Let's just get on with it!

So we may be paying Sheffield £30m for having Carlos in our side even though we didn’t own his contract – or something.
This must be the longest running agony in club history...

Can you believe that a year and a half after that game, the game we all will remember as the game when the hired gun – the player having absolutely nothing to lose - showed more heart than any other player on the field (with the possible exception of Mark Noble) we are still talking about this?

The issue of whether the contract was OK or not have been discussed back and forth by all possible instances and a fair share of lawyers have made a decent living out of it.All I can say is I’m incredibly bored with this story even though the money side of the game is one that interests me. But this has just been going on for too long! To have a £30m axe hovering over your neck for almost a year and a half is just too much.

I’ve gotten to the point that I want to say: OK get on with it, even if it kills me, get on with it.

But it won’t kill us. Bruise us – yes, but not kill us. Our club is run by businessmen, and I say it again – that does have some up sides. We will not have to worry about whether the people in charge have planned for this outcome. This comes as no surprise to anybody involved in the club and will not really change anything in the short run. I cannot see that there will be a need for any panic actions. Everything we’ve hailed this last week will be allowed to go on.All we really have to worry about is when the club will find the money to take it to the next level. Obviously, £30m could bring in some serious players to any club (unless you are Tottenham…), and could be a big building block for taking that next step regardless if the money would be spent on strengthening the squad or propelling the stadium project.

But given all the facts – wouldn’t you do it again? Wasn’t it worth it to have Tevez in our side? Wasn’t it worth it to experience “The Great Escape”? I’d spend a couple of million of the clubs money just to re-live that last game of the 06-07 season, at least compared to millions used to sign Nigel Quashie.I rather have an economic whipping – even this size of a whipping – compared to the ultra insecure life in the championship with a lot of talent very possibly drained from the team.

OK, there are some things that I regret with the whole Masherano and Tevez business and that is that we had managers that were handed a once in a lifetime opportunity - and blew it! The fact that Masherano was hardly played at all and Tevez got in the team after almost half a season is just incomprehensible. Well, that part of the story is also quite old to so I should get on with it I suppose.

If I got it right, we can either appeal and take the case to the Court of Arbitration Of Sports or we can pay. Our board will now decide if we take this further.

£30m (if this is the amount set by the "damages hearing" of the Football Association arbitration hearing) is a lot of money, but the CA(O)S (love that acronym!) have, as far as I understand, a record of not wanting to rectify much.

Edit: 2009-09-23 BBC tells us the Damage Hearing will probably not issue any decision until the beginning of next year. Will this uncertainty never end?

Edit: 2009-09-24 West Ham has officially stated they will appeal to CAS

Edit: 2009-09-26 CAS says that the appeal cannot be heard without the agreement of Sheffield United. My money is on SU not agreeing - wanna bet?