interesting article on how to stop a few teams dominating in all competitions

[Logicalman]

Don, thanks for the insight from that perspective, but how does that, if in any way, gel the US draft system with the European contract system? I just still don't see it.

If we had the draft system when Woy was at the club, then we would have been unlikely to have been able to sign players like Smalling, as they would have either been picked up by a lesser team than our position indicated or he would have been traded straight to one of the bigger clubs, wouldn't he?

[HatterDon]

Don, thanks for the insight from that perspective, but how does that, if in any way, gel the US draft system with the European contract system? I just still don't see it.

If we had the draft system when Woy was at the club, then we would have been unlikely to have been able to sign players like Smalling, as they would have either been picked up by a lesser team than our position indicated or he would have been traded straight to one of the bigger clubs, wouldn't he?

People slip through the net all the time and undrafted free agents get signed. As far as the draft is concerned, a pay scale has developed over time that equates to how high you are in the draft.

You have to understand that the draft system exists in order to make the LEAGUE more competitive and to keep the TV ratings high. Baseball is the least affected by this, since significant talent development is still required after college -- not the case with football or basketball.

As far as the bigger clubs taking all the talent, under the draft you only get to pick once every 36 or so picks. Now COLLEGE teams do this all the time. Until the scholarship limit was limited a few years back, it was not unusual for "big time college programs" to recruit and sign players they didn't need in order to ensure that rivals didn't get them. The players wouldn't play, of course, but the schools would benefit. Think of what 'arry did at Spurs and Chelsea has done w/Abramovich.