AGENTS!

[sylofox]

Other clubs should not be allowed to speak to a players agent without the permission of the club,it's not right other clubs having meetings trying to tap up players

And how would you e Er police it.

Agents may have 20 or 30 players all at different clubs.

So the agent talks to any club about another player he and the club would say they were talking about there player not another clubs player.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

In the music industry, agents, aka promoters, have always made more than artists, for a record release. For example, it was Brian Epstein who collected more money than the Beatles, on a record release. Exploitation for sure.

 

In football it appears to be the selling club that loses out, in all sorts of ways, ( replacing, integrating, rebuilding, etc ) The player may often regret the move, but the agent is rubbing his hands together, and laughing all the way to the bank. 

[ThaiFox]

The biggest problem with agents is that they make very big money on transfers, so the player just becomes a piece of meat to them, and to make their own big money means moving them around for as much as possible, as often as possible. Maybe they should not get any payments of transfer fees?

 

I totally understand most footballers have little common sense when it comes to money or contracts, but there must be a far better way of helping them throughout their careers, rather than agents. Why do we bother have a PFA union? What are they doing? Surely this is their job?

 

Agents also make the players heads unstable. I don't know the full facts from out here, but did not Berahino at WBA have his head turned by agents trying to get him a transfer to spuds? If that is true then he has lost two years of development because of this proposed transfer. WBA stuck their heals in to hold out for a huge fee, and no-one would pay it. His head is all over the place. Tries to play, but his head is elsewhere. 

 

This could be a huge problem for Vardy too. Will his agents be filling his head with 'advice' to move because it works out the agent will get a 10% bonus payment of the transfer fee (£2M!!!!)?

 

Surely this cannot be in the players interest because it is a conflict of interest?

 

It's often why I think it is best if a player moves, as his head may never be in the right frame to play as he did beforehand.

 

In my view agents do more harm than good and are slowly destroying the game.

[MC Prussian]

The biggest problem with agents is that they make very big money on transfers, so the player just becomes a piece of meat to them, and to make their own big money means moving them around for as much as possible, as often as possible. Maybe they should not get any payments of transfer fees?

 

I totally understand most footballers have little common sense when it comes to money or contracts, but there must be a far better way of helping them throughout their careers, rather than agents. Why do we bother have a PFA union? What are they doing? Surely this is their job?

 

Agents also make the players heads unstable. I don't know the full facts from out here, but did not Berahino at WBA have his head turned by agents trying to get him a transfer to spuds? If that is true then he has lost two years of development because of this proposed transfer. WBA stuck their heals in to hold out for a huge fee, and no-one would pay it. His head is all over the place. Tries to play, but his head is elsewhere. 

 

This could be a huge problem for Vardy too. Will his agents be filling his head with 'advice' to move because it works out the agent will get a 10% bonus payment of the transfer fee (£2M!!!!)?

 

Surely this cannot be in the players interest because it is a conflict of interest?

 

It's often why I think it is best if a player moves, as his head may never be in the right frame to play as he did beforehand.

 

In my view agents do more harm than good and are slowly destroying the game.

So much wrong with this, I don't know where to start.

 

You seem to fall into the trap of thinking all agents are alike. You feed the stereotype and you base your opinion on a handful of bad cases. Yes, I guess some agents are worse than others and come across as vile creatures in public whenever a story gets out. But that doesn't mean that there are good agents out there who actually care about their clients, their wellbeing and their financial and professional future.

 

I think with a few exceptions, agents are not interested in "moving players around as often as possible", as it is not just their decision when a player needs a transfer. That's down to players and the respective club, as well. You settle for a contract length, with younger players usually settling for longer contracts (and older ones nearer the one- to two-year contracts) and want your client to stay put and grow and become an integral part of the squad. Good agents are the ones who are interested in allowing their clients to prosper.

 

Look at it from a different angle: The world of football agents is a rather small one, so I suppose you tend to know each other to a certain degree. You start moving your players around on a crazy regular basis, it can backfire because it falls back on you as an agent. And when your reputation is that of one that is only interested in money-making, then clubs will be more likely to distance themselves from you, as well.

 

As for agents "destroying the game", surely with all the money flowing around - in particular in the Premier League - who can blame both agents and players wanting a bigger slice of it?

[WigstonWanderer]

Do we even know for sure that agents get a portion of the transfer fee? Surely makes more sense if the agent's fees are paid by the player as a portion of the wages.

[ThaiFox]

So much wrong with this, I don't know where to start.

 

You seem to fall into the trap of thinking all agents are alike. You feed the stereotype and you base your opinion on a handful of bad cases. Yes, I guess some agents are worse than others and come across as vile creatures in public whenever a story gets out. But that doesn't mean that there are good agents out there who actually care about their clients, their wellbeing and their financial and professional future.

