The uncertainty of the transfer window
Hi hope you are all well.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and successful new year and once again thank you for taking the time to read this blog.
The start of the 2009 also heralds the opening of the transfer window. There is no doubt that is a very exciting time in the modern football calendar for fans. It is also exciting from a player's perspective, although our excitement is tempered somewhat by that all too familiar feeling that a footballer has - uncertainty.
This uncertainty can be apparent on two fronts. One is the thought that you could soon be moving clubs (again)! You tend to notice an increase in players making a bee line for their mobile phones after training during the transfer window, just to check if their agent has been in touch (agents - a subject we will touch on later). The other is the fear that whoever the club brings in will take your place.
I have been in this situation on a number of occasions and I am sure I will be in it again. The surprising thing is that no matter how many times you experience it, the experience still hurts like hell. Then comes the test of whether you rise to the challenge of someone coming in to try and take your place or just sulk and accept it.
The transfer window for clubs in the lower divisions varies markedly from that of the bigger clubs. Obviously the size of the transfer fees involved is a major difference but there is also the difficulty that small clubs have in shipping players out. Players who are not getting a game for a League Two club will find it difficult to get another club in league football. It is a horrible reality for those in that situation.
Put yourself in the shoes of one of these players. You are out of contract in the summer, your current club wants you out so they can bring in different players, your only offers are from clubs outside of the Football League and for considerably less money, what do you do? In such circumstances, I would find it very difficult to criticise a player for seeing out his contract.
You could argue that Premier League teams also get stuck with players they don't want but the fundamental difference is that somebody will gladly take these players off their hands for the right price.
The transfer window is open season for agents. They have been gearing up for 1 January for months, building foundations, sowing seeds of doubt in players' minds.
Generally, I am not the biggest fan of agents. I am sure there are good agents out there who have their client's best interest at heart, but from those I have come across, I could count the ones I would trust on one hand.
During my career I have signed with two agents. My involvement with both came in the early stages of my career when I thought having an agent was the done thing, sort of an unwritten rule that if you were a professional footballer you had to have an agent. That is not the case!
Although I am sceptical about agents, I do acknowledge that they have a place in the modern day game, especially for the top players whose contract negotiations and everything connected with these deals are such complex issues. However, I do worry about just how relevant they are to players in the lower leagues.
Some players - especially the foreign players - have more than one agent; this is when deals can get particularly complicated. I remember when I was at Coventry and a Norwegian striker arrived to sign.
I had never heard of the striker before but he brought with him an entourage of about eight people. Problems started to arise when three separate guys claimed to be his agent. They were given half-an-hour to decide who represented the player but with no solution in sight, the whole delegation was sent packing! The real loser in the whole fiasco was the player who although naïve in having so many people around him (that said I would not be surprised if the player did not actually know all of the men) suffered as a result of other peoples' greed.
Looking back on my own career, agents have not played a big part in any of the moves I have made (and there have been quite a few). The only use I can see for agents in the cases of players such as myself is that they can put your name about to other clubs but as I found out there are other ways to do this.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I simply got a list of all the managers and phoned them. That way you bypass all the false promises that agents make and at least find out what a manager thinks of you as a player, even if it is not what you want to hear.
Seeing as I am on my high horse, I may as well carry on!
Over the years I have overheard younger players talking about what agency they have signed up to and the high-profile players that they have on their books. My advice to these players, for what it's worth, is to be careful. Agents have a tendency to sign up any young player who shows even the slightest bit of promise in the hope that one day, one of the big clubs will come in for him and ultimately line the pockets of the agent .
Ultimately it is the ability of the player that will facilitate his transfer to a bigger and better club, not the agent who represents him.
Hello, I'm Gavin Strachan. I describe myself as a "journeyman" player after 13 years in the game as a professional. I'm currently between clubs, having been released by Notts County. I'm also studying journalism and the aim of my blog is to provide an insight into the life of a footballer.
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Hi Gav, Happy New Year to you and all your friends and family. Glad to see that you do not think that agents are a MUST.
I hope some of the younger players actually read your words..
Good luck!
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Hi Gavin,
Firstly Happy New year!
I just wondered what a professionals view on loan signings is?
