The case of Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk (left), who now refuses to play for his club Nottingham Forest despite signing a five-year contract, may create a dangerous

precedent. If Nottingham Forest play hard ball (which they probably won't) and fight the case to the end, they could lose.

If they lose it means that contracts are not binding. This in turn means that if a player can walk away from a club he has committed himself to for a certain period of time, then a club may also be able to walk away from a player who has had a dip in form or who struggles after injury.

It could mean that contracts are breakable rather than binding and if that happens clubs will be forced to move to protect themselves. This will obviously be to the detriment of weaker players. The irony of the Dutchman's actions is not that it strengthens footballers' hands to move where and when they wish, but could well end up undoing much of the security that the Professional Footballers' Association have gained for their members over the years.