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Reigning Europa Cup holders Perugia have moved to strengthen their team ahead the quest to retain their title, but the loss of key players by rivals Eagles Napoli could have a bigger affect.
Malta's Massimo Cremona joins Perugia, having played for Reggiana last season, whilst Eagles - so often the bridesmaids in the world's top team event - see Belgian duo Alain Hanotiaux and Gil Delogne leave for SC Charleroi and DEVILS Austria respectively.
Cremona's move reportedly comes about in part due to an incident involving his Reggiana teammates at the World Cup in June, where the Maltese player lost in the final to Italian Efrem Intra.
His arrival at Perugia will offset the departure of Marco Lauretti and Diego Venegas from the European champions.
The departure of Hanotiaux and Delogne from Napoli has a lot to do with new regulations for the showpiece Italian domestic league, which mean that each team must use two players from its own region in each match.
That excludes Antonio Mettivieri - who, under the old regulations, regularly filled one of the Italian player berths in the team - and means one less place for their imports next season.
And the transfers enhance the squads of two of Napoli's main rivals for the Europa Cup.
SC Charleroi, Hanotiaux's native club, are the reigning Belgian league champions, as well as Europa Cup winners in 1998 and 1999, and already boast a formidable team, containing a number of younger players who have developed within the club.
DEVILS meanwhile enjoyed a successful first season which saw them reached sixth in the world rankings, and with the addition of two-time world champion Delogne, to accompany the likes of Eric Verhagen and Robert Lenz, they will mount a serious challenge for the Europa Cup in their debut in the competition.
But two other, less expected, challengers have emerged over the summer - Greek side Atlas Glyfada TFC and more surprisingly England's Worthing Fivestar.
Worthing - thanks to financial backing from the San Siro Stadia Company - have acquired the services of former-EPL quartet Chris Short, Kasper Bennett and Chris and Peter Thomas for the forthcoming season.
They were also linked with a number of other top-class players, including Eric Verhagen, Hansel Mallia, Diego Venegas, Vicenç Prats and another player currently signed to a top Italian club, though efforts to recruit an overseas member proved unsuccessful.
The depleted EPL team, who have also lost Phil Dacey to Cardiff, will though continue after making a number of lower profile additions to their squad.
For Atlas, whilst Kostas Kechris and Kostas Stamokostas have left for Olympiakos and several others to the new club AEK Athens, worthwhile offers have attracted former Valletta SC duo Mark Gauci and Samuel Bartolo to the existing Athenian club, as well as their Maltese compatriot, world number 8 Joseph Mifsud, who joins from AS Hennuyer.
Any problems that Atlas may have had in possessing enough domestic players in their squad have been overcome by linking up with Glyfada United TFC for team events this season.
Mifsud is replaced at ASH by Chris Aggelinas from Falcons Athens, from whom Giorgios Aggelinas and Marco Kapsambelis also depart.
Giorgios Aggelinas helps form another new Athenian club, Athens Kickers - who also include six-time Greek champion Aggelos Tsakiris - admit frantic activity in Greece.
Other new names appearing on the FISTF circuit include A. Turia FM of Spain - who were originally formed in 1981 and recruit the full Valencia FM squad, as well as bringing Fernando Gomez back to his native country from Italian club Bologna Tigers - and Vikings TFC, effectively a merger between Danes Lega-Liga and Norwegian club Porsgrunn.
Several sides are also taking shape in America, ahead of the nation's first official FISTF team event in Washington later this season, most noticeably Philadelphia Subbuteo Futbol Syndicate and Maple City SC, who include former US champion Jon Schultz.
As ever, the domestic transfer market is also active in Italy, Belgium and Malta.
Stella Artois Milano augment a skilful but small squad with world number 67 Bruno Mazzeo, formerly of ACS Bergamo, whilst Marco Lauretti leaves ACS Perugia for Black Rose 98 Roma, from whom Enrico Tecchiati departs to Warriors Torino.
In Malta, Valletta overcome the lost of key players Gauci and Bartolo by reinforcing their squad with acquisitions from the decimated Zabbar club.
Reigning German champions Gemaba Hitdorf have taken on top Wuppertal players Wolfgang Schneider and Markus Lindner, to replace Stefan Pace, who joins a number of his Maltese compatriots at Italian serie B side SC Palermo.
