So Manchester City have been allowed to sign Sunderland’s Marton Fulop on an emergency loan until the end of the season, due to their goalkeeper crisis. Why?

How is the position that they have got themselves in, any different to our current problems at right back? Like us, City are struggling to fill a role within their team, due to injury and having loaned out players. They do actually have a goalkeeper at the club in Gunnar Nielsen, who they consider too inexperienced to play. This is not dissimilar to the position that we’re in with Kyle Walker.

Had we been able to bring back Alan Hutton for the game against Manchester United, then perhaps he might not have given away two penalties, as his makeshift replacements BAE and Wilson Palacios managed.

I’m not actually saying that we should be able to recall, or bring in an emergency right back. I think that if you make your bed then you should have to lie on it and I don’t believe that the Premier League should have bent the rules for City.

It was them that chose to let Joe Hart go on loan to Birmingham without a recall clause. It was them that choose to have Gunnar Nielsen as their third choice keeper behind Shay Given and Stuart Taylor. If they’d wanted someone more experienced, they could have easily recruited a suitable candidate that would have been happy with a fat wage and a seat on the bench.

Goalkeeping is a specialised area and you can argue that an out-of-position player can fill in at right back with more ease than an outfield player could, if they were forced to tend the sticks. Yet City weren’t actually left without a keeper. They have Gunnar Nielsen and no doubt some younger players in their academy they could call on. Their paucity of options is no one’s fault but their own.

All clubs will have to name a 25 man Premier League squad next season. You would imagine that clubs will register three keepers and if two of them got injured under those circumstances, then being able to bring in a loan player would be justifiable.

Another rule I’d like to see changed is the ability for clubs to send players on loan to other Premier League teams. Why should every team in the Premier League have to face a Birmingham City with Joe Hart, but Manchester City not have to? Why should we be able to face a Portsmouth team without their best player in Jamie O’Hara, for that matter?

By scrapping that rule, clubs would be forced to make a decision on young players instead of hedging their bets and sending them out on loan. They’d either be good enough or they wouldn’t, in which case they’d have to be sold and the smaller clubs in the Premier League would have a better chance of building a decent side, without having to worry that a key player would be going back to their parent club at the end of the season.

Manchester City were unable to bring Joe Hart back from his loan at Birmingham and they should have been unable to bring in Fulop from Sunderland. There will be a big fuss if this ex-Spurs keeper ends up playing a blinder when we play City in a week’s time. Start writing that letter of complaint now Levy.

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67 COMMENTS

  1. I see another idiot who does not understand the rules.

    Goalkeeper=special position.
    (you did mention this)

    Available keeper=Gunnar
    Only other available keeper=Youth player not registered with premierleague.

    So no rules have been broken just like they were not when villa, wigan, utd and liverpool all did the same and set the precedent.

    But hey Mr Levy just write a letter anyway you know it makes sense.

    I am a city fan and to be fair I dont know what you are worried about you will get 4th and we will do well to stay in the top 6.

    • But if you can register Fulop as your Premier League player, why can you not register one of your young goalkeepers in the same way?

  2. Why bother?

    They would just ignore it, just the same as they dismiss appeals when referees clearly send a player off wrongly! Or when Refs don’t send players off when they blatantly should be!

    The FA are a disgrace.

  3. the only reason they are allowed to sign an emergency keeper, is that the rules regarding loan moves allow a keeper to be loaned as the FA, fifa or who ever regard this to be a specialist postion. silly i know when they have a keeper at the club however experienced he may be, it just shows money talks..

    COYS

  4. Its happened, there is nothing we can do about it. We need to concentrate on us and the players that we have and not worry about any loop holes and tricks. As long as they havent got Messi, Xavi and some of the others in as well, then I am sure we have more than enough to beat a keeper that we never really fancied.

    Lets make sure we are focused and beat Bolton and then go out and make sure we dont lose to City. It is a massive game and in the past, big away games we have folded and not performed. It is in our hands, lets make sure we take that opportunity. It has been a great season, lets makes sure we finish the job.

  5. The goalkeeper has always been considered the exception to the rule, but you’re right in pointing out that City have a fit goalkeeper, in fact they have nine on their books. The F.A. should be clear on this point and say outright that the rules are one or the other, instead of this ambiguity. When we had our ‘Lasagne’ game, We (Spurs), didn’t really challenge the FA (David Dein), when any basic Health and Safety legislation would have rightly backed our cause for postponement of the game.

