11 Jun 2021 12:50:15
With the recent chat around agent fees, didn't the Premier Leagur propose that rather than clubs playing the agents fees, it should be the players responsibility. Did that proposal get kicked into the long grass?

{Ed0666's Note - would you willingly pay money from you’re own pocket for agent fees when traditionally it’s the club that’s paid them? I wouldn’t mate. And I’m sure if they tried making this legislation there’d be a revolt


1.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 13:53:42
Ed0666, if I wanted a professional to help me get the best job in my field, I am damn sure any future employer would never pay the fees. I don't get it in Football, like Grim said if you employ and agent to get you the best transfer fee and wages etc then you should be bloody paying them.

{Ed0666's Note - who said football was the real world mate?


2.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 14:11:02
Just seems like a weird situation, its like if I get Mino to go into my boss, ask him for a pay rise, then Mino says to my boss, you have to pay my invoice as well for negotiating this payrise.

I was just reading about the tax implications as well, with agents working on both behalf of the club and the player, that blew my mind. Its Friday, too late in the week to deal with that kind of detail.

Ed666, you said traditionally, do you know how long clubs have been paying the agent fees, is this a recent thing over the last 20 years or has it been going on since the days of Billy Meredith.

{Ed0666's Note - don’t know mate sorry. Whose Billy Meredith?


3.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 14:39:47
Too far removed, take it they are too busy to negotiate their own deal?


4.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 14:40:42
Billy Meredith was the first Welsh Wizard, played for both City then United after City were found making illegal payments. We subsequently won our first League Championship.

For me he is up there with Duncan Edwards, George Best, Cantona and Ronaldo as the very best to play for United, now that is a debate.

{Ed0666's Note - thanks for the education mate I’ll be sure to google him 👍


5.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 16:09:36
The whole thing seems bizarre to me and I can’t believe it hasn’t been regulated. The money gents re able to make is obscene and to demand a fee from a club for negotiating a transfer, I really don’t understand how it has come to this.

{Ed077's Note - well clubs do use those agents to negotiate and conclude those deals so it's not out of the world concept that those agents should thus be paid for their services by the club(s) I. However the figures involved are clearly insane and only rising and rising very window.


6.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 15:56:55
Are clubs paying Agent fees for contracts and or transfers a thing peculiar to Football? As far as I am aware (and my knowledge here is limited I will freely admit) but in other sports such as the NFL the agent takes a percentage of the wages of the player for representing them in negotiations and for endorsements etc.

I have never really understood the reawon for allowing a system in football that allows a payment to an agent to get a lump sum for negotiating a transfer.

Then again I guess the clubs are at fault for allowing the system to be in place as is. They could all have refused to pay but I guess it suited some clubs generally the richest who were able to use their cash to more readily get the players they wanted, no doubt we are one of the worst offenders in enabling this.


7.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 16:54:22
Supply and demand. If you don't want to pay the fees you don't have to. But then you won't get the players. I'm glad it's not regulated i'd hate anybody to tell me what I can or can't charge for my services.
I admire these guys they are getting paid huge sums for not a great deal of work.
It seems obscene but I bet if it was your son or brother earning those sums as an agent you wouldn't be unhappy.
Football fans are funny folk.
Some don't want the owners leaving debt on the club and taking dividends. Agents earn too much. Pkayers earn too much. Owners don't spend enough. Hard crowd to please us football fans.


8.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 19:00:35
oakbark.
There are some players that will have agents and use them solely for transfer or contract negotiations and they might Employ a different agent or agency to represent them commercially.
My company sponsor several footballers golfers olymmic athletes etc all over the world and in many cases the agency we deal with is not the agent that would represent them for non commercial activities.
There are many players in the squad at united that have a much higher income for their offfield commercial interests than their 200k pw salary at United.
Paul pogba can earn as much as 250% more from his social media and sponsors than he earns playing for united.
Its a crazy world out there and there are ways of making money now at a rate that's just stratospheric.
The guys that employ the best agents and agency to Maximise their offfield potential earnings are coining it in. Fair play to them.


9.) 11 Jun 2021
11 Jun 2021 20:32:40
I have no problem with agents representing players and taking a percentage of their earnings for their efforts, the more they make the player the more they make and good luck to them.

I do not agree that an agent should be payed by a club a fee to negotiate a transfer or should I say both clubs and especially not the amounts reported or eve getting a fee for negotiating a new contract with a team they already play for.

As I said I am aware we have probably benefitted at times in terms of players we obtained and have a responsibility as one of the clubs fuelling it.

Would I prefer a system where no fee was payable for an agent for arranging a transfer? The answer is yes.

I am aware that the fee in some sports is capped and I believe in many sports the agent would not get paid for the negotiation from the team itself.

Now you could argue that the net result would be more money would be paid to the top. On the other hand you could argue that the fees quoted as being paid to certain agents in certain deals would never have equated to money paid to that player.

I also read Johnathon Barnett stating he works solely for the player never the club and acts in the players interest only.

Do I think certain age to earn too much for their job? Yes

Do I think certain agents wield too much power I the modern game? Yes

For an example of its relevance too today, would I think we were foolish to pay the numbers quoted to Sancho's agents if they are at all accurate, Yes. If we do that (and I believe we did previously with Pogba) we may as well ask every agent to start negotiations by bending us over the boardroom table.

I don't have a problem with any player maximising their earnings, I don't mind agents taking their fair cut of any deal. I am afraid I don't feel the same about rinsing millions for one transfer, and yes it is the clubs to blame.