Septic Blatter's successor at FIFA will have a lot of issues to tackle.
Including the murky business of third party ownership of players, which has ended Albion's interest in Jonathan Calleri.
The Argentinian striker had been a target for the Seagulls for months.
They tried to buy the former Boca Juniors marksman in the August transfer window.
Chief executive Paul Barber, then head of recruitment Paul Winstanley made trips to Buenos Aires in an attempt to woo Calleri.
They retained a strong interest in the current transfer window - until it emerged Calleri is now owned by an investment group.
Sensibly, they withdrew to concentrate on alternative targets, aware of the danger of incurring the wrath of the English authorities if they signed Calleri.
The investment group bought Calleri from Boca for £9.1 million. The 22-year-old is now registered with Deportivo Maldonado.
Never heard of them? No, neither have I. That is hardly surprising, since they are lightweights in the Uruguayan second division.
Calleri will never play for them. His registration will just sit with Maldonado until he is re-sold.
Interest in Calleri from Italian giants Inter Milan has faded as the investment group seek to sell him on for a handsome profit.
Where he ends up is where FIFA has to take responsibility and get to grips with the situtaion as the governing body of the world game.
Attitudes to third party ownership vary from continent to continent. Across Europe it is generally frowned upon. In South America it is commonplace.
Calleri's case gets even murkier. English lawyer Graham Shear is apparently a key player in the investment group that have bought him.
Shear was involved in the sale 13 years ago of Carlos Tevez from Boca to an investment group and then on to Corinthians in Brazil.
This had ramifications when Tevez later moved to England to play for West Ham. The issue of who exactly owned him caused ructions when he signed for Manchester United after scoring for the Hammers at Old Trafford to stave off relegation.
The case nearly ended up in the High Court and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Premier League eventually approved an agreement between West Ham and MSI, the third party owners.
MSI paid the Hammers £2 million and Tevez was released from his contract to sign for United.
No wonder Albion have washed their hands of Calleri, who played with Tevez last season now that he is back at Boca.
The investment group dictating Calleri's future might argue what about MLS?
Albion are trying to stretch Liam Ridgewell's loan from Portland Timbers. If they wanted to buy him they would have to deal not with Timbers but with MLS.
The players are contracted to them, not the clubs. Isn't that effectively third party ownership as well?
FIFA need to impose consistency. The legitimacy or otherwise of third party player ownership should not be determined by geography.
Albion, meanwhile, are now sceptical of a potentially fertile market. Any future interest in South American players is likely to be concentrated on those already in Europe, as was the case with Leonardo Ulloa. It reduces red tape and the risks.
After the Calleri saga, who can blame them?
Original article
Including the murky business of third party ownership of players, which has ended Albion's interest in Jonathan Calleri.
The Argentinian striker had been a target for the Seagulls for months.
They tried to buy the former Boca Juniors marksman in the August transfer window.
Chief executive Paul Barber, then head of recruitment Paul Winstanley made trips to Buenos Aires in an attempt to woo Calleri.
They retained a strong interest in the current transfer window - until it emerged Calleri is now owned by an investment group.
Sensibly, they withdrew to concentrate on alternative targets, aware of the danger of incurring the wrath of the English authorities if they signed Calleri.
The investment group bought Calleri from Boca for £9.1 million. The 22-year-old is now registered with Deportivo Maldonado.
Never heard of them? No, neither have I. That is hardly surprising, since they are lightweights in the Uruguayan second division.
Calleri will never play for them. His registration will just sit with Maldonado until he is re-sold.
Interest in Calleri from Italian giants Inter Milan has faded as the investment group seek to sell him on for a handsome profit.
Where he ends up is where FIFA has to take responsibility and get to grips with the situtaion as the governing body of the world game.
Attitudes to third party ownership vary from continent to continent. Across Europe it is generally frowned upon. In South America it is commonplace.
Calleri's case gets even murkier. English lawyer Graham Shear is apparently a key player in the investment group that have bought him.
Shear was involved in the sale 13 years ago of Carlos Tevez from Boca to an investment group and then on to Corinthians in Brazil.
This had ramifications when Tevez later moved to England to play for West Ham. The issue of who exactly owned him caused ructions when he signed for Manchester United after scoring for the Hammers at Old Trafford to stave off relegation.
The case nearly ended up in the High Court and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Premier League eventually approved an agreement between West Ham and MSI, the third party owners.
MSI paid the Hammers £2 million and Tevez was released from his contract to sign for United.
No wonder Albion have washed their hands of Calleri, who played with Tevez last season now that he is back at Boca.
The investment group dictating Calleri's future might argue what about MLS?
Albion are trying to stretch Liam Ridgewell's loan from Portland Timbers. If they wanted to buy him they would have to deal not with Timbers but with MLS.
The players are contracted to them, not the clubs. Isn't that effectively third party ownership as well?
FIFA need to impose consistency. The legitimacy or otherwise of third party player ownership should not be determined by geography.
Albion, meanwhile, are now sceptical of a potentially fertile market. Any future interest in South American players is likely to be concentrated on those already in Europe, as was the case with Leonardo Ulloa. It reduces red tape and the risks.
After the Calleri saga, who can blame them?
Original article