Keeper sulk will help no one

Before this week, what did you know about Asmir Begovic? Did you know he was a goalkeeper? Did you care? Either way, after joining Javier Mascherano in a new and rather disturbing twist to football transfers, his could be the name that will see another ground breaking change in football transfers.

With the Bosman ruling and the less well-known, but still potentially important, Webster ruling shifting the balance of power in transfers even further away from clubs towards players, the question that is now being asked is will we soon see a Begovic or Mascherano ruling that fundamentally alters the state of football?

With Begovic likely to be just a benchwarmer should he join Chelsea, with goalkeeper Petr Cech unlikely to lose his place to the youngster, his attitude towards his current club is even more shocking. At the age of just 23, the player should be concentrating on becoming the best goalkeeper he can, rather than just looking to grab a big money move.

Perhaps more than any other position on the pitch, keepers need to play week in week out or they start to lose their edge. Switching to the Blues now could be a bad move for all involved. Most people make Stoke betting tips for mid-table safety, but the saga could distract them.

However, should Stoke choose to ignore any renewed attempt by Chelsea to buy the keeper, a one-man strike may well end up in a court battle that could determine the very future of how transfers are conducted.

While this may sound like a gross exaggeration, Arsene Wenger is one of several top managers who have already suggested that transfer fees may well become a thing of the past should player power continue to increase its hold on football.

Chelsea and Stoke clash at the weekend and the Betfair Football odds make the Blues favourites, but this issue will leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

Although it is clear that players should be allowed to have a major role in their future transfers or career moves, the decision of some players to show a lack of loyalty or understanding of the fact they are betraying the fans who help pay their wages clearly highlights the growing gap between players and fans.

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