FFA block Goran Pandev to Western Sydney Wanderers deal: report


The FFA have reportedly blocked the move of Genoa attacker Goran Pandev to Western Sydney Wanderers.

According to Italian news outlet TUTTOmercato, the Wanderers tabled a two-year deal to the Macedonian, only for the FFA to block any deal due to reported salary cap issues.

The Wanderers this week confirmed the signing of Ryan Griffiths to bolster the club’s attacking stocks, following rumoured interest in Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov and Eduardo among others.



Pandev is currently plying his trade with Genoa in the Serie A, having featured 12 times in the league this season.

The 33-year-old has spent the majority of his time in Italy with spells with the likes of Inter Milan, Lazio and Napoli.

He is the captain of the Macedonian national team, and is the country’s all-time top scorer with 27 goals.

The report does not suggest this move was blocked in regards to the guest marquee rule, but due to salary cap reasons.

Outside90 has sought comment from the FFA regarding this report.

http://outside90.com/ffa-block-goran-pandev-to-western-sydney-wanderers-deal/

Don't usually post from this website but...


How can FFA refuse? If it is a multi year contract. Didn't Roar pay Oar less this season then make him marquee next season?

Need more facts.

FFA keep blocking Poppa, he should leave Australia.

A 2 year deal would span over 3 seasons.

They've got no visa spots and he doesn't fit the requirements for guest marquee (and I think even if he does it it doesn't give you an extra visa spot)

Blame poppas recuirtment of visa players over the offseason and his inability to release any for this window. Bit of an blinder as with the marquee spot open, had they had a visa spot they didn't have to look at guest players.

It's hard when all the FFA know are NRL and AFL players. Perhaps we can get Gary Abblett a contract. I'm sure the FFA would approve. 

Ok didn't know They have used all their visa spots.

Guest player sits outside the 5 visa spots.

Cahill (full season guest) marquee counts as a visa spot... But not if you have Timmy ;)

this is absolutely f'd. only excuse is the ffa cahill trust fund has been run dry through the acqusiition of the man himself because players like goran pandev, eduardo would be huge for the a-league.

You can't get another visa sport though. Surely, as I said, had you recruited visa players better, you'd have a spot to fit him in without needing to worry about the guest players.

Ur right he doesnt fit the guest marquee role because hes only played at some of the top.clubs in serie a, not the epl where the ffa fan boys know nothing else.

Sorry but AFL and NRL supporters have no idea who these excellent footballers are. Why bother catering to a football crowd. Don't be so ridiculous.

Here comes the whingers :doze:, he is not guest marquee material. Like Redkat said, it is Poppas fault for bad recruitment, deal with it. 

definitely need more info on this, reckon he'd be good value as a cahill marquee and whether that's what was denied or something else

The rule is a farce. We will set aside money and get no one to come to the league. Get rid of this rule already and give it A-league clubs who can actually put it to good use.

If thats the case then its even dumber. Wanderers either trying to exceed the cap or trying to get another visa spot. Seems crazy

If they have been caught trying to exceed the salary cap shouldn't they be fined and docked points? Sounds very dodgy. 

If its a multi year contract you don't have to exceed the cap. You can make the payments heavier at the backend.

No visa spots left though. 

Who knows. Definitely not getting the full story


If its a multi year contract you still have the issues with not having any visa spots to fit him in this year. 

I will no get into the guest marquee rule, but what I will say is,, that FFA are the only national sporting body in Australia who keep out players , who people would call star names, from Diamanti, Eduardo , it is a pathetic attitude from FFA , you want excitement in this league, then allow clubs to bring in these types of players. 
No other sporting competition in Australia, would reject a player who would A generate news in the msm and B improve the quality of the league. 

@agg

Imo they need to redefine a full year and guest marquee.

I think the 6 month (guest) should have lower criteria than the full year marquee.

It's quite mind boggling the whole thing

We are becoming the joke of the football world. Imagine football fans in Italy scratching their heads at the A-league rejecting excellent players like Pandev and Diamante. We are doing ourselves no favours. Good way to attract future players. I salute you FFA.

Guess the only way forward is to scrap any visa requirements then clubs can sign who they want!

I would assume a visa player would have been released to make way for Pandev if the FFA had given the all clear, but that decision obviously didn't have to be made.

So is it 100% confirmed a visa issue?

This Marquee rule is nothing but a ruse, a clever swindle by the FFA. Firstly they know how impossible it is to get a marquee player that will fit their criteria. Even it's a player who we deem worthy they can always turn that player down claiming they are not Marquee status. They don't have to spend any money out of budgeted funds and they don't have to hand money over to the A-league clubs claiming funds are tied to a central fund. I will say this fund will be lucky to be used at all next season. It's a joke. In the meantime we are turning down good players playing in excellent leagues. Players which would be ordinarily available if those funds were added to the salary cap for all clubs instead of put aside to a marquee fund the FFA has no intention of spending. 

Regardless of the wanderers circumstances, those thinking that Pandev shouldn't fit guest marquee requirements can go back to AFL.

For who don't just watch Chelsea or Liverpool in the premier league (is the real football fans) they know he is a high profile player, that he's played most of his career at huge clubs like Lazio, Inter and Napoli and that he would be a quality signing. He is exactly what the Guest Marquee should be but clearly the criteria is so strict that there is no realistic target for anyone now that Cahill was signed.

Remember watching him shred an extremely defensive Scotland at Hampden, he would have no problem with the physicality in the A-League.

This. 

Don't use visa spots as an excuse. Popa can easily release a player...

Yeah but none of the names of the players involved is Tim Cahill so it was never going to happen

i don't get this story, there has to be more to it surely? The bloke hasn't scored a goals since 2014 and his last 161 appearances have delivered 24 goals, hardly a fix for Poppas goaksciring problems, or am I missing something?

And I'd assume the payout to release that visa player + then to add Pandev's wages is the issue here..