I am a Norwich fan and currently a large proportion of our team is made up of loanees. Commitment to the clubs cause amongst other things has been mentioned, what are your experiences of playing alongside loan players, are they really as committed to the club as the permanent players?
Cheers
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The quality of the football played outside the football league is not that much different from leagues 1 & 2. The BSQ have some excellent players who are as good as, if not better than those from higher divisions. If a pro wants to play, and loves the game like most of them say they do, they will drop down a step or two, and not necessarily for less money. I have heard of some players staying in the (then) Conference because they had a better deal than any offered by a league club!
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Yet another really well written and insightful blog. What you're writing here is in my opinion a fascinating and humorous insight into the lives of professional footballers; easily the best blog on the BBC.
For my 2p's worth I couldn't agree more about agents, and I hope something can be done to make sure they don't kill off the game for good in the future. Anyway, all the best and well done again.
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Gavin
Shoot your sub-editor. "Sewing the seeds of doubt"????
But I would just like to echo many others over the past year in saying I really enjoy your blog and I hope, unlike previous contributors (eg Steve Nolan), the BBC don't try and find someone new.
Perhaps a future topic might be your views on individual football commentators and summarisers - my present favourite is Matt Holland.
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To #5 cypruswanderer - thanks for spotting that typo which is now corrected!
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"You are out of contract in the summer, your current club wants you out so they can bring in different players, your only offers are from clubs outside of the Football League and for considerably less money" - Are we to expect you'll be moving up the road to Field Mill this month?
Hope so.......
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another brillant blog gavin I love to read them it is always intesting to hear about football from someone in the lower leagues. If you were to move into coaching where would you like to coach and why, being realistic.Cheers
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Interesting blog however there is a lot of money floating about non league football i know of players who have stepped down from league football and earned an absolute packet, for example one lad i knew was on £300 for 2 training sessions a week and a game at weekend plus he working during the 'normal working week' earning fair bit of bob doing that so its not all doom gloom although that said i know of teams playing in the division below yours playing £50 a week so swings in roundabouts! On the subject of agents i think they are swarming around as a result of stupid footballers or can't handle their own affairs I think if i was in a governing body I would get together with the PFA, LMA, FA and poss UEFA and ban agents and set up universal agents service to handle the affairs on the players behalf, transfers, investments etc and make all of the agents illegal in terms of footballing matters if Beckham wants an agent to sell his next tattoo or whatever fine but don't have him snooping around the football clubs.
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Hi Gavin
Happy new year to you and your family
I have seldom read a column with more inciteful sensible comments
If you move club again good luck with that and keep up with the blog
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Gavin - probably your best blog to date.
I for one cannot see why Agents are needed? Do the PFA not supply people to help with contract negotiations? At the end of the day, we, the fans foot the bill for their 'work'.
I would not be sorry to hear them banned from football.
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Great blog Gav. Happy New Year to you and all the Notts Team.
As a fan of the mighty pies I hope that we don't see you leaving during January or during the summer. Especailly not going to Field Mill.
I am hoping to see you get a regular place in the starting line up! Just keep yourself fit.
Did you stop using agents through advice from those with experience or did you just decide yourself that agents weren't for you? I am just interested to see if the younger players really do listen to those with experience.
Keep up the good work with the blog and please keep fit for the mighty pies.
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Gavin,
I have read most of your blogs and really enjoy them, partly as a sports boffin and partly because it makes me dream of a life that could have been. Being injured and having to train yourself back to fitness still sounds better than an office job....
Your comment on agents is fascinating and seem similar in spirit to those written by Roy Keane in his biography. It seems that there are very few who really need an agent, and they are the ones where image rights become an issue.
Finally, I would like to say the quality of your blogs (as written journalistic pieces) is markedly improving and a credit to your obvious hard work!
Keep writing!
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Great Blog Gavin
#11
David Batty always used the PFA to negotiate his contracts. Like Gavin, he did not trust agents, in fact reading his biography, he positively hated them. He claimed that as a young player, he got better deals from clubs like Leeds & Blackburn because they didn't have to consider how much they were indirectly paying for the agents services.
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Good work Gavin,
It's good to see someone commenting on the role of agents in the business. Young players really need to read this and heed the warnings.
