23 Jul 2017 22:44:33
Ed02. Agents fees, now there is a subject which often includes bribery and black mail in many people's understanding, although I am sure it is all legal and accountable.
Does a player only "employ" an agent in a fee capacity when negotiating a transfer or new contract? The buying club obviously negotiates a fee with the agent where the " if u want my player to sign for you, then I will will need so much money " scenario comes into play. There again the agent could say to the selling club " I will try and get a bit more money for you if u pay me so and so " but then again this must be between the 2 clubs and not involve the agent. Must be lots of conflicts of interests and I assume various contracts have to be written in legal terms to insure everything is above board. Are football agents closely monitored by some sort of authority which monitors their actions?
{Ed002's Note - No. Many use an agent on a contractual basis to negotiate future moves. This tends to be at the higher level. Step down and the can become surrogate mothers. Two quickies stories you might enjoy. (a) a Premier League player who couldn't drive had his agent organise the purchase of an expensive car that was rolled out of the garage when he was visited by the press etc. for interviews, demanded the car was replaced a year later with the latest model in a different colour. He still couldn't drive - but it was image. It had a couple of hundred miles on the clock. (b) a northern-based Premier League player who had put clothes in a washing machine but had no idea how to turn it on repeatedly rang his agent in the South East for instructions on how to use it. This was eventually solved by the agent persuading someone at the Worsley Park Marriott to send a housekeeper (or similar member of staff) around to his house to do his washing and instruct him and his girlfriend in the use of the machine. I will say that both players involved are English.
Agents are regulated and monitored but in certain countries there are some horror stories. The al Bangura tale all comes out of this guy who has published a book on the exploitation of youngster in football. There has been quite a big deal going on in Belgium about it for a couple of years. Investigations are on-going in Spain which has the Cotonou Agreement where African and Caribbean players are not counted against non-EU quotas so t Others here is a periodic influx of Africans, often young and from poor families. I suspect a bigger deal than is necessary will be made of the whole matter.
The number of "foreign" players is also an interesting subject and there are a number of reasons - some I won't think of but I will try and provide some rationale. In terms of pure numbers (and putting aside less major leagues such as Scotland, the Championship, Cyprus and Luxembourg), the Premier League is some distance ahead of the main protagonists in Europe. Right now England has around 70% foreign players with Portugal, Belgium and Italy all around 50% to 55% and Russia, Spain, the Netherlands and France all around the 40% give or take. You would need to check the exact figures with the CIES Football Observatory reports which come out with boring statistics all too often - try not to read too much in to any you stumble across. The reasons behind this include (but are not limited to): (a) There is far more money in the Premier League so clubs can cherry pick players from around the world. (b) The Premier League is attractive because of the profile and media coverage. (c) English clubs often price English players out of a move to other English sides. (d) European sides (e.g. Italy) have to work with in a far more demanding quota system. (e) Some countries have the benefit of agreements (e.g. Spain which has the Cotonou Agreement where African and Caribbean players are not counted against non-EU quotas) that are beneficial to clubs. (f) Some countries have quotas which are game based rather than squad based (e.g. Ukraine limits non homegrown players on the pitch to seven etc.). (g) Some countries have clubs that realise players from their home nation most suit the type of game played in that country and there are benefits in terms of moving players between clubs - as opposed to taking a youngster out of his comfort zone of sunny South America to move to the grim, wet and cobbled streets Northwest of England where there would be a significant cultural change, smog, dead & dying pit ponies laying on the street, little chance of football at the highest level and only chips and fried curry to eat.
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23 Jul 2017 23:45:30
Thank you ed02.
23 Jul 2017 23:53:26
I can confirm the north is exactly like that- most can't also grasp the local dialect- Kebabish.
24 Jul 2017 04:01:16
Awesome insight ed002 - thanks :-)
24 Jul 2017 08:05:46
Great read Ed002! 👍🏼.
24 Jul 2017 08:33:13
Thnks Ed002. Very insightful as always.
But would be the take of the English football governing body on this issue of English clubs overpricing their their players out of moves (most times to 'good'clubs)?
I personally think its affecting their football.
{Ed002's Note - They have no say in it.}
24 Jul 2017 09:02:04
Thanks Ed.
24 Jul 2017 20:03:46
Nice cut n paste.
{Ed018's Note - it sounds that way}