  6. Don’t thinkuld be allowed to be honest, Neilson is 23 and has been brought in fom abroad by City, if he is not good enough that is their problem. Bentlet good enough but we have had to play him in Lennons abscence. If no sub goalkeeper is the reason then Fulop should only be allowed to sit on the bench and be available if neilson comes off injured!

  7. Fulop should be used as a substitute keeper and only be allowed to play if Neilson is injured during a game. Now that would be fair…. but when were the Fa ever fair.

  8. Essexian

    9 on our books

    2=injured
    1=on loan
    5=not registered with the premier league so cannot play
    1=fit Gunnar.

    your point is?

  9. Get over it and stop whingeing! For once the PL were actually trying to be fair. We’re still in the diving seat for this run in and need to concentrate on our own performance starting with a win this weekend.

  10. My point is you have a FIT goalkeeper already, personally I couldn’t give a toss who is in goal, after all we’ve beaten you with a better goalkeeper already (convincingly). But it’s the FA I have issues with, not City. You cant blame any club for getting the best for themselves if the rules allow.
    If it’s not us then I’ll be happy to see Villa or City, anyone other than Liverpool take the spot.

  11. Jaime,

    Available keeper=Gunnar
    (you did mention this)

    So why do you need to sign Fulop?

    I don’t care really. The lad wasn’t good enough for us and the fact Given is out can only be a bonus no matter who replaces him.

    COYS!!

  12. I am a spurs fan but i have to say that I agree with Jamie. The rules have always been clear so its not right to complain when they have been enforced. Besides, if the same thing happened to us we would not be complaining. And as Rascal said, at least its not Given.

  13. d only problem is that fulop is another ex-spurs man who always seems to perform that lil bit better against us… trying to prove a point.
    Defoe..show him who’s the DADDY
    spurs still going to be 4th

  14. Nielson was signed from Blackburn, not abroad, City have 4 keepers, two senior, two reserve, Given, Taylor, Hidalgo, and Niselson, Three of the 4 are injured, so City would have to call up academy keepers. So 9 keepers would include academy players, should we add our under 12’s and under 16’s to the list as well.

    – example of emergency keepers tell: Kiraly (AV), Nash (Wigan), Myhre (Birmingham CIty) Did you complain when these occurred? I guess not!

  15. I’m not fussed about this. The only thing is, you just know that as an ex player he’ll have a cracking game against us next week.

    COYS

  16. If a player is in the academy of a club, they don’t have to be registered with the premier league. Thats how we have had players like Dean Parret etc on our benches throughout the season. As well, next season where clubs have to register 25 players, these are 25 players over the age of 21. Any player who is 21 or under in january that season don’t have to be registered. I can see where City are coming from, but it’s hardly like they don’t have enough money to buy sufficient cover. With Cudicini out, if Gomes got injured, we wouldn’t get an emergency loan, we would use Alnwick or Walker in goal. It’s not fair really, but as one of the previous comments said, are the FA ever fair?

  17. Oh, forgot to say, can’t we recall Keano as Defoe is playing cack, or Hutton (only for the City game, mind?), as we’re short of fullbacks, but dont let on to the FA, just say they’re cover for Gomes (wink, wink)

  18. Im a spurs fan… and Deal with it…….. Fulop is a pretty good keeper. At the end of the day it shouldnt change a thing we still have to get at leat 7 points. DONE coys

  19. walker and Alnwick are reserve keepers, if one of them were to be injured as well, then yes the rules would allow you to employ a new keeper. The rules are fair. You have 2 reserve keepers free from injury, we dont!

    I reiterate my point, Stoke did with nash, why did you not complain then…?

    It’s the same rule for all clubs!

  20. I dont care about what City do. We need to win at home Sat, and if we win all 3 we will be 4th there is nothing anyone can do about that. City Villa and Liverpool would all give anything to be us right now. So first things first Win on Saturday it is the only match that counts at the moment. on Sunday we then look at City away, but not until Sunday.

  21. City should not be given dispensation to sign anyone. They have a fit goalkeeper and reserves – those reserves should be registered with the BPL and then City can choose to play or bench them.