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Agents ruin the game as far as I can tell.
With the transfer window there are a few things I would like to say. I think it is a good idea as it means that clubs can't cherry pick talent from anywhere at anytime meaning that clubs do have to promote youngsters.
However I think this could be made to be better as I think that transfers between clubs in the same nation for players eligble for that nation should be allowed throughout the year.
This would mean that clubs would only be allowed to buy/use players that boost the national team as well as their own status at that time.
An example of this is Everton, who have a striker shortage, who would have been able to buy an english striker thus encouraging the inclusion of english players in top flight teams. It would be a simple ruling that would aid the 5+6 rule that Uefa want.
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Good blog. Good to hear a footballer being suspicious of agents, just as I am sure most fans are. Best of luck with your career.
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"no solution in site" ???????
surely its sight !!!!
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& surely there is a comma after hi in the opening line !!
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& its beeline or bee-line not bee line !!!!
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"comes the test whether" ?
did we miss an "of" somewhere , say between test & whether ?
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"however I do worry just how relevant"
no comma after however ?
no "about" after worry ?
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Hi Gav,
A very Happy New Year to you and your family.
Another excellent, honest, well written blog.
Thanks
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"that said I would not"
surely a comma after said would help this phrase make sense ???
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To Poster 22....Do you have nothing better to do other than scrutinising articles for the most minor of spelling/grammar errors?? Do you get some kind of a kick out of it?? Get a life mate!!
Anyway, great article Gavin, as always! keep up the good work.
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11747905,
You have made a mistake yourself in post 20, it should be 'it's' not 'its'.
Take it easy lad.
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Gavin, a great blog really do enjoy reading yours above the others, it nice to get the point of view of the 'average' footballer instead of the superstars! Looking forward to the next one
And 11747905 don't you have anything better to do on a friday morning ?!
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Well spotted maw501 !
as for you mcshef "friday" has a capital F !!!
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Anyone spot my mistake ?
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Yes, your CAPS LOCK doesn't work.
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I love the transfer window as a fan. Love staying up watching the news on deadline day to see the last minute deals. As a man utd fan we are not usually busy during the windows, but I still love seeing the moves other clubs make.
However, after reading another blog about managers not getting enough time, I am starting to wonder if the transfer window is a catalyst of the mass number of managerial sackings in the last few years.
If a club is struggling, if they have a few injuries or suspensions, they could previously look around and get someone in that cover....and if they put in a good few performances they could save a manager his job.
Not having the option to bring in a new person on a permenant basis in times of crisis will add more pressure to a manager.
Also I think the window often forces the chairman to make rash decisions and opt to fire the manager before a transfer window opens in the hope of starting a fresh with a new manager.
Still love it though
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I wonder how many Premiership players don't have an agent?
I don't think Paul Scholes or Ruud Gullit had agents but not sure about the others.
I'm sure your dad loves agents Gavin!
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Which one?
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Gavin, it may be a bit too close to home for you to want to comment, but.....
What is your take on a player like Bobo Balde during these transfers windows?
He does not use an agent and is known to be a straight talking negotiator, with no interest in the typical wheeling and dealing B.S of the transfer industry.
He has been at a club who (rightly or wrongly) have been trying to move him on for a period of time, after THEY offered a mega-bucks contract out of naivety and desperation, sometimes attempting to bully him out of the door (although your Dad has nothing to do with that aspect) - and he has steadfastly refused to take a significant loss on forecast earnings and his family would prefer not to move from their adopted home city.
Sure, he's not exactly been asked to move to "backwater football"; but he has been pilloried by his club (and some sections of the media) for refusing to miss out on a £1m payment - that he has no doubt forecast his (and his family's) entire financial future on.
Who would you say is the "wronged party" in that situation?
I can understand if you would prefer to take the "Fifth" on this question!!
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Happy New Year Gav,
As no-one seems to like football agents.......Even their wives and mother I sometimes expect.
Could you have a sneeky word with your dad and tell him to contact David Moyes. We need a striker and Celtic are always good for that.
BTW good blog
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Happy new year!
I am from Mongolia and I'm big fan of your blog.
I wanna help and improve soccer development in Mongolia. In your opinion what shall i to do this?
