‘There’s no written agreement’ – Pundit view on West Brom completed transfer controversy
West Brom and West Ham made a gentleman’s agreement over Robert Snodgrass not featuring last week — and there’s nothing wrong with that.
That is according to former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown, speaking exclusively with Football Insider after the 33-year-old made his home debut in a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City on Tuesday evening.
Snodgrass signed for Albion from West Ham on 8 January and Baggies manager Sam Allardyce later disclosed that the two clubs had agreed the Scot wouldn’t play when the sides met 11 days later.
This was in contravention of Premier League regulations, which state that clubs shall not enter into any contract which has the ability to “materially influence” the on-pitch performance of the other party.
West Brom could be at risk of a fine or points deduction as a result, but Brown believes that the arrangement was technically above board.
He told Football Insider: “There’s no written agreement in place. What they’ve said is: ‘We would prefer you, as a football club, not to play this player against us. Are you okay with that?’
“It was in a good spirit and if the buying club says ‘We don’t wanna play him and cause any sort of problem, we’d love to have the player long-term.’
“There’s no written deal you can go on and play him if you want. If they wanted to go and play him, you can play him.
“But ultimately, the selling club is going to say ‘We would rather this player not come and potentially score four goals against us if we’re gonna sell him to you.
“They would understand that because they’d want the same if they were doing it.
“There’s no contract, it’s a respect thing.”
It is not the first time Allardyce’s indiscretion has landed him in hot water.
He lost the England job in 2016 after being secretly filmed advocating the bending of regulations regarding third-party ownership of footballers.
In other news, a former England ace has lauded West Brom for giving a chance to a former Leicester City hotshot.