    It’s an absolute disgrace that City have tried to pull Given back – and Mcleish should be applauded for not bowing to their filthy lucre. I hope Fulop injures himself and Gunnar has to play. City are an embarresment.

  22. The point would be essexian, you should not be allowed to loan a keeper from another club outside of the transfer window, end of story. You say you have 5 keepers not registered, then register one of them or any other unregistered keeper.
    It is absured that this is allowed, what would stop you loaning say Gomes or a keeper from a team you still have to play. The rules should be clear transparent and fair to all, in this case it is anything but.

  23. I think you’re wrong Jamie. Youth team players do not need to be registered with the PL at the start of the season to play for their club at senior level. Why would the PL put in a rule to limit youngsters chances?

    If such a rule was in place, then the exception should be that a youth team player should then be allowed to represent the club rather than a new player being brought in.

    Tottenham have spent the best part of the season with one fit senior keeper with a youngster on the bench. At no point have we made such a plea to the FA.

    You’ve gained an advantage and to be fair, the gripe is not with City (well it shouldn’t be) but with the FA themselves.

    • Sorry mate, but you’ve got your wires crossed methinks, I’ve already stated that City have a goalkeeper, one they’ve paid for, so therefore he’s considered top drawer,and a replacement shouldn’t be required.

  24. now im sure taylor has just returned to training, so man city have kind of pulled the wool over the f.a’s eyes there, at the end of the day money talks and the f.a are obviously wanting city to finish fourth, having said that we are in control of our own destiny, forget 7 points as 9 points will definately put us in CL and we can easily do it, it’s not like we are playing man utd is it? COYS

  25. you dense spurs fool…

    players which are out on loan could fix games

    use a brain cell eh dummy !

    goalkeeper is alot different to right back aswell.. numpty

  26. Which youngster is that steve? alnwick, or old man walker, they are reserve keepers,
    City’s reserve keepers are injured with only Nielson left.

    The rules are clear cut on emergency loans for keepers. As it’s a specialist role.

    what would stop you loaning say Gomes or a keeper from a team you still have to play- the rules would stop you, your own ignorance with the laws is irrelevant.

  27. Carlito, maybe you should have used your own brain cells to read the article in full before commenting. At no point those the writer advocate the use of loan players against their parent club and he/she also acknowledges that the goalkeeper is a specialist position.

    Using your words…eh dummy!

  28. ‘old man Walker’ is also injured. Hence the use of Alnwick. your own ignorance with matters at Tottenham Hotspur makes you irrelevant.

  29. spurs4me

    City Villa and Liverpool would kill to be in our position.

    What win all your games and its Champions league.

    Errrrr… rather like city then they win all their games and they are in CL.

    Seems to be the same position does it not.

  30. Jaime – In fairness Tottenham need 7 points entering into the last 3 fixtures. City also have it their own hands but need to pick up 3 wins against three tough fixtures. It’s going to be tight but at the moment it’s advantage Tottenham.

  31. Cry me a river! Do you think your getting 4th place relies on who we have playing in goal? and before you say that wasn’t your point, since when did Spurs become the guardians of all thats ethical and good? if you were, i’d be suprised if you’d have ‘Arry Redknapp as your manager as he is as bent as a 9 bob note.

  32. There needed to be a provision here. That any player purchased had to be the backup. So Fulop should only play if the current keeper gets an injury.

  33. it is the same rule that applied when villa signed kiraly in 2006 and when manchester united singed goram in 2001
    both were outside the transfer window, i did not hear any great complaints for either of them

  34. It’s not fair… It’s not fair…
    I tell you what’s not fair… having to watch Ricky Flipping Villa’s goal every time the FA Cup is mentioned…

    City aren’t the first to use this rule so any suggestion of “money talking” is just bunkam. Some dude who’s conceded a goal every 46 mins this season, doesn’t know the team or set piece routines going in to three high pressure games is hardly like we’ve gained a huge advantage is it?

    London centric media – especially those clowns on Talk Sh1te – have really got the knives out for City when all we’ve done is read the rule book and use it.

    Your gaffer – the “honourable” Mr Redknapp – has said he would do the same in our position so stop moaning and go toe to toe. If you beat us (with our Spurs reject keeper ) then fair play. If you don’t… tough.