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I mean what are important points for soccer development?
P.S: My English is not good. :D
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Gav,
Another fantastic blog - I look forward to reading your blogs every week.
I am a Luton season ticket holder and was just wondering what you think of the points deductions given to Luton as well as Bournemouth and Rotherham by the F.A, being a player for another Leaque 2 side??
It must be helpful knowing that your team start 17 points out of the relegation zone but do you not think it is unfair?
P.S. Keep up the good work!
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All I can say is congratulations. I admire anyone who sets out to contact virtually everyone of importance in their chosen proffession to stay in a job. Anyone with a positive attitude like that deserves the opportunities it may bring. Well done.
I remember a not very good player Robbie Reinelt getting an agent in his early teens. He did go on to score for Brighton and save them from relegation to the conference, but never looked of pro standard. I can never understand why parents think it a good idea to encourage such contact at such a young age; maybe Rooney but few others.
It must be confusing to outsiders on the contractual complexities. I know the PFA will help negotiate for pro players, something Mark Lawrenson did after Oxford. But having known players of my generation who were offered pro contracts but decided to turn it down because of the doubts over a pro career and staying at uni, none of them seemed to be offered much support by the PFA. Does the PFA help much to aspiring players? They seemed a bit distant to my friends and although a specific friend was well supported by Huddersfield Town through his first year at uni, the PFA don't appear to help or assist people who choose to do this; unlike rugby where a lot of clubs accept such dual approaches.
For most people like me outside the game it seems the PFA with it's huge budget does very little of good at grass roots level. No doubt some players are helped in transition from amateur to player and back again but you don't hear of any positive support for higeher education like many traditional Trade Unions do.
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First time ive commented on your blogs but read every one of them!
Crackin read and very interesting as always.
I always think about what players must be feeling at this time of the year whether it be excitement or nausea, question answered and for the first time ever i feel like i can feel sorry for a footballer ;)
good luck for the new year mate
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Hi Gav
Excellent Blog as usual, you have always been a class act. It's good to know you are pursuing Journalism as well, hope it works out for you as you have a very interesting outlook and insight into modern football away from the major limelight.
I must admit I am not a huge fan of agents in the game, simply because transfer fee's are now being pushed up to levels that are pricing smaller clubs out of players just to pay the commissions to the agents for doing what is essentially very little.
I was a player myself until forced to retire through injury without making a single appearance, life now is great and I wouldnt trade it even for the career you have had but I still think some of this 'wasted' money for agents could go on supporting players who didn't make it. I had qualifications to fall back on, many don't.
I love your blogs, long may they continue, and I wish the same sentiment for your career also.
Keep up the good work, and a Happy New Year to you and yours
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post 2 . Having been on loan and also played with a lot of loan players , I can honestly say there is only one or two where I could doubt their attitude . Loan players have to try and impress either their parent club or the club they are on loan to in order to try and make the deal permanent.
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post 5 . I have started to look at commentators and summarisers in a different light since I started doing my university course . I quite like Steve Claridge on five live . He actually tries to educate the listener about formations and what is going on in the game from a tactical point of view.
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Gavin,
Happy New Year to you to (only 3 of the first 40 posts have done that, tut-tut).
One of your first points is around the uncertainty the transfer window brings. This brings me to a related question which is maybe an article all on its on - transfer speculation in the press!
We do sometimes hear players say they don't read the press, but come-on, after you've finished training for the day at 10:30am (joke, I've read your earlier blogs!), do players really read & believe the press speculation.......or are clubs truthful and talk to players beforehand?
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post 12 . I have no intention of leaving the club . In fact I would like to stay there as long as possible as it really is a great club. We are having a tough time just now but I want to be around for the times when we are challenging for promotion.
As for the agents , it was my decision not to have one . I just felt I could do the things they do myself.
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post 14 . We are very lucky to have the PFA . All my experiences with the PFA have been great . They will advise you on any contract , they have helped me with my university course and advised me on financial aspects such as my pension , writing a will etc . I know some people who have not had such great experiences with them but I have nothing but good things to say about our union.
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Post 38 . I dont know enough about the cases of these teams to accurately comment but I would say it would be interesting to see if the same punishment would be dished out to a Premier League side.
