Emiliano Sala - football agents

[Claretforever]

This is an article worth reading. It explains towards the end that Cardiff are likely to have lost £14m due to the £30m cost of purchasing Sala (Agents fees and bonuses bumping up the cost from the reported £15m transfer fee) being higher than their £16m accident insurance.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sport ... tball.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cricketfieldclarets]

In the grand scheme of things its irrelevant. The biggest loss is two lives that shouldnt have. Absolute tragedy.

[Pimlico_Claret]

It's very relevant actually if you can be bothered to read it. Football agents remind me very much of solicitors, the world would function perfectly well without them, yet they exist purely to complicate matters in order to line their own pockets.

[Dark Cloud]

You are right, Cricketfield, but it still makes very interesting reading and gives us an insight into how football must be absolutely awash with what are basically leeches sucking money out of the game and using talented, but very impressionable lads as a cash cow. They are only looking after their own interests and the genuine interests and well being of the player are absolutely the last priority. I suppose it gives us some clue as to what Garlick, Kilby, SD and Rigg have to deal with whilst we are slagging off our crap window!!

[GodIsADeeJay81]

It's a good article, read it earlier and they think the true cost of the transfer is closer to £30 million.

Just highlights how shady it all is.

[hampsteadclaret]

Gonna have a good think about it but does the game really need these blood-sucking money- grubbing corrupt football agents?


When I go on holiday I manage pretty well these days without travel agents, and plenty of people crack on successfully without leeching estate agents when they sell their houses..

[Rileybobs]

Gonna have a good think about it but does the game really need these blood-sucking money- grubbing corrupt football agents?


When I go on holiday I manage pretty well these days without travel agents, and plenty of people crack on successfully without leeching estate agents when they sell their houses..

If you're a 17 year old kid negotiating a contract with a seasoned chairman you're going to have your pants pulled down.

[Dark Cloud]

If you're a 17 year old kid negotiating a contract with a seasoned chairman you're going to have your pants pulled down.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Gonna have a good think about it but does the game really need these blood-sucking money- grubbing corrupt football agents?


When I go on holiday I manage pretty well these days without travel agents, and plenty of people crack on successfully without leeching estate agents when they sell their houses..

Clubs can't always be trusted to be fair to players, especially younger ones.

There isn't enough transparency in transfers, that's the issue.

[Rileybobs]

I think that may say more about your mind!!!

[bob-the-scutter]

Pogba's agent pocketed almost half his transfer fee apparently.

[Dark Cloud]

Yes, I think anyone under 21 should probably have a responsible adult in there with them, just in case any over enthusiastic charimen try to have their trousers down!! But most other people could probably manage alone!!!

[cricketfieldclarets]

If you're a 17 year old kid negotiating a contract with a seasoned chairman you're going to have your pants pulled down.

Too old for Crewe Alexandra...

[Bordeauxclaret]

McKay has two sons who were both on Cardiff’s books?

That’s lucky for them.

[TheFamilyCat]

If you're a 17 year old kid negotiating a contract with a seasoned chairman you're going to have your pants pulled down.

All players need some sort of representation regardless of their age. However, when an agent is working for a player, the player should be paying him. Also, there is a difference between negotiating terms of a contract and pocketing a massive fee just for “introducing” a player to a club.

[Dark Cloud]

Even after reading the article I'm still unsure why it needs 5 different "agents" to sort a transfer which then inevitably means 5 cuts of money. What are they all actually doing? If we accept that players need an agent as they're busy people and not necessarily very business savvy, why do they need 5???

[tim_noone]

It's very relevant actually if you can be bothered to read it. Football agents remind me very much of solicitors, the world would function perfectly well without them, yet they exist purely to complicate matters in order to line their own pockets.

As a practising solicitor I've got to disagree on such comments....that's like saying if we don't eat sugar there's no need for Dentists..

[BigF]

Why is it that the buying club must pay the agent's fees? Surely the agent is appointed by the player and he should pay. Following some comments above about solicitors, if you appointed one to sort out something for you it would be you who paid for the service provided.

[MrTopTier]

Mirror reporting that the plane has been found!

[Pimlico_Claret]

As a practising solicitor I've got to disagree on such comments....that's like saying if we don't eat sugar there's no need for Dentists..

Retired pal, and your statement is true. Carry on practising, one day you might be good at it.

[Pimlico_Claret]

If you're a 17 year old kid negotiating a contract with a seasoned chairman you're going to have your pants pulled down.

Or you can let your agent pull them down, take your pick.

[Lancasterclaret]

PFA will provide an agent if you require one I think.

But you can't begrudge players making as much as they can out of football as its only a short career.

[Oshkoshclaret]

There will be more expose articles about this flight as the facts become known. LThe Daily Mail seems to get a lot of stick in general but the authors of this story are the first ones to have sniffed out that there are some very murky details underlying how this flight was organised and conducted. There is a reason the Mackays are furiously spinning this story.

[Paul Waine]

Why is it that the buying club must pay the agent's fees? Surely the agent is appointed by the player and he should pay. Following some comments above about solicitors, if you appointed one to sort out something for you it would be you who paid for the service provided.

Logically, there is the possibility of i agent representing the selling club, because they hold the player's contract, then a second agent representing the buying club because they want to hold the player's contract and a third agent representing the player - to look after the player's interests.