 

I think with a few exceptions, agents are not interested in "moving players around as often as possible", as it is not just their decision when a player needs a transfer. That's down to players and the respective club, as well. You settle for a contract length, with younger players usually settling for longer contracts (and older ones nearer the one- to two-year contracts) and want your client to stay put and grow and become an integral part of the squad. Good agents are the ones who are interested in allowing their clients to prosper.

 

Look at it from a different angle: The world of football agents is a rather small one, so I suppose you tend to know each other to a certain degree. You start moving your players around on a crazy regular basis, it can backfire because it falls back on you as an agent. And when your reputation is that of one that is only interested in money-making, then clubs will be more likely to distance themselves from you, as well.

 

As for agents "destroying the game", surely with all the money flowing around - in particular in the Premier League - who can blame both agents and players wanting a bigger slice of it?

I lived in London for a while before I moved out here, and a close neighbour of mine was an agent for various sportsmen. I actually liked and got on well with the guy, but my opinions are based from a lot of conversations with him. There was no question that feeding a clients thoughts were very much part of the job. 

 

There maybe agents that really care for their clients, but not from the conversations and experiences I learnt from him. 

[MC Prussian]

I lived in London for a while before I moved out here, and a close neighbour of mine was an agent for various sportsmen. I actually liked and got on well with the guy, but my opinions are based from a lot of conversations with him. There was no question that feeding a clients thoughts were very much part of the job. 

 

There maybe agents that really care for their clients, but not from the conversations and experiences I learnt from him. 

That's what I mean when I say that you're feeding the stereotype.

Basing your opinion on agents in general after speaking to one of them is a rather ridiculous thing to do. It'd be like me saying I know what the Earth looks like when I've only been to two continents so far.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I lived in London for a while before I moved out here, and a close neighbour of mine was an agent for various sportsmen. I actually liked and got on well with the guy, but my opinions are based from a lot of conversations with him. There was no question that feeding a clients thoughts were very much part of the job. 

 

There maybe agents that really care for their clients, but not from the conversations and experiences I learnt from him. 

This is a major part of the issue. A happy and contented player, will almost certainly become disrupted, by his agent suddenly talking of bigger money elsewhere.

[Monsell1976]

Agents are like politicians, money sucking, dodgy, scheming scum bags, who couldn't give a toss about anything other than lining their own pockets

[ThaiFox]

That's what I mean when I say that you're feeding the stereotype.

Basing your opinion on agents in general after speaking to one of them is a rather ridiculous thing to do. It'd be like me saying I know what the Earth looks like when I've only been to two continents so far.

You make a good point about the stereotyping, and I admit I have only met one agent. He was well spoken, with excellent manners, and a great personality. I enjoyed listening to his stories about the various sportsmen he represented, and I learned a lot about the business from him. 

 

He talked a lot about the agency business, and that's what it was to him.........

 

A business.

 

He was in it to make as much money as he could from the very limited time frame any sportsman has. Yes it was all legal, but as any good salesman will tell you, it's all about how you sell to someone.

 

Based in London, as many of his clients were, he was pretty sure he could get a player from a provisional club to sign for Arsenal, Chelsea, or Spuds with little trouble if he could get the interest from those clubs. The lure of London, especially if he could get the wife on board, would usually win the day, not to mention the glamour and money aspects he could put into their heads.

 

It was in his interest to promote them by moving them, because it was his business. Nothing more. Not much difference from selling any product. Most products need to be moved on to create further business.

 

But I get your point. And I admit only knowing one agent does swing opinion. And he was a nice bloke! 

 

If you are an agent, I'd be interested in hearing your side of the story and how it differs from the agent I knew!

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

You make a good point about the stereotyping, and I admit I have only met one agent. He was well spoken, with excellent manners, and a great personality. I enjoyed listening to his stories about the various sportsmen he represented, and I learned a lot about the business from him. 

 

He talked a lot about the agency business, and that's what it was to him.........

 

A business.

 

He was in it to make as much money as he could from the very limited time frame any sportsman has. Yes it was all legal, but as any good salesman will tell you, it's all about how you sell to someone.

 

Based in London, as many of his clients were, he was pretty sure he could get a player from a provisional club to sign for Arsenal, Chelsea, or Spuds with little trouble if he could get the interest from those clubs. The lure of London, especially if he could get the wife on board, would usually win the day, not to mention the glamour and money aspects he could put into their heads.

 

It was in his interest to promote them by moving them, because it was his business. Nothing more. Not much difference from selling any product. Most products need to be moved on to create further business.

 

But I get your point. And I admit only knowing one agent does swing opinion. And he was a nice bloke! 

 

If you are an agent, I'd be interested in hearing your side of the story and how it differs from the agent I knew!

