The most corrupting influence in football is around transfers.
We can and I will not allow direct comments on the Redknapp trial but it is clear that the line has been blurred between reasonable payments and possible corrupt practices. This is of course been a problem for a long time but the case as shown and as agreed by both sides that Redknapp received payments for the transfer of players. I find it ludicrous that this is allowed to happen as it makes the manager in effect a player’s agent. The argument is of course if a manager is successful with a player why should he not reap the rewards. The manager does reap these rewards by a bigger salary as he would be successful with the players and team.
I have no problem with successful managers being paid for that success but it is plain wrong that managers should personally get any money from transfers. Added to this of course is the mess and confusion around agents. I have already spoke of the influence of Wasserman at Villa in THIS PIECE and it is clear that unless the authorities clamp down on this the game will be totally ruined, if it is not already.
So my solution for this is simple, it is a solution that means every penny is lodged and logged and is open to the public. All transfers should be conducted through an independent body of the FA. All monies involved in the transfer should be lodged with them before being passed ot the club. Any monies later to be found transferred outside of this would there be deemed against the rules meaning an instant suspension from the game for the parties included.
The FA will then have all the information of the transfer how much is paid to whom etc and for each transfer this is released to the most important people – THE FANS. Yes you could have payments away from this to agents, players and managers, forget the tax side, any payments – A BAN for all sides. I would then go another step and say all payments to agents are banned and agents are to only receive the payment from their client, again this is recorded at the FA.
The only way to clean up football is a totally transparent system of payments, the only way to stop corruption is to shed light on what goes on.
Aston Villa News 24/7
This subject came up some time ago with Ian Holloway and, I think, Charlie adam. It was reported that Holloway would profit from the sale of Adam due to the increase in transfer value, and Holloway stated that he felt that was right.
I think this is totally wrong. A manager’s job is to seek to improve results by improving the players he has and getting them to play to his tactics. Along the way he will transfer players out and in to improve the squad, or the finances of the club. If he does this well he will get a better contract or a better job at another club.
To allow him to profit by selling the clubs assets opens a whole can of worms. It is a conflict of loyalties. Is he selling for his benefit or the clubs?
Holloway was above board and declared but this should be banned, no doubt of it. If a club is doing well and a play gets sold for £28M then you have to wonder where that money goes to and the motivations in selling a player.
I think it is not right for managers to profit from this as it part of their job description to get best out of all players for the benefit of the club not for their gain. They are paid obscene amounts of money anyway and profiting from this is pure greed. But remember in redknapps case it is about not about him profiting but allegedly not paying tax on this money. If (and only if) these allegations are true then it is pure greed on his part as not as though he didn’t have enough money to start with and he would deserve the consequences. These are just my thoughts and I am no way saying that redknapp is guilty of these allegations only time will tell.
Sorry for the change of subject, but Portsmouth are going to be wound up!
Doesn’t that mean it’s all over?
What a sad day if it does
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16706372.stm
but the problems are so wrong, so corrupt that the FA have wiped their hands of Pompey. A total disgrace and Redknapp holds a large part of the blame, was the FA cup worth it for them ?
The story of Pompey will actually show high level crimnality. They may be saved like Darlington but the future is bleak yet OK in the league, a viable concern once the debt is paid off.
Ian is it possible that money was being syphoned out the club by a certain manager allegedly of course
Unlikely as any big deals happened on theory after time of manager at the club
One of the clubs chairman came up in an illegal arms deal investigation and had to sell the club off, I think i read at the time of the sale they were not syphoning money but were using the club as a laundrette
Thanks Morgan
Indeed and it gets worse, the guardian had a real detailed piece on it all a couple of years back
Not wound up but a winding up order. It’s now down to the courts.
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George Graham springs to mind with me , was he not prosecuted for that same offence a few years ago ? I was lead to believe that rewards of that nature is an offence and you can get prosecuted for it . Right or Wrong ?
Guys football is corupt front top to bottom sky wages betting pay offs agents owners players leaving a cub getting a pay off look at o Neil walked out on us he goes to court and wins a case and thousands of thousands of pounds in compensation i have said for weeks and months football has shot in every way..
How can it be right real big money is made on sales, it encourages corrupt practices
Robo i am with you but stand back and just look at the sport we love fifa who rule the game are as bad the game is fucked money wise ob so many levels
Why pussyfoot around? Ban agents. They bend players ears, they fetch stupid amounts of money for doing f all and they have single handedly eradicated loyalty in the game.
Ban agents.
you do not need to ban them, just say they must be paid from the players and not the clubs as other industries pay agents
I still think they would ruin the game. They would still influence players trying rprobably even harder to move them on as they wouldn’t be paid from the transfer fee but instead via the player they try to sell.
I personally would ban them. They do no good for the game whatsoever
How can clubs have allowed this to become a common practice? Surely the owners must see it’s contrary to their own interests, that the greed of managers would ultimately be detrimental to the clubs long term interests, an unbelievable state of affairs.
because all clubs want is success and managers bring that and are ignored in what they may do. Redknapp won the FA Cup and thus he was allowed free reign. It is interesting to note at Spurs he is not allowed to go near transfers nor have they made any public statement of support.
Obviously Portsmouth did just that, win a Cup and lose your club! You have to feel for the Pompy fans, their club on its last legs due to alleged bent dealings from the top down, hows the house on Sandbanks Harry?
all transfer fees should be sent to a central fund then distributed accordingly
Ian – agree with your comments and your suggested solution.
Trouble is that nothing so transparent will ever happen – at least not if it’s down to the FA. Football’s bent all the way down from the top: look at the goings-on at FIFA and UEFA, and then look at who the “FA” actually are. These people are almost all part of the same mindset: smug, greedy and rich, and a million miles from the ordinary people who watch football and ultimately who pay these guys’ fat salaries and expense accounts.
you may know my politics
so hardly going to disagree. There are easy changes that no fan would argue against and yet the vested interests would never allow it.
Easy answer don’t watch pro football. Go watch the lads down the local park. When there are enough empty seats things will change. We don’t need to make the ‘arry’s of this world any richer.