Cardiff City set to lose another youngster to Man City

[Nobody's Rep]

It's a really good question. I'd like to know the answer to that too. I don't understand the system well enough. On the face of it, what you suggest makes sense. I hope people can shed more light on this.

Is it possible to work out an average cost of developing players to a certain age and that being the baseline figure the big boys have to pay - that would be fairer system

Or not allow youngsters to move until they are at the same age we can offer them a professional contract so they have a choice ??? Or does that not work either

It seems like in most things in life it is geared to the rich to keep getting richer and have the power over the small guy

[J R Hartley]

Or not allow youngsters to move until they are at the same age we can offer them a professional contract so they have a choice ??? Or does that not work either

We did offer him a contract but I think majority of youngsters given the choice would choose Man City over Cardiff City. Especially when things like offering to look after their families comes into the equation which is what happned with Matondo.

Unless someone has a certain plan then I think most players are going to be swayed by the bigger clus. there are the obvious exceptions of course. Evan Ferguson choose Brighton over the bigger clubs because he felt it would be better for his long term career path but hes obviously got great faith in his abilityh that hes already looking at brighton as a stepping stone.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Is it possible to work out an average cost of developing players to a certain age and that being the baseline figure the big boys have to pay - that would be fairer system

Or not allow youngsters to move until they are at the same age we can offer them a professional contract so they have a choice ??? Or does that not work either

It seems like in most things in life it is geared to the rich to keep getting richer and have the power over the small guy

I'm sitting back and letting JR and others answer these questions. It's great. It's like our very own phone in Q&A session. I don't have enough knowledge but I do know how to ask questions! Good football discussion this. There's a lot of tie -in with other threads and subjects too. Like Reading's situation. I can only speak for myself, but I quite often don't appreciate the complexities of these systems.

[splott parker]

Football is such a unique employment situation. Employees are seen much more as being owned and honed by their first (or subsequent employer).

Imagine a mechanic serving an apprenticeship with a back street garage then progressing later to make it big, working his way up with bigger concerns and eventually owning a string of successful garages. Would we think that the back street garage who kicked him off in the game should receive a massive backhander for his introduction into the game? More or less the same situation, or is it?

I think the ‘rearing’ club should receive decent ongoing compensation but I’m all for fairness in football whereas the ‘suits’ at every level of the game see it as just another cut throat business. And the back street garage brings on another potentially top mechanic…….

[Dembe]

Football is such a unique employment situation. Employees are seen much more as being owned and honed by their first (or subsequent employer).

Imagine a mechanic serving an apprenticeship with a back street garage then progressing later to make it big, working his way up with bigger concerns and eventually owning a string of successful garages. Would we think that the back street garage who kicked him off in the game should receive a massive backhander for his introduction into the game? More or less the same situation, or is it?

I think the ‘rearing’ club should receive decent ongoing compensation but I’m all for fairness in football whereas the ‘suits’ at every level of the game see it as just another cut throat business. And the back street garage brings on another potentially top mechanic…….

I don't think someone progressing in life and chosing to gradually move up is the same thing, there aren't bigger garages hovering over the smaller garages to clear out any potential "stars"

[OurManFlint II]

Football is such a unique employment situation. Employees are seen much more as being owned and honed by their first (or subsequent employer).

Imagine a mechanic serving an apprenticeship with a back street garage then progressing later to make it big, working his way up with bigger concerns and eventually owning a string of successful garages. Would we think that the back street garage who kicked him off in the game should receive a massive backhander for his introduction into the game? More or less the same situation, or is it?

I think the ‘rearing’ club should receive decent ongoing compensation but I’m all for fairness in football whereas the ‘suits’ at every level of the game see it as just another cut throat business. And the back street garage brings on another potentially top mechanic…….

Maybe a better simile is NHS Dentist, who f*ck off to the private sector as soon as they can. Football clubs do receive compensation, i think 5% of all future transfer fee's are dished out to the developing clubs, this is a FIFA rule. It's not decent but its better than sweet FA (pun intended)