The Dark Art Of Football Tapping...

[numpty]

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines...ve_and_well.php

 

The dark art of football managerial tapping is alive and well

DARRYL BROADFOOT, Chief Football Writer June 08 2009

 

So, just to clarify: Tony Mowbray has agreed to become the new Celtic manager, yet his current employers, West Bromwich Albion, have not been asked for - far less sanctioned - permission to speak to him about the vacancy. Mark McGhee has accepted the invitation to return to Aberdeen after negotiations with their director of football, Willie Miller, yet John Boyle, the Motherwell chairman, has not received an official approach.

 

Tapping, that unspoken dark art of football, appears to be alive and well. Nobody, not Jeremy Peace, the West Brom chairman whose business savvy is now standing, resolute at that, between Celtic and an imminent unveiling of their new man, nor Boyle, should get litigious or even indignant about the apparent failure to adhere to anachronistic protocol.

 

The brokering of a deal through a third party, be it for a manager or a player, is as much a part of football's fabric as goalposts and chalk-lines. It is not to say it is one of the game's more admirable features but those inhabiting glazed accommodation should not be so hasty to reach for a boulder or two.

 

On four separate occasions this past week, Peace - from the tranquil surroundings of his holiday villa in the West Indies - has had to dispatch a terse statement to the effect that "no approach has been made seeking permission to speak to our manager". All the while, Celtic have been busy making Dear John phone calls to those no longer in contention, such as McGhee, while Lawwell waits, like a high-stakes poker player, for his opponent to show even a flicker of doubt before revealing his hand.

 

It is all rather grubby and unseemly but it remains fascinating stuff to those of us in the business of wading through the steers, the stalking horses and the smokescreens that have become part of the recruitment process. When, not if, Mowbray is paraded at Celtic Park, scarf held aloft, and McGhee returns to Pittodrie, it will become West Brom and Motherwell's turn to tap away furiously. Football authorities have historically turned a blind eye to the kind of wheeling and dealing, barrow-boy antics that would have put Del Boy Trotter to shame.

 

It would be naive to think that the majority of multi-million deals conducted in British, European and world football today have not been premeditated by an agent acting as go-between to ascertain a player or manager's interest in a new gig. Did Walter Smith take it upon himself to resign as Scotland manager when the SFA denied Rangers permission to speak to him, or did he do so in the knowledge that his salary would be effectively doubled?

 

Celtic were the last club to be found guilty and fined by the Scottish FA for tapping-up' Tommy Burns. The lifelong fan returned to Parkhead in 1994 as manager despite being under contract to Kilmarnock. The Rugby Park club refused to release him, which prompted the SFA to arbitrate, fining Celtic £100,000 for speaking to Burns without permission, while, in a bizarre step, Kilmarnock were able to retain Burns' player registration form. It is nonsense to suggest that Burns' return to Celtic Park was the last act of "tapping-up"in Scottish football. Football's authorities have simply washed their hands of the practice but occasionally, the chastened club chairman is granted his day in court. The most memorable case was when Iain Dowie left Crystal Palace in May 2006 by mutual consent, citing his family's wish to return north. Eight days later, Dowie was paraded as the new man down the road at Charlton Athletic. Simon Jordan issued a writ, the Hon Mr Justice Tugendhat ruled that Dowie had deceived Palace when negotiating his way out of the contract and awarded compensation to Palace for fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

The pursuit of Mowbray is unlikely to end in such acrimonious terms but chairmen should spare us all the moral baloney when their next call is likely to be to sound out a manager under employment elsewhere.

[Kmcalpin]

Not a great fan of Darryl Broadfoot but he's spot on. I don't think I've ever come across a situation where the manager concerned announces that he's taking up a new post whilst both the clubs involved say publicly that there's been no official contact. Unless the clubs are telling porky pies then its a clear case of tapping. Whatever else it doesn't say much for Mark McGhee, especially when mention is made of taking some current employees with him.

[Richie]

Does McGhee not have it in his contract that he is allowed to talk to certain clubs if they are interested?