The sacking of Coach Fabio Capello at Real Madrid causes Paul Gardner of the New York Sun to revisit an old issue: what’s a contract to a big club, anyways? Years ago, after being fired just three months into his new job, Atletico Madrid coach Alfio Basile (who’s now in charge of Argentina) explained: “My contract? I s— on my contract!” — meaning there’s an escape clause for the aggrieved party in just about every contract. In Capello’s case, then, the heart attack-inducing manner in which Real Madrid won the Spanish league must have triggered an escape clause for Ramon Calderon and the Merengues’ board. It probably involved millions of dollars.
As Gardner explains, the Real situation is strange because club presidents and GMs are often the aggrieved party in contract nullifying transfer deals. In some cases, players and coaches neglect to honor them at all. Andre-Pierre Gignac apparently signed for French club Lille last week only to join rival Toulouse four days later for “a better salary.” Of course, it’s illegal to sign two legally binding contracts, but Lille President Michel Seydoux will be content with financial compensation for the error, and no charges will be pressed.
The lure of bigger clubs and bigger salaries means there will always be a way out of contract for players and coaches. Cristiano Ronaldo, the EPL Player of the Year, may have just signed a new contract with Manchester United, but if he endures an unhappy first few months of next season, there’s always the possibility that the likes of Real Madrid can buy him out when the transfer market reopens.