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11747905 - I bet you're a right barrel of laughs.
Quality blog Gav, happy new year and all that, just like to echo the sentiments of many on here, a very insightful piece - thanks!
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As a Cardiff fan, I can't help but think that an agent had far too much of a say on Routledges deflection from us to QPR today.
I might be wrong though.
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Really a very good blog.
Good to point out that agents are not necessary and are bad to the games many times.
Also players are native to have too many people who dont really care about you beside the money.
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Hi Gavin,
I'm an agent in Spain, licensed by the Spanish Federation but also registered with the FA in UK, where I have a number of players, who undoubtedly, without me, would never have got there. Unfortunately I feel it is far too easy to critise agents and say that they are no use, if, as you rightly say, you never really needed one. However, not all players are as fortunate as you, or in so mnay cases, as ingelligent and of course, as you fairly say, not all agents are money grabbing scoundals. I'm from an educational background, a qualified EFL and Spanish teacher and honestly believe I have changed the lives of many of the players I have helped or worked for/with. I have an 18 year old Argentinean talent at Betis in Seville who I brought over at age 15 with all his family, found work for his parents and to date haven't made me a dime from him. I recently signed a new contract for the lad on decent salaries, didn't charge the club a penny, and will not charge the player a penny until he makes his debut with the first team as I have promised him this, all this without anything at all in writing.
I enjoy my job, and it gives me great satisfaction to help young players suceed, especially if they deserve it. This atitude also enables me to tend to choose the right players with an attitude different to most. What I am trying to get at, is that I think it is ultimately extememly cruel to generalise and label agents, as many of us, often invest great amounts of time and money with absolutely no guaranteed return for the work we do, and in general most people label us as criminals. Jose Sandaza (Dundee United) another case of what would have been a lost footballer, disregarded by Valencia, Craig Levien is still mavelling at his free signing, and Rangers still sore for the 2 goals he put past them at Ibrox a few weeks back.
Players like Sandaza at Dundee and Damian at Betis may not need me tomorrow, however, I trust that they will also appreciate what I have done for them and always be faithfully to me, however, if a team mate convinces them to go with his agent or not use an agent at all, then tough luck for me, but they will never be able to critise me and ultimately only thank me for changing their lives completely. I am not asking for recognition for what I do, as I thorougly enjoy it and am aware of my risks, like any other self-employed professional. However, what I would appreciate, is, if people would not so easily generalise and critise as they are a great number of agents in the world that do not fall into the category that in general everyone so easily puts them in.
I work extensively in Uruguay and Argentina, have been involved in charity football projects and know these country far better than most, including the suffering and the poverty. Football for many kids there is the only way out for the whole family, I'm sorry to say, that, without agents and/or private investors, they wouldn't stand a chance. So, please, in 2009, spare a thought for those agents who have done far more for more unfortunate people than you. I am sure Maradona doesn't need an agent any more, but she would have never made it without one. Football is a global game today, with the right agent, you may make it to the top, without one, you simply limit your chances. Finally, footballers in general, anyway, should stick to playing football and leave the negotiating to professionals, who knows, you may have been on 2 or 3 grand more a week if you had trusted an agent, and everyone would have benefitted.
Clive Jagger M.A. FIFA Licensed agent 633, Spanish Football Federation, registered FA, no. ROAJ 302.
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Hi Gav,
So which option are you? I believe your contract explodes in June?
Are you about to take the Notts County midfield by the scruff of the neck and start running the show and an earn a lovely new deal?
or...
Have you been offered to Shepshed Dynamo and stated you'd prefer to rot in the reserves forgetting we don't have a reserve team or a youth team or many points!!
Come On You Pies............
Eternally optimistic and usually wrong Notts County fan for over 20 years!
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Happy New year to you and your family Gavin.
I really enjoy reading your bloq and hope that it continues.
A good read with lots of great advice for up and coming hopefulls.
Well done
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Great blog
The best i have read on the BBC site. Also a very interesting response by the agent. Would like to listen to a debate about the value of agents.
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Gav,
In regards to my previous post (38), I am so pleased to hear you say that.
It is great to hear that a football league player with no ties to any of the 3 clubs feels the same as the majority of football league supporters.
