If only we had someone at the club, perhaps at board level or similar, who operated the world's most successful football intelligence syndicate and that information could be used for the benefit of the club...
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Top football agent Jon Smith says our scouting system can't compete with most in the Prem
- Thread starter stss30
- Start date
What a terrible interviewer - straight out of the sub Garth Crooks' school - long rambling multiple questions, half statements rather than questions and half 'look at me'................the agent's comments about us seemed reasonable enough though - nothing to get steamed up about, certainly.
seagulls4ever
New member
- Oct 2, 2003
- 4,338
Wow, misinterpreting comments much guys?
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
Football agents DO NOT inflate the price of football, the likes of Sky Sports and multi billionaire club owners do. Despite just about everyone saying they hate football agents, I would bet each and every one of you a pound to a piece of shit, you'd be one if you had the opportunity. They are there to look after their clients and themselves. Clubs will quickly get rid of those they do not want, why should players not be allowed the same?
Don't think it's that black and white
Shuggie
Well-known member
All 20 Premier League clubs are in Deloittes top 40 clubs worldwide ranked by annual turnover. As has been suggested above, agents will seek us out when/if we get there because their motivation is predominantly financial. So, they can be expected to come knocking when they have a client to promote. In which case Smith is talking out if his proverbial.
On the other hand, when we have an urgent need to go out and find someone (say an unexpected left back vacancy?), the agents we already know and love won't have the same access as the Smith chap and his peers to the types of players we would want to recruit with Premier League revenues at our disposal. In which case his comments would seem entirely reasonable. But, as he says, once one or two of the top agents have dealt with TB, PB, CH a couple of times, their good name will be rapidly established and we will have caught up.
Happy New Year from Phnom Penh!
On the other hand, when we have an urgent need to go out and find someone (say an unexpected left back vacancy?), the agents we already know and love won't have the same access as the Smith chap and his peers to the types of players we would want to recruit with Premier League revenues at our disposal. In which case his comments would seem entirely reasonable. But, as he says, once one or two of the top agents have dealt with TB, PB, CH a couple of times, their good name will be rapidly established and we will have caught up.
Happy New Year from Phnom Penh!
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I disagree. I've heard plenty of anecdotal evidence from players and others in clubs that agents generally don't tend to add value, they just increase costs. Players do not need agents.
I remember reading Garry Nelson's book where he says about a youngster who played a blinder in one cup game (I forget if it was for Brighton or Charlton) but on the back of that one game, the kid had agents pestering him, telling him that he would play for Man U or Liverpool and filling his head with nonsense. The poor kid was full of himself but ultimately never saw his dreams realised and it played a big part in ruining his career.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
They ONLY increase costs if the football system allows them too. If clubs said no, the agents would have to re-evaluate what they consider top dollar. All the time the Prem is awash with money it will be exploited.
Oh players need agents no doubt, please do not get too teary eyed at football clubs and remember the clubs Boardrooms are full of unbeleivably rich business men, barristers, accountants and del boys, yes they need agents.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I'd also add that Brighton do have one thing in our favour that the other clubs don't and that's access to Tony Bloom's gambling syndicate algorithms and databases which his firm uses to identify the advantages and hidden value in football betting. It's likely (I've no proof) that Ulloa and Knockaert were identified in part from this system and remember, this is the system that has generated the huge fortune for Bloom that has enabled him to invest in the club.
We probably will need to upgrade our scouting system if we hit the big time but right now I think that Hughton and Bloom has proved that you don't necessarily need the best players, what you need is the best team and we appear to be bloody good right now in that department.
We probably will need to upgrade our scouting system if we hit the big time but right now I think that Hughton and Bloom has proved that you don't necessarily need the best players, what you need is the best team and we appear to be bloody good right now in that department.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
I just think of the likes of Burnley, Hull, Bournemouth and how good their agent networks are/were. I doubt they are much better now than ours are.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
They don't per se. I'm not getting teary-eyed but there is no law requiring agents and players can get the PFA to be involved in negotiations. I'm sorry but I can't feel too bad if a kid with no agent gets 40 thousand a week contract rather than a 60 thousand a week one if he had an agent.
Ian Wright never had an agent, it didn't seem to do him any harm.
He'd walk into Wenger's office ask where he had to sign, put pen to paper and walk out again.
At no point did he ever ask his wage, let alone where he ranked with his teammates.
He'd walk into Wenger's office ask where he had to sign, put pen to paper and walk out again.
At no point did he ever ask his wage, let alone where he ranked with his teammates.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Very true.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
But that is an exception to the rule.
Sheebo
Well-known member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 29,319
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
But the PFA do not have the process to increase interest and therefore increase the players negotiating power, many agents are not only dealing with big time players, many try to encourage a scout to offer a trial to a player that otherwise might not get it, yet the agent might see some potential and it offers opportunity.
Clubs themselves use agents to move players on too, many without the players knowledge, hardly ethical.
There is never a place for bad owners, coaches or agents, but good agents, good owners and good coaches all have a necessary function within the game.
There are good agents and bad ones, exactly the same as is the case for property transactions.
FIFA's decision to have abolish licences for agents on the face of things looks nuts, but is pragmatic given that there was poor governance and no evidence that licenced agents operated more professionally than the unlicenced ones.
Football is awash with money at the elite level, but if you are a 19 year old first season pro at Bury on £200 a week it's not so glamourous. *Some* clubs will take advantage of players who don't have the financial knowledge to look after themselves.
If you want a look at the lower end of football, I'd thoroughly recommend the book by the Albion U-16 coach Ben Smith, called Journeyman. It's a great read.
FIFA's decision to have abolish licences for agents on the face of things looks nuts, but is pragmatic given that there was poor governance and no evidence that licenced agents operated more professionally than the unlicenced ones.
Football is awash with money at the elite level, but if you are a 19 year old first season pro at Bury on £200 a week it's not so glamourous. *Some* clubs will take advantage of players who don't have the financial knowledge to look after themselves.
If you want a look at the lower end of football, I'd thoroughly recommend the book by the Albion U-16 coach Ben Smith, called Journeyman. It's a great read.