Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/446030
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY 2015 20 Sport results SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Footballers' association calls for removal of transfer fees for released players TIM DIACONO MALTESE football clubs should be allowed to sign out-of-contract footballers without having to pay a fee to the players' previous club, the Malta Football Players' Asso- ciation said. According to the current trans- fer system, clubs that want to sign an out-of-contract player must pay a fee to that players' previous club, a fee that is mathematically calculated according to param- eters such as the amount of games played. The system also applies to youth players and does not apply to out- of-contract footballers whose previous club was a foreign one. A similar system was once used in English football but was abolished in 1960. At the launch of the MFPA's po- sition paper, President Anthony Galea explained that the best out- of-contract international foot- ballers often cost €50,000 while players released from lower di- vision clubs can cost as much as €10,000. "This system has led to a number of footballers being forced to re- tire prematurely, simply because no club would be willing to pay such exuberant fees to sign them," Galea said. The MFPA also proposed the in- troduction of a minimum salary cap for part-time footballers and the abolishment of the maximum salary cap, currently set at €350 a month for Maltese players and €1,200 for foreign ones. Associa- tion secretary Carlo Mamo added that some clubs already don't abide by these capping limits and pay their players more money through illegal side-deals, a phe- nomenon that invariably leads to irregularities when such clubs come to declare their finances. 'Clubs should pay for medical expenses of injured players' The MFPA also suggested that clubs start footing the bill for all medical treatment of injuries suf- fered by their players while play- ing or training for that club. "Clubs must also continue to pay the salaries of injured players and all contracts should run till the end of the season," Mamo insist- ed. "Clubs sometimes rip up the contracts of players who are kept out of action due to injury." They also proposed that medical insurance for players in the Pre- mier League and Division become obligatory. Anthony Galea - President of the Malta Football Players Association PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Chelsea back on track - Fabregas Cesc Fabregas believes Chelsea are firmly back on track with their Premier League title challenge after their mini-slump around the turn of the year THE Blues were caught by Manchester City at the top of the table on New Year's Day after drawing 1-1 at Southampton and then losing 5-3 at London rivals Tottenham. However, they returned to winning ways by beating Watford 3-0 in the FA Cup and followed that up by defeating Newcastle 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last weekend, as City drew at Everton, to move two points clear again at the summit. "There is never complacency at Chelsea, we just want to win every game," Spanish playmaker Fabregas told the Evening Stand- ard. "Of course that's not possible through the season, there are many, many games. "You can always have a bad day and things won't go your way. But we are ready. Some of us had a little break. "We have recovered from the Christmas schedule. It was tough but we feel that we had a few days to rest. "Losing to Tottenham like we did was a shock, but when you watch the game again you see that every chance they had, they scored. "It was one of those days where we hit the post, Ramires and Cesar Azpilicueta also had a chance. "Things didn't go our way, but credit to Tottenham, they played a good game. But that's it, we are just looking to move forward now." Cesc Fabregas