I wish you the best of luck in the new year - keep up the good work
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Happy New Year Gavin.
Firstly, great blog. To get an insight into the other side of football away from the superstardom, A-list Premier League players is a breath of fresh air. It is nice to see that agents don't have a total stranglehold on transfer matters, and will be prevented from having a monopoly whilst there are players who are wise enough to look after themselves.
Secondly, I have a question.
Managers, being the face of the club, are scrutinised in the media far more than the backroom staff he works with on a daily basis. The most high profile go on to be top class managers in their own right, examples being Carlos Quieroz, Avram Grant and most recently Ricky Sbragia.
However, many behind the scenes members of staff play a crucial part with regards to training the players, their fitness and general well being at clubs.
As is often seen, a new manager translates to improved performances on the pitch, but how much of this can be attributed solely to the manager? Would it be a fair assumption to say that the tenured coaches should be praised when things are going well but also criticised and possibly replaced as happens so frequently with managers?
Finally, I would like to know how the arrival and departure of staff such as physiopherapists and coaches affects the club as a whole and also how you reacted down the years?
Sorry for the essay, looking forward to the next read.
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that is the most informative blog I've read on the bbc website. Refreshing to hear a player voice their true thoughts about that side of the game
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Another great blog Gavin. You and Robbo are up there with the best on the BBC.
I hope you stay at Notts as you seem to be enjoying yourself there.
I've a few questions though,
I'm 16 and I've recently been to America on the search of a football/"Soccer" scholarship - the coach at Bridgton academy said he was interested in me, after one match. I really want to go over there and fullfil that, but I was wondering if you have any tips on making it over here? As if I could, I would stay here - Perhaps you could refer me to the Notts County youth set up ;) I'll be looking forward to hearing from you,
Ross.
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Hi Gav great blog, i was actually at coventry when you were there, hope you haven't got any slower! :-)
Is post 51 for real? Maradona wouldn't have made it without an agent?
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"I am sure Maradona doesn't need an agent any more but SHE would never have made it without one." Dont worry 001thebear, i think [51] is talking about Dolores Maradona who played for Boca Juniorettes 1936-1937. =]
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i love your blogs gavin. i wouldnt worry about the nick pickers on here picking pointless holes in what you say either. i wouldnt worry too much about where your next contract is coming from either. if your anything like your old man you will probably still be playing at 39 and wondering where your next contract is coming from!
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post 51. Are you suggesting that without agents players with the talents of Stevie G, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo would be playing league 2 football? (no disrespect Gav)
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Hi Gavin, Happy New Year To you.
Just wanted to say yet another great blog & what a credit to the bbc you really are!!
11747905 - what a horrible little man!!!
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Great blog, but i agree with 11747905.
Your editer needs to sort it out mate.
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Re 51 and responses. You would need to know a lot more about Argentina to know that Maradona, and also, for example, Carlos Tevez would have been probably dead or drug addicts if they hadn't been discovered and looked after by agents and private investors from very early ages. Carlos Tevez's nickname "el apache" comes from the neighbour he was brought up in, the name is self explanatory - the police don't even dare go in unless heavily armed and for a very specific reason. These players are "looked after" by agents and investors who feed the boys and their families and give them the means to be able to play football and a hope of getting out of their surroundings of drug and crime.
Leo Messi had a serious growth problem and he was helped by an agent and investor to pay the 300 dolares he needed for each injection to solve the problem - he would have been a midget if not.
I know Maradona's story pretty well as I represent Nelson Agresta (Montevideo, Uruguiay 1958), now a manager, as he was the captain of Arg. Juniors the day Maradona made his debut.
Even with stardom Maradona was a drug addcit, without this help he would have never made it to Agentino Juniors, and without the right contacts in Argentina you just don't make it. You need a "padrino" or godfather as they call us as Agents in Argentina as we take care of so many things outside football to ensure players suceed.
It really saddens me to find people on here who just read comments to critise irrelevant mistakes, obviously people who think they know everything, with very little culture and education, unfortunately the furthest they have ever been is probably Benidorm in their sad little lives. Intolerance and disrespect, one of the saddest illnesses of civilised society.