In Portugal, Paolo Sena joins the array of former Sport Lisboa e Campolide players at Lisbon cross city rivals UFC Os Pasthillas, whilst Portuguese pair Tiago Sousa and Antonio Tavares move from GDDF to Spanish side Catalunya, who also see Diego Venegas return after a year with Italian side Perugia.
Spanish rivals AS Murciana add Juan Noguera from local club Palmar Flames.
* This season sees the first transfer window. Any player who does not compete for their team prior to 31st December 2006 may apply to join a new team after that date. Transfer forms must be submitted by 31st December. Free agents may join a new team at any point during the season.
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where the world's top 100 (as at 31st August 2006) are going
|
Player |
WR |
From |
To |
|
Massimo Cremona (MLT) |
2 |
SC Reggiana (ITA) |
ACS Perugia (ITA) |
|
Joseph Mifsud (MLT) |
8 |
AS Hennuyer (BEL) |
Atlas TFC (GRE) |
|
Gil Delogne (BEL) |
11 |
Eagles Napoli (ITA) |
D.E.V.I.L.S. (AUT) |
|
Alain Hanotiaux (BEL) |
12 |
Eagles Napoli (ITA) |
SC Chaleroi |
|
Chris Thomas (ENG) |
25 |
English Premier League |
San Siro Worthing FiveStar |
|
Mark Gauci (MLT) |
29 |
Valletta SC |
Atlas TFC (GRE) |
|
Kasper Bennett (ENG) |
40 |
English Premier League |
San Siro Worthing FiveStar |
|
Kostas Kechris (GRE) |
59 |
Atlas TFC |
P.E.F. Olympiakos T.F. |
|
Chris Aggelinas (GRE) |
61 |
Falcons Athens |
AS Hennuyer (BEL) |
|
Bruno Mazzeo (ITA) |
67 |
ACS Bergamo |
Stella Artois Milano |
|
Diego Venegas (ESP) |
68 |
ACS Perugia (ITA) |
Catalunya FT |
|
Anders Grorud (NOR) |
83 |
Porsgrunn TFC |
TFC Vikings (DEN) |
|
Chris Short (ENG) |
87 |
English Premier League |
San Siro Worthing FiveStar |
|
Stefan Pace (MLT) |
90 |
Gemaba Hitdorf (GER) |
SC Palermo (ITA) |
|
Jon Henning Bergane (NOR) |
92 |
Porsgrunn TFC |
TFC Vikings (DEN) |
|
Jeremy Bradley (ENG) |
95 |
Sparta Spreeathen 74/82 (GER) |
TSPA White Star |
|
Fernando Gomez (ESP) |
96 |
Bologna Tigers (ITA) |
A. Turia FM |
|
Samuel Bartolo (MLT) |
97 |
Valletta SC |
Atlas TFC (GRE) |
|
Marco Lauretti (ITA) |
100 |
ACS Perugia |
TSC Black Rose 98 Roma |
WR denotes world ranking as at 31st August 2006
Click here for the full list of worldwide transfers
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First it was Cardiff, then Lega Liga Odense of Denmark, but Adrian and Sam Curtis have now been confirmed as English Premier League players for the new season.
Following a transfer saga with as many highly publicized twists and turns as those involving some Premiership footballers, the elite English team becomes the father and son duo's third club of the summer, after originally announcing their departure from Yorkshire Phoenix.
But there, they will join a very much depleted EPL side.
Worthing Fivestar, thanks to the backing of the San Siro Stadio Co., have raided the EPL for some of the best English talents, with Kasper Bennett, Chris Short, Chris Thomas and Peter Thomas all responding to the call from the south coast.
The EPL also see Phil Dacey return to his native Cardiff Bluebirds, but in addition to the Curtis's, they have recruited replacements in former Lichfield player Paul Sutton, Dimitris Stamatopoulos from Greek side Atlas and Matthew Thomas - brother of Chris and Peter - who joins from Cardiff.
The Curtis' replacements at Phoenix come in the form of Northern Irish trio Stuart McIlroy, Kenny Beggs and Eoin Adams - the latter two of whom join from the Irish Premier League, the former from North Down - Malc Dickson previously of the East Midlands Alliance and Craig Heward, after the Worthing player relocated to Yorkshire.
