'ARRY told it the way only ‘Arry can.

“Deals now, they all go to agents and then it goes to the player before it goes to the football club they’re trying to buy from,” said the ever candid Redknapp, on the subject of player transfers.

“There’s not a player who gets transferred who doesn’t know a club wants him before it goes to a selling club.

“Club to club is probably the third port of call, it’s agent, player.”

So there we have it, in an East End nutshell. Tapping up? It goes on. Did we really think any different?

The transfer system is essentially just a giant game of Chinese whispers. Pssst! Club A wants player B, pass it on.

I’m told there’s no truth in the rumour that Newcastle’s signing of Shefki Kuqi was the result of a whisper that went badly wrong. Not only did they act properly, but they really did mean to sign him.

Any rule preventing people from talking to each other about certain things, though, is about as promising an idea as utilising Neil Warnock’s diplomatic skills to engineer peace in the Middle East.

Formula 1 found out the hard way last year, when they found Ferrari guilty of using banned team orders but then could only enforce a paltry fine and ultimately scrapped the rule as it was unenforceable.

Football might as well do the same, since clubs are rarely likely to be caught speaking to a player illegally. If they speak to an intermediary rather than the player himself, barring a recording, what proof can there be?

As we’re proud of the concept of our free speech, we might as well just let everyone get on with it.

A message for the FA then is simple, this rule needs scrapping. Any agents, feel free to pass it on.