FIFA ruling on Keane transfer boosts junior clubs

IRISH soccer was last night celebrating a landmark decision by FIFA which bolsters the coffers of struggling junior and schoolboy clubs which nurture the game’s stars of the future.

FAI chief executive, Fran Rooney applauded the “landmark decision” of football’s governing body to uphold an FAI appeal on behalf of Crumlin United FC for the right to receive solidarity payments in respect of the transfer of Robbie Keane to Tottenham.

The ruling that Crumlin should receive £150,000 of the £7m transfer fee paid by Spurs to Leeds United is a spectacular triumph for Eoin Hand, the FAI’s career guidance officer who successfully processed the case after the English FA had challenged his interpretation of new regulations governing the movement of young players from one jurisdiction to another.

The FIFA regulations came into force in September 2001 and only refer to transfers that took place after that date, thereby excluding Keane’s other big money moves.

However, among the transfers that are clearly covered is the move of Damien Duff from Blackburn Rovers to Chelsea.

Duff transferred for a fee of £17m at the start of the current season and the three Dublin schoolboy clubs he played for are entitled to receive some of that money - Leicester Celtic, Lourdes Celtic and St. Kevin’s. Under the new regulations they are entitled to receive a percentage of five per cent of the transfer fee - £850,000 in total.

These “solidarity payments” kick in for clubs that coach youngsters from age 12 upwards. Clubs training players from 12-13 years of age are entitled to five per cent of the five per cent levy on the overall transfer fee.

The same percentage applies to youngsters aged 13-14 and from there the percentage increases to ten per cent for the age group 15-16 and for each succeeding year up to the limit of 23 years of age.

Said Eoin Hand yesterday: “This was an important test case. The FIFA regulations govern the movement of players from one jurisdiction to another. The English FA, the FA Premiership and the English League maintained the Robbie Keane’s case was not covered by the regulations because his move was from one English club to another.

“The significant point we made to FIFA was that Keane had moved out of the jurisdiction of the FAI and because of that all subsequent transfers were governed by the new regulations. They accepted our case in total and that was a major triumph for us and should be of huge benefit to our schoolboy clubs over time.

“Robbie was four years with Crumlin United and they should now receive about £150,000 of the £7m Spurs paid Leeds. Spurs should have deducted five per cent of the fee payable to Leeds and that is what will happen in future transfers.”

Mr. Gerry McGuigan of Crumlin United said: “This decision was a reward for our determination in pursuing the case when the English authorities dismissed our claim.”

A second section of the new regulations will also benefit Ireland’s schoolboy clubs. “Compensation Payments” allows for the payment of an annual fee to Irish clubs for youngsters who move abroad to England or elsewhere to professional clubs. In the case of Category One clubs like Man Utd, a schoolboy club in Ireland will receive £10,000 annually for a player who joins that club while aged between 12-15.

The fee rises to £90,000 per year for youngsters aged 15 and upwards to a limit of 21. Lesser fees will be paid by clubs in three lower categories.