I speak 5 languages have an M.A. in Spanish Studies and numerous teaching qualification having been labelled dyslexic at school, so I do make a few mistakes occasionally. However, as many of the South American footballers I work with, have been able to get over my difficulties with a lot of help. It's all a question of motivation, but without help, i.e. from agents, this would be impossible for most.
It so easy to critise when you know nothing about the real side of many agents. The other thing that always amazes me is no one is bothered how much Tom Cruises's agent earned as you pay at the box office at the cinema.... it funny, however, that's envy for you, just have to live with that.
Clive Jagger, also post 51, FIFA Licensed agent.
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64 you are very, very sad - what is an editer????? Go back to school chummy before critising others!!!!
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WOW, I did not realise how hated we agents are, as my counterpart said, not all of us are sharks, but you must realise that sometime you have to be ruthless to achieve what is best for your clients, I also believe that the younger players do need us, we can help guide their career, tell me what person in this life does not need some sort of help in some way or another regarding their job, we give the client the personal touch, make them feel good and make them believe in themselves, we all need to be encouraged every now and then. Last but not least. The MONEY, which one of you people here can honestly say that if you had the chance to represent a top player and earn very good money, who would not?? How many here if they new Wayne Rooney as an 14 year old, and seeing him earn what he earns now, would not have tried to sign him ASAP when he was younger, it is easy to judge us, but we do a very hard job under difficlult circumstances. i.e. the hatred we get when we try to do our best and provide for our families.
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FAO: 11747905
Don't you realise sentences are supposed to start with a capital letter? Seriously mate, look at doing your 'O' Level English sometime.
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Loan arrangements are a finishing school for young players who have passed through the Academy and then spent time in the Reserve team of a major club.
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#65
Are you sure about Messi?
Here was me thinking that he'd been in Spain, with Barca, since 13 and the injections came AFTER that (as beforehand would have been dangerous while still so early in puberty) and were paid for by BARCELONA - they ceratinly seem to think they paid for them.
You are correct, many players in South America are reliant on an agent to invest in keeping them and their families housed, clothed and fed until they can get their moves to Europe, but Messi was picked up so early that this wasn't the case with him - Barca did the investing.
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Messi had a serious growth problem which was treated from about age 11 when he was at Newell's Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina. The cost was 1,800 dollars per 2 months. This was paid for by his then agent, the company his father worked for and became a private investor in the player. He was given growth hormones then - 1999 - Growth hormones can be given from a very early age, so has nothing to do with pubity (???!!!!) and once in Barcelona in 2000 when he measured 1 m 40, has been treated since. His parents wanted to move to Spain anyway, so Leo came on tiral at the Masia - he wasn't discovered, River Plate had already agreed to buy him. Barcelona just "stole" him with a family move. He is now 1'70. If growth did have anything to do with pubity, perhaps you should NOT feed your kids before pubity, then - let alone milk and calcium.
I can assure you, the battle in Argentina for the Messi ownership is ongoing.
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Thank you again gavin for an excellent blog.
I am an avid reader of your blog and try to take as much information that i can from them as i am a youth team player with a lower league side and i can honestly say that it is a million miles away from the top clubs. your blogs are refreshing as they apply to those of us who can sympathize with you as i cannot with any of the premier league players blogs.
I have takeon your advice and i am looking forward to hearing your next blog.
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Hi Gavin. Happy new year and boo to you post 44!
to your post 47. It's been proved it just doesn't happen in the premiership. Spurs illegal payments dissapeared to a minor fine. Whilst Luton's behaviour with agents has been done by virtually all major clubs and been proved to have occurred at Newcastle.
Nothing is done as lawyers obfuscate and the Premiership/FA capitualte. Just read David Conn of the Guardian on this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/18/lutontown.leaguetwofootball
and
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/nov/21/luton
Of course if Luton Town had done what Spurs or the West Ham board had got up to they'd probably have been relegated out of hand. I'm not saying West Ham should have been but it's no different in any walk off life, the big boys get a slap on the wrist and the small boys get time for the crime.
Considering football thinks it has the right to con the Inland Revenue out of money, I hope many big clubs are stiffed by the credit crunch; if they've been cooking the books like Ashley claimed Newcastle did and a court of law proved they did.
