Italian Shame is Deflation's Gain

With the World Cup behind us, we now face the pre-season speculation of who goes where, as clubs, managers & players jostle for advantage on the merry-go round of European football. Yet as the "Van Nistelrooy to Real" style hype builds—and if you believe the tabloids, Real are going to sign EVERYBODY—one must surely question the impact of the Italian cheating scenario, which, with the punishment of Juventas & Milan, has not only removed twenty per cent of Europe's big clubs from the transfer market (no-one will want to go there), but has flooded the market with talent.

This surplus could only undermine the circus with an impact on transfer fees, or at least WAGES. Unless, of course, Chelsea & Real do buy the surplus, at the asking price, to stop their opponents buying them, and then put everyone on the bench for next season. Feasible I suppose, and for someone like Fabio Cannavaro an opportunity to take a final big wage in exchange for an early retirement.

Those most affected, however, are the journeymen like Hasselbaink (and their agents), who will find their wage demands just a little bit more difficult to fulfill, as their worth declines in proportion to the surplus. Well, let's hope so.