 7 Nov 1996 PFA PLEDGE TO MEET ANY FUTURE TRANSFER RULING HEAD-ONProfessional Footballers' Association deputy chief executive Brendan Batson has promised his organisation will be able to meet any future demands placed on them in the wake of the Bosman ruling. The PFA, along with many of the game's top managers such as Alex Ferguson and Terry Venables, were absent from a House of Commons meeting which was held to discuss the immediate abolition of the domestic transfer system for out-of-contract players. It is claimed the freedom of movement guaranteed to players wanting to join clubs in other countries post-Bosman should also apply to moves within national boundaries, with any legal challenge almost certain to succeed. But Batson is convinced the PFA will be able to meet any changes in the law head-on, without any help from the Players Out of Contract Association (POCA), who have since criticised the PFA's running of the benevolent fund and pension arrangements for former players. Batson said: ``We originally supported Jean Marc Bosman because clearly he was treated very badly by the Belgian authorities. ``But that situation could never have happened over here because we've made sure the rights for players are fully protected. ``We are involved in working parties with UEFA and with the other football bodies to make sure that our system, which is in place at the moment, can be refined in the future to meet those things that are coming as a result of the Bosman judgment.'' Labour MP Alan Meale, the originator of the Westminster meeting, wants the PFA on board because he believes their expertise is vital in a bid to convince the Government, whoever it may be, to push for a commission of enquiry. But Batson appears adamant that the PFA and POCA will never join forces, particularly following claims by POCA that players forced out of the game through injury only received a total sum of £5,000 from the union's insurance scheme. ``I think the claims POCA are making are a load of rubbish to be quite honest,'' he admitted. ``The main stumbling block is that POCA are trying to form another association and trying to drive a rift between our members and ourselves, which we won't stand for. ``I don't think the players will stand for it because we have a range of packages and benefits available to them which in no way can they (POCA) hope to match or even attempt to match. It is the envy of other sporting organisations throughout the world. ``I feel there's been a certain amount of disinformation going out. I think they've been very deceptive in the way they've tried to deal with things and they've been very disrespectful to players and their own association.''
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