Unfortunately most ex-pro, and indeed most British sports journalists, have about as much journalisitic skill as a monkey with less brain than said monkey. I agree with you on Claridge and hope you take his incisive viewpoint into your journo career. His book is one of the greatest of all player biographies - not much competition there.
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Hi Gavin. Happy new year and boo to you post 44!
to your post 47. It's been proved it just doesn't happen in the premiership. Spurs illegal payments dissapeared to a minor fine. Whilst Luton's behaviour with agents has been done by virtually all major clubs and been proved to have occurred at Newcastle.
Nothing is done as lawyers obfuscate and the Premiership/FA capitualte. Just read David Conn of the Guardians articles on this entitled 'The book thrown at Luton stops short of top clubs'.
Of course if Luton Town had done what Spurs or the West Ham board had got up to they'd probably have been relegated out of hand. I'm not saying West Ham should have been but it's no different in any walk off life, the big boys get a slap on the wrist and the small boys get time for the crime.
Considering football thinks it has the right to con the Inland Revenue out of money, I hope many big clubs are stiffed by the credit crunch; if they've been cooking the books like Ashley claimed Newcastle did and a court of law proved they did.
Unfortunately most ex-pro, and indeed most British sports journalists, have about as much journalisitic skill as a monkey with less brain than said monkey. I agree with you on Claridge and hope you take his incisive viewpoint into your journo career. His book is one of the greatest of all player biographies - not much competition there.
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Here's a David Conn link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/nov/21/luton
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Hi Gavin, the agent again!
Would you allow me to thank a number of people who have gone to the trouble of finding email address on the FIFA website and written to me? I have received emails from as far as Bolivia! Perhaps you'd be knid enough to allow me to give my email address here on your blog to anyone who would like to contact me, and indeed any players or parents who wish any advise whatsoever from a "foreign" agent, and that goes without saying from a purely and simply non-profit angle!!!! However, if there is honest business to be done for all, quite happy, too!!! Happy to respond to all on clive@sportz.es. Many thanks. Clive
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Hi Gav, best wishes to you and the family from the frozen north (Scotland).
Some good points on the roles of agents, Clive, im sure your a good guy and have done sterling work for your clients but there are rogue (not a word I use very often but your not allowed to swear) agents out there who are only interested in using their clients for their own gain.
We had a young lad at Celtic who made about 6 starts for the club after the club had looked after him through ilness for quite some time. His contract was up for renewal and the club were desperate to give him a new one but his agent persuaded him to sign for Man ure where he was never going to play regular football but hey ho the money was good for them both. What division is Miller in now.
Gavin your far to sensible to require an agent, But keep in with your dad just in case.
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Forest fan (in peace), Gav.
I've read quite a few of your blogs with interest. They always remind me of Garry Nelson's book in that you talk about the more grimey everyday aspects of football (would rather read about the everyday stuff than read about some 22 year old prem footballers life story of a life he has'nt even had yet). If I were you, I'd be thinking about writing one of those "lower league" cult books - you have a good writing style and refreshingly honest.
Anyway, onto my main point, which is to say that I'm glad there are footballers who feel the same way about agents as I do. I actually think they are ruining the game, or definitely contributing to it.
I said to my old dad over christmas, to cut out all this middleman stuff, there should be a panel of people at the FA who handle all the things like negotiating between clubs for a player, arranging player moves (at the player or managers request)......basically a transfer service that is run at a central point and kept absolutely transparent.
This would cut out the need for agents altogether.
Agents are ruining the game, not only do they make money off the back of other people, they do it in an underhand way. They encourage players to have absolutely zero loyalty, in fact they bring out the worst quality's in a player, they make them greedy and impatient.
I would like to see that particular practice banned in football and the power wrenched out of the agents hands. Give the power back to the clubs (and even the players themselves) by centralising everything and take away the need for agents full stop.
I admit, my thoughts on it are slightly extreme, but then again, I'm old enough to remember the times when football was'nt awash with money, had more competition within the top flight, and you couldnt tell who was going to win the title at the start of the season. And that was back in the days when nobody knew what a football agent was - so if my thoughts are extreme, I make no apology for it!!!
Keep up the writing Gavin. Good luck to you and yours.
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