Gold Coast have reportedly drafted a complaint, to be forwarded to FFA chief executive Ben Buckley, over Phoenix accepting an offer from Turkish side Hacettepe for the newly crowned A-League Player of the Year, Golden Boot and Goal of the Season winner.

This despite Smeltz having signed an agreement deal with Gold Coast. However Smeltz is still officially a Phoenix player till March 31.

United CEO Clive Mensink called Phoenix's ethics into question late last week, saying: "We wouldn't conduct business in a similar fashion. We'd be more honourable."

His opposite number across the Tasman Tony Pignata is having none of that. "We've done nothing untoward and acted at all times in the best interests of Shane," he told au.fourfourtwo.com this morning.

It's believed the deal with the Turks was signed last Monday at midday after Smeltz undertook a whistle stop tour of Australia.

The star striker flew from Adelaide - where he has family - to Melbourne where he met with an agent setting up a deal with the Turks.

After the deal was signed off, the player then flew to Sydney where he scooped the pool at the A-League Awards.

Whatever transpires, painting Phoenix as the bad guys has left a bitter taste in the mouth of Pignata.

"We kept everyone in the loop over what was happening," he said. "We first sent correspondence to his [Smeltz's] agent Leo Karis when we received the Turkish offer back on January 6.

"And I did speak with [Gold Coast coach] Miron [Bleiberg] last Monday, his agent [Karis] and I rang Clive Mensink on Friday.

"We also have correspondence from the Turkish FA about the transfer. And Shane wanted to go.

"So we contacted everyone and we can prove that with emails and phone records. We have done what any other club would've done, we're just the middlemen in this.

"And it's not about money - we'd have got around 50,000 Euros for the move to Turkey as the player has a buyout clause for the Gold Coast."

It's believed Gold Coast has now blocked any move overseas for their striker and he will play for the boom franchise from this coming season.

Whether or not the Turks will take this any further remains to be seen but it's not unheard of for clubs to take these sorts of disputes to FIFA.

"We wish the Gold Coast and Shane all the best," added Pignata. "We look forward to them coming over here next season but as far as we're concerned, the issue is closed."