  35. David think its YOU thats the Embarresment… read what you wrote again if you are going to make a fool of yourself at least put a spurs hat & shirt on ..then i would understand it..

    It’s an absolute disgrace that City have tried to pull Given back – and Mcleish should be applauded for not bowing to their filthy lucre. I hope Fulop injures himself and Gunnar has to play. City are an embarresment

  36. not if we beat you it’s when we beat you (again), who cares who you have in goal, it could be the worlds best keeper (oh no we have gomes don’t we) or 2nd even and he still gonna be picking the ball out of the back of the net, expected team will be………….
    gomes
    corluka, king, dawson, BAE
    lennon, hudd, modric, bale
    defoe, pav

    full strength near enough COYS

  37. Spursman79 Best keeper in the world? You twofaced tit. Iys not that long ago he was shite and you all wanted rid. Short memories you cockerneys haven’t you? Dickhead

    • Cockney’s we are not , any-more than a Utd fan is from Manchester!,and because one idiot voices an opinion it doesn’t make it universal.Still nice to see your so well informed about the Spurs though!

  38. I’m just glad we didnt get Joe Hart back- can you imagine all the whinging we’d get if that happened? We need a decent and honest manager like Harry Redknapp. He’d never bend the rules. The Melting bastard.

  39. tottenham fan here
    most likely been said but anyway…. in most leagues around the world teams can request special permission in the event of a goal keeper crisis.. so who cares.. spurs fans stop whinging.. we will get 4 th spot anyway (i hope) and even if fulop plays the best game of his life and saves absolutley everything against us and we lose.. then it wasnt to be anyway.. if we were in the same situation we too would of requested special permission to sign a keeper !!
    stop making us spurs fans look like clowns.. stop whinging !!!
    COYS

  40. Who cares about who this Mickey Mouse club without history have in between the posts? I sure as fuck don’t! Let them have our reject in goal. In fact let them have Jenas and O’HAHA play too if they want. Bollocks to em. It’s not going to change the outcome is it! LOL. They have no chance and even less class. (remind you of anyone? *ahem* Chelski). So come on lads stop moaning and just enjoy. COYFS

    • Without a History????????, what are you smoking mate, mind you City (when under their own steam), did manage a couple of years in the depths of beyond, haven’t won a damned thing since 1976, but I cant really be bothered to list our achievements, only to say, trying looking things up before opening up a stupid nonsensical debate that’s completely irrelevant to the subject matter. Why the vitriol against Spurs?, can’t think of any reason other than FEAR!

  41. I guess there’s just a little momentum gathering against the way Man City are going about gaining success. Chelsea have established themselves at the top and people have accepted them. Yes they spent a fortune but they were in the top four before Abramovich arrived. City on the other hand do not have that to fall back on. The Robinho debacle, and the failed attempts to sign Kaka and other world class players with the sudden arrival of bottomless middle eastern reserves, can only suggest a blatant attempt to buy success. I guess in the current climate, where so many clubs are falling into administration, the finger naturally points at the biggest spenders for totally bending the transfer market out of shape. Transfer fees blow out of proportion, yet clubs still buy.
    This moaning about a keeper is merely a reaction to the efforts of an extremely ambitious chairman wishing to propell his toy to the top of the tree in the shortest time possible. Fantastic for City fans and no doubt Spurs fans would secretly love it to be their team instead. It does however create animosity, even when it’s not warranted. Most Spurs fans would agree that they have little against the blue half of Manchester. The loan of Fulop is fair and within the rules. Just don’t expect football fans in general to admire the attempts to buy success.

  42. omg some of you arent seeing the point just reading out the rules. Yes the rule is you have to have a fit GK in starting 11 and another on the bench. HELLO THEY DO HAVE THIS. so what you bleating on about the PL is being fair? THEY ARE NOT. And were is the keeper crisis?

    Fulop is registered with the PL from start of season but only with Sunderland not with City. So infact the PL should of told City to register one of their youngsters to sit on the bench for last 3 games.

  43. SpurfKFC – Its only fair if they dont have any gks. They do and thats the fact. They have 9 gks 3 are injured so that leaves 6 or am I wrong?
    Manu and Chelsea have both had to play a youngster!

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