What do Yevhen Konoplyanka, Fabio Coentrao, and Joao Moutinho have in common? Other than being professional football players, of course?
Deadline day duds! Their deadline day transfers failed to materialize, due to reliance on paperwork. Papers went here, papers went there, they went across countries and continents and were eventually delayed, much to the disappointment of football fans all over the world.
In January 2014, Liverpool came close to signing Yevhen Konoplyanka but the move fell through at the last minute, painfully and excruciatingly, on deadline day. In August 2012, Tottenham nearly signed Joao Moutinho, having agreed on a 24 million transfer pound fee with FC Porto, only to miss out because of not submitting the paperwork on time. In August 2013, Fabio Coentrao failed to complete his transfer from Real Madrid to Manchester United, again because of missing paperwork deadlines. In all of this, the football fan was treated to the ups and downs of the game itself, an experience he definitely wouldn't have enjoyed.
And all of it because of what?
Paperwork, handwritten signatures and fax machines?
That feeling when the club has missed out on a player. Image Source
A quick shift to electronic signatures for signing and sending contracts, and they would’ve been kissing the crest on the shirt already. That way, it would have saved football fans like me around the world from suffering the agony of failed deadline day transfers. At least going forward, we can be spared these needless bouts of euphoria and sadness.
Also, have a good football season ahead!