Good post. Many agents doubtless see their players as a commodity; a way to make big money. There are a fair few players, sold for a vast amount, who find themselves unable to live up to the expectations of the buying club, who then find themselves struggling, and  losing confidence, their ability nullified.

 

How many agents would be concerned for their players, once they have collected, a not so small fortune on the deal?

[fazzyfox]

I was in a pub a few years ago when a group of agents came in and sat at the next table to me, they were genuine as everything they discussed went through in the next few days, I have never had the misfortune to be in the company of such a group of turds in my life.

They took the piss out of their clients (players), took the piss out of buying clubs, took the piss out of selling clubs, boasted about getting a player through a medical by showing fake (old or not even his) scans to the buying club (I doubt this could happen now, clubs would insist on carrying out their own) and the player in question barely kicked a ball in his time at his new club. Hilarious.

They boasted about how they feed false rumours of wage offers to the press and that clubs fall for it and up their own offer to the player, all whilst acting like a cross between gutter press journalists and city bankers on a night out. Loud, full of themselves, pigs in a trough, scum, the ones I met anyway. A good agent, someone who helps a released player find a suitable club, helps an ageing player to get a longer contract than the initial offer etc has a place but the contempt for players, clubs, ticket buying mugs who in those times financed most of it (us) shown by these guys was a revealing glimpse into their characters and motivations.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I was in a pub a few years ago when a group of agents came in and sat at the next table to me, they were genuine as everything they discussed went through in the next few days, I have never had the misfortune to be in the company of such a group of turds in my life.

They took the piss out of their clients (players), took the piss out of buying clubs, took the piss out of selling clubs, boasted about getting a player through a medical by showing fake (old or not even his) scans to the buying club (I doubt this could happen now, clubs would insist on carrying out their own) and the player in question barely kicked a ball in his time at his new club. Hilarious.

They boasted about how they feed false rumours of wage offers to the press and that clubs fall for it and up their own offer to the player, all whilst acting like a cross between gutter press journalists and city bankers on a night out. Loud, full of themselves, pigs in a trough, scum, the ones I met anyway. A good agent, someone who helps a released player find a suitable club, helps an ageing player to get a longer contract than the initial offer etc has a place but the contempt for players, clubs, ticket buying mugs who in those times financed most of it (us) shown by these guys was a revealing glimpse into their characters and motivations.

That speaks volumes.

[ThaiFox]

I was in a pub a few years ago when a group of agents came in and sat at the next table to me, they were genuine as everything they discussed went through in the next few days, I have never had the misfortune to be in the company of such a group of turds in my life.

They took the piss out of their clients (players), took the piss out of buying clubs, took the piss out of selling clubs, boasted about getting a player through a medical by showing fake (old or not even his) scans to the buying club (I doubt this could happen now, clubs would insist on carrying out their own) and the player in question barely kicked a ball in his time at his new club. Hilarious.

They boasted about how they feed false rumours of wage offers to the press and that clubs fall for it and up their own offer to the player, all whilst acting like a cross between gutter press journalists and city bankers on a night out. Loud, full of themselves, pigs in a trough, scum, the ones I met anyway. A good agent, someone who helps a released player find a suitable club, helps an ageing player to get a longer contract than the initial offer etc has a place but the contempt for players, clubs, ticket buying mugs who in those times financed most of it (us) shown by these guys was a revealing glimpse into their characters and motivations.

 

Pretty much my experience too, except the agent I knew was a neighbour and a really nice bloke, certainly not the loud scum type as you describe. But what he said about his clients over many, many chats with him was much as you've put it. 

[Mezeker]

The biggest curse in modern football, in my opinion. Forget moaning at inept referees, because these parasites are destroying the game from within. They create restlessness among players, that wouldn't be there other wise. They disrupt players concentration, both on and off the pitch, which can effect other players too.

 

"Jimmy, lad, I can get you a great deal at such and such a club. You can make much more money, son".

What they mean is that they can earn themselves a fortune, which is all they are concerned with. They do not have the well being of the players at heart. Do they care about the players at all.? I don't think so. They are motivated by greed, and only greed. Yes, there are greedy players out there, but how much of it is instilled by their agents, fuelling it even more?

 

Agents, in my opinion, are a cancer within the game, and that wont change, sadly.

My sister works for CAA in LA, pretty sure if not for her most of her NBA clients would be broke by now.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Thinking about Kante, makes me wonder about what his agent is up to? 

[Hack]

I was thinking. If Vardy's agent get's 15% of his 120k Arsenal wages that's £18k a week just few a few hours negotiating.

It would be more like 7% than 15%

[Webbo]

It would be more like 7% than 15%

Still not bad.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Still not bad.

Yes, a low percentage, can still be a fortune.