Fri 11 Jul 7:22AM

  7. Blatter is "Glungsin".

    From mansonchan@..., on Fri 11 Jul 5:42AM

  8. i hope FIFA sack him and Ronaldo plays reserve grade

    hahaha now that would be something

    From kusljic@..., on Fri 11 Jul 5:02AM

  9. FIFA ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UNBIASED WELL AT LEAST THAT WAS MY THOUGHT BUT THIS JUST PROVES THAT THE FRENCH @#$% IS A VERY BIASED @#$% WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?

    From robday991, on Fri 11 Jul 2:56AM

  10. Sepp Blabber mouth is an absolut idiot. Doe he know his role as FIFA President?
    He is openly telling every players that contracts are usless.
    He is encouraging player to hold the club they are contract to ransom.
    It is like say "Hey, you go to London, sign for Spur and ask for 80000punds a week. Then open negotiation with another club for higher wage" Bugger the contract you have with the club, they are usless; you don't want to be a modern slave do you?

    An absolute idiot he is.

    If he remain as FIFA for another 5 years, there won't be any contract for players. Fooballers will be job hopping and plying their trade as odd job footballers

    From dan c, on Fri 11 Jul 12:51AM

  11. Blatters a twatter so Ronaldo's a slave eh, well if that's the case give me some of them there shackles that's the kind of slavery I could go for, must be the richest slave that ever walked the planet......slave my arse.....self centred egomaniac fannybawz more like & that's just Blatter the Twatter as for Ronnie the slave well it must be bloody hard eh poor bugger my heart bleeds purple piss.....oh well he'll get over it eventually

    From phillip, on Fri 11 Jul 12:19AM

  12. Its about time British puplic stood up to that fool (Blatter). He is justifing breaking contracts.
    This is what happens when you've got OLD people in charge of FIFA.
    Do you think UEFA would sign Blatter.
    He should be called Slap Blatter

    From Hammertime, on Thu 10 Jul 10:41PM

  13. wants again it just shows how uafa always support Real Madrid in everything they do they are aloud to tap and unrest players i mean how far it is for the other spanish sides when some king with a big cheque books just gives money to madrid to buy what ever player blatter and platini have showed in the last few what big @#$% kisses they are to real madrid real are aloud to do what they want and get away with as for ronaldo if he wants to go let him go no player is bigger then the club and there is no way on earth ronaldo will ever be as good Best,Cantona,Charlton,Edwards!

    From paulambrose2, on Thu 10 Jul 9:01PM

  14. blatter dont no jack s*** ronaldo still got 4 years left £120000 a week how does that work out to be slavery go away blatter and leave mufc alone!!

    From chris p, on Thu 10 Jul 8:40PM

  15. Watch OUT! Man.U.!- RONALDO is DETERMINED, not to deliver his "Genial Services"...AND
    I think he may, in the last Analysis, PREFER, to "WARM THE BENCH" and RAKING IN his Fabulous Salary..at Fergy's Expense!- It is regrettably sad, and it is a DARK Page IN Man.U's Glorious Past History...that a Contractual Dispute..should turn away one of the "Greatest EVER Player" such as Cristiano Ronaldo..!- Both Parties will Loose immensely...and Man U., will be in the "Desert Wastes" of Unperforming Games in the Premier, for a Long Long Time !!

    From Dean_ManU, on Thu 10 Jul 8:37PM

  16. maybe this blatter geeza and calderoron geeza are best buds and what they say goes football is so exciting these days and then you get twats like that who think they are the be all and end all surely a contract is a contract and all this talk is tapping up the player as he will think he is allowed to go even though he is in a contract which he has signed so Blatter and Calderon your the biggest dickheads in football

    From chris, on Thu 10 Jul 8:21PM

  17. Personally, i think Mr Blatter's comments are .. a totally disgrace ... i mean for the fifa president to make such a claim is damn right .. shockin to say the least

    From Abbakaer, on Thu 10 Jul 8:15PM

  18. I apologise for being blunt, Blatter is a @#$%! i wish i was a slave earning more money than a small country! time for him to move on.

    From B'stard, on Thu 10 Jul 8:08PM

  19. wow..blatter really is an idiot...he thinks ronaldo is a slave? for his wages and nike deals?? HELLLOOO - united ownes his contract..its really really simple...you would think someone in FIFA you never let blatter speak in public again.

    From bobfairchild_20170, on Thu 10 Jul 8:04PM

  20. More and More...The LARGER Picture, is emmerging..! This is All About a WORK "DISPUTE",
    and it has NOTHING to do with Loyalty,Disrespect,Commitment..BUT simply, Sir Alex's "GOD"..Broke the "Veneer" at Old Trafford..!In SHORT, YES, no matter, how much you EARNING.."IF" you NOT FREE to Terminate, Rescind, Cancel or Renegotiate a Labour Contract, for one's Services,or To be ALLOWED to Leave, After Paying the neccessary Indemnity/Compensation, YES! You would be DEEMED, to be a SLAVE in Any Civilized Tribunal !!- That is RONALDO's Case!- LONDON

    From Dean_ManU, on Thu 10 Jul 8:01PM
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