ChrisP

What is a Bosman ruling, and why did I have a player leave by declaring it?

I know this is a basic question, but I have no idea what this is, is it like Free Agency in American sports?

retired_lastdietever

Basically it's a player who decides to let his contract with his club run out, so he can leave them without another team paying a transfer fee.

This leaves the way open for the team who want to sign him therefore having more money to pay his now vastly-inflated wages, only for him to do the same to them when his contract runs out again.

It has also helped in the total loss of loyalty towards a team that was once shown (how many players spend their whole career at just one club nowadays), and IMHO a general decline in football as a whole in the last however many years since it was introduced.

Rant over

retired_jonnybro509

A wiki entry about it can be found here

retired_sofialong

It's certainly comparable.

Basically it has two main effects. Firstly; that a player (over a certain age) can move freely between clubs once their contract has expired. In addition a player can enter an agreement to sign for another club if he has less than 6 months left of his current deal.

Secondly; it means that there can be no restrictions on the numbers of players from inside the EU in both domestic and European competitions. Although limits may still be imposed on non-EU nationals.

It you want to the story behind the ruling, it's easy enough to find on the net.

ChrisP

o.k. thanks.... the Wiki entry helped too.

retired_boom87

I'm still ashamed a tiny country like the one I live in could change the world of football like this. The Bosman ruling is seriously flawed and already outdated. I hate the incompetent Belgian FA.

arman920

If only the English FA were as good as merely being incompetent.

retired_mekeesha

But on the bright side, we have an answer to the old question, 'Can you name a famous Belgian'. :p

retired_brad1080

But the problem was not with the Belgian FA, was it? Bosman went to a civil court to get this ruling IIRC?

retired_brad1080

Oh, and sorry for the player naming. :p