Simon Bryan is another to have had second thoughts about a new team, with the East Midlands Alliance man now joining the newly formed TSPA White Star, over VfL Kamen, his original destination.
White Star - the brainchild of Jeff Jordan and Jeremy Bradley, who relinquish their membership with London TFC and German side Sparta Spreeathen respectively - will primarily call on the services of several one-time ETF rules players and members of the EMA.
Swiss legend Paul Remund, Dave Cope, Colin Fletcher and Rob Ginn make White Star their first team under FISTF registration, Trevor Arthur, Jonathan Bryan, Johan Lourdon, John Turpin, Paul Wilkinson also link up from the EMA, whilst Putney's Victor Jones joins via Solway Seagulls, whilst rising youth England international Matt Lishman was a noticeable late addition from Yorkshire Phoenix.
Putney SC themselves were close to getting a team of club players together for the new season, but the person targeted to be the fourth regular member had already committed to Yorkshire Phoenix for league, and therefore team, play for the new season, leaving the remaining members of the PSC team to seek out new pastures for the forthcoming season.
The EMA, IPL and London TFC may also all find difficulties in raising sides for team events this season, after the summer movements.
Welsh side Cardiff Bluebirds are one of the beneficiaries, as, in addition to Dacey, they are strengthened by the acquisitions of Kenny Scott and London TFC's Les Commons.
The proposed transfer of players from Solway Seagulls to Scottish rivals Hot Club d'Ecosse was called off and Solway will continue as a team in their own right for international events.
Hot Club have been hit further by the departure of Greg Dand and Gareth Christie to the recently reformed Tayside Kickers '91, who hope to be represented at the Dumfries, Glasgow and possibly Cardiff team events.
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OUT: James Collier, Joan Collier (Yorkshire Phoenix)
IN: Les Commons (London TFC), Phil Dacey (EPL), Kenny Scott (Solway Seagulls)
OUT: Matthew Thomas (EPL)
EAST MIDLANDS ALLIANCE (EMA)
OUT: Trevor Arthur, Simon Bryan, Jonathan Bryan (TSPA White Star), Malcolm Dickson (Yorkshire Phoenix), Johan Lourdon, John Turpin, Paul Wilkinson (TSPA White Star)
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE (EPL)
IN: Adrian Curtis, Sam Curtis (Yorkshire Phoenix), Dimitris Stamatopoulos (Atlas TFC, Greece), Paul Sutton (unattached), Matthew Thomas (Cardiff Bluebirds)
OUT: Kasper Bennett (Worthing Fivestar), Phil Dacey (Cardiff Bluebirds), Chris Short, Chris Thomas, Peter Thomas (Worthing Fivestar)
OUT: Gareth Christie, Greg Dand (Tayside Kickers)
IRISH PREMIER LEAGUE (IPL)
OUT: Eoin Adams, Kenny Beggs (Yorkshire Phoenix)
OUT: Les Commons (Cardiff Bluebirds), Jeff Jordan (TSPA White Star)
OUT: Stuart McIlroy (Yorkshire Phoenix)
OUT: Paolo Barone (Lazio CCT, Italy)
IN: Kasper Bennett, Chris Short, Chris Thomas, Peter Thomas (EPL)
OUT: Craig Heward (Yorkshire Phoenix)
OUT: Victor Jones (TSPA White Star), Kenny Scott (Cardiff Bluebirds)
IN: Gareth Christie, Greg Dand (Hot Club d'Ecosse)
IN: Trevor Arthur (EMA), Jeremy Bradley (Sparta Spreeathen 74/82, Germany), Simon Bryan, Jonathan Bryan (EMA), Dave Cope, Colin Fletcher, Rob Ginn, Phil Holmes (unattached), Victor Jones (Solway Seagulls), Jeff Jordan (London TFC), Matt Lishman (Yorkshire Phoenix), Johan Lourdon (EMA), Paul Remund (unattached), John Turpin, Paul Wilkinson (EMA)
IN: Eoin Adams, Kenny Beggs (IPL), James Collier, Joan Collier (Bracknell SC), Malcolm Dickson (EMA), Craig Heward (Worthing Fivestar), Stuart McIlroy (North Down)
OUT: Adrian Curtis, Sam Curtis (EPL), Matt Lishman (TSPA White Star)
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