Only in Scotland and the SPFL could such a drama be made out of a straight forward situation, and all because it involves Rangers.
For once, Philippe Clement isn’t the subject of criticism or attention with the manager not at fault for a situation involving a key member of his squad.
At Aberdeen’s AGM, chief executive Alan Burrows has been speaking about a subject he isn’t supposed to speak about and the drawn out compensation fee Rangers are due to pay for Connor Barron.
Alan Burrows explains Connor Barron to Rangers tribunal hold up
There is nothing Rangers can do about the situation other than abide by the decision that the SPFL makes with Burrows explaining when this might be, via the Press and Journal:
“The rules of the SPFL prohibit me from giving too much information on it.
“However, the situation has dragged on too long.
“On the back of this case, we probably need to look at other ways we can have a better process to come out of this scenario.
“It has been a long, time-consuming process.
“It has taken up a lot of management hours, staff hours and money to try to get to the point where we are.
“The SPFL really should have a more succinct system for this sort of thing and it shouldn’t take six or seven months to deliver.
“On reflection, it should be a catalyst for us to have a better process when it comes to players who go out of contract then move to another club within the same league and they can’t then come to an agreement on what a value should be on the cost recovery.
“I hope it will not be too much longer (before it is resolved).”
Barron only started 24 league games for Aberdeen last season despite being injury free, there were also reports of a token contract offer with a minimal pay rise – the bare minimum needed to claim a development fee.
How much have Rangers offered already for Barron?
Rangers will know exactly how much Aberdeen offered Barron and will be able to use this information as well as the number of games the Scotland Under-21 international played to assess their valuation.
A reported offer of around £500,000 was said to be on the table, but Aberdeen are holding out for more, such is their right – this is also the sort of fee that the Dons would have got if Barron left Scotland, it is an entirely fair offer.
What they can’t do, is use Barron’s progress this season as any justification for putting their demands up and inflating the 22-year old’s valuation.
Aberdeen fans keep saying that he wouldn’t get in their current squad, so how can he also be one of their biggest transfer sales at the same time given their reluctance to strike a deal with Rangers?
The reality is, Aberdeen have no interest in agreeing anything with Rangers, it is a cheap and easy way to score points with their fans.
Why the hold up then?
Burrows does have a point though, what are the SPFL doing?
Whenever Neil Doncaster et al have to make a decision, it feels like it’s the first time that they’ve ever encountered the situation.
Tribunals happen almost every year, but for some reason, a process that should take a matter of weeks is now into its sixth month, and of course it’s Rangers’ fault, as was the cinch deal disaster that the SPFL had to apologise for.
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