SYDNEY FC coach John Kosmina took another swing at the Australian transfer regulations yesterday as he confirmed the club had given its blessing for stalwart Robbie Middleby to join North Queensland from next season.
Kosmina has been one of the most vocal opponents of A-League clubs being able to negotiate contracts with players from opposing clubs from October, barely six weeks into the new season and three months before clubs from other nations are allowed to contact uncontracted players.
However, Football Federation Australia imposed its own set of rules on the competition this season in the hope of giving expansionist clubs North Queensland and Gold Coast United more time to finalise their playing squad before they enter the competition next year.
Speaking after a training session at Sydney Football Stadium yesterday morning, Kosmina vented his frustrations at the process and publicly named the players who could be on their way out.
"I think there's a lot of disruption," he said. "I think the whole process is flawed. If you go back to October 1, we have played five or six rounds in the A-League and you've already got players talking about where they're going to be playing next year.
"From a club perspective, if you're trying to get someone across the line and you're wavering about whether you're going to sign them or you don't, and you're thinking about what direction you want your club to go, you're forced into making early decisions.
"Everyone knows it looks like Robbie's going to leave, there's talk of Iain Fyfe going to Adelaide or overseas, same with Brendon Santalab and the Gold Coast. We've made offers to them that have been knocked back from their point of view, so we've got to make some decisions."
Kosmina's ideal solution would be to have these such windows closed completely in an attempt to restore team unity, which he believes is under threat from the mid-season deals being struck, such as Jade North's move to North Queensland as their marquee player - despite still being captain of Newcastle.
"I'd like to see it go back to the old days where you get your transfer deals done at the end of the year and not beforehand," he said. "I don't know if it will ever get back to that.
"The whole process is disruptive and I'm not the only one who's complained about it. One of the Newcastle players had a whinge about it in the press and I think it's fair. It's crazy that five games into a season, you're … trying to screw the club you're with to try and get some more money from one that you might go to."
Speaking to the Herald on Wednesday, Middleby confirmed he was close to joining North in shifting to Townsville, a move which Kosmina has reluctantly given his blessing.
"I've spoken to Robbie about this and I personally think it would be a good move for him and he does as well," Kosmina said. "So if he goes, he goes, and we've got to get on with the job.
"And if Robbie does lose concentration, he won't play, it's as simple as that.
"I'll play Antony Golec or Matty Jurman or Nik Tsattalios. This is all part of professional sport and everyone's got to deal with it so it's a learning process for the lot of us."
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