On the other hand, the selling club and the buying club could both be represented by their own staff only - we have to assume that both clubs will have both bought and sold players before. Isn't that what used to happen?

So, the only agent that should be required is the player's own agent - and the player should pay for the services of his agent.

Anyone know how the tax man deals with these arrangements? If the club pays the player there is income tax and national insurance due to tax man. If the club pays the agent fees it is a business expense and the club sets it off against any corporation tax that is due.

[Spijed]

It's very relevant actually if you can be bothered to read it. Football agents remind me very much of solicitors, the world would function perfectly well without them, yet they exist purely to complicate matters in order to line their own pockets.

Without a solicitor would it be possible to sort out legal issues for house purchases etc.?

Probably needed more than you think.

[tim_noone]

Retired pal, and your statement is true. Carry on practising, one day you might be good at it.

Thanks much appreciated.

[brigante]

Millions spent on a football agent, nowhere near enough on a travel agent.

[Woodleyclaret]

Parasites .The PFA should be representing all players but with pocket liner Taylor at the helm they are as much use as a chocolate fireguard

[South West Claret.]

Agents? Rich man poor man middle man thief!

[Dark Cloud]

I agree that players (of any age) probably do need representation as unscrupulous chairmen (persons?) could well get them to sign crappy deals, but what appears to have become the norm in football is clubs paying the agent's fee on top of any transfer money, when in actual fact the agent is working for the player and on his behalf. Surely, as previously mentioned, the player should be paying him. I'm sure I'd be right in assuming that's what actor's or writers do for example.

[South West Claret.]

Take your point DR about an agent working for the players interest, but there lies one of the problems about agents in the game today...more often then not I expect most agents will engineer a move for players because of the hefty fee gained from the clubs for themselves.

If the players Trade Union had got their act together years ago they are the one's who should have really been acting for their members interests and not poxy agents.

[fanzone]

Agents fees need capping

[keith1879]

In the grand scheme of things its irrelevant. The biggest loss is two lives that shouldnt have. Absolute tragedy.

Yes ....but the article shows that many people had their snouts in an apparently highly profitable trough ....while the principal actor in all this finished up being shunted onto a single engined piston powered plane with a part-time pilot - and there seems to be some doubt as to whether the pilot or plane or both were actually licensed to carry passengers commercially. Flying across the channel should be a matter of simple routine .....flying across the channel in that plane with that pilot on a stormy January night - well it doesn't sound like a great idea now (hindsight and all that).

Regardless of safety statistics the overall impression is that several people made loads of money without really caring about Sala himself.

[Pimlico_Claret]

Did any of these agents contribute to the cost of the search?

[aggi]

Logically, there is the possibility of i agent representing the selling club, because they hold the player's contract, then a second agent representing the buying club because they want to hold the player's contract and a third agent representing the player - to look after the player's interests.

On the other hand, the selling club and the buying club could both be represented by their own staff only - we have to assume that both clubs will have both bought and sold players before. Isn't that what used to happen?

So, the only agent that should be required is the player's own agent - and the player should pay for the services of his agent.

Anyone know how the tax man deals with these arrangements? If the club pays the player there is income tax and national insurance due to tax man. If the club pays the agent fees it is a business expense and the club sets it off against any corporation tax that is due.

Investigations are ongoing in this area at the moment I believe. It's one of the hot topics alongside image rights. Obviously there's the possibility that it's tax deductible for the player as a business expense but there are still tax implications.

[Dark Cloud]

Yes ....but the article shows that many people had their snouts in an apparently highly profitable trough ....while the principal actor in all this finished up being shunted onto a single engined piston powered plane with a part-time pilot - and there seems to be some doubt as to whether the pilot or plane or both were actually licensed to carry passengers commercially. Flying across the channel should be a matter of simple routine .....flying across the channel in that plane with that pilot on a stormy January night - well it doesn't sound like a great idea now (hindsight and all that).

Regardless of safety statistics the overall impression is that several people made loads of money without really caring about Sala himself.

And to that I'd add that my bigger/wider concern having read about all the pocket lining that surrounded this deal, is that it's almost certainly commonplace. No chance the way this this deal was put together was a one off or unusual I'll bet.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Reports of Nantes threatening Cardiff with legal action because they haven't made the first payment of the transfer....

[claptrappers_union]

It's going to be messy is this.... Nantes have done nothing wrong, but I can understand why Cardiff haven't stuck to agreed terms, because I'd imagine they're having to deal with the insurance companies. I suppose Nantes have to push for payment though given the circumstances, because they have bills to pay too.

I'd imagine Cardiff has been advised not to pay anything... yet.

[thatdberight]

There may be some issue. Perhaps registration had not been transferred. Perhaps there's some genuine reason why Cardiff have not paid. If not, then that's a pretty shameful way to behave.

[conyoviejo]

Agents fees need capping

That should read "Agents knees need capping"

[Lancasterclaret]

Nantes sold the player, he signed for Cardiff.

Cardiff have to pay for him.

They might well be looking at getting the money from whoever arranged the flight though, but Nantes need paying.

[thatdberight]

... looking at getting the money from whoever arranged the flight

I'd love to hear the argument that Cardiff are a party to that contract.

[Lancasterclaret]

I've no idea what Cardiff will do here, but they won't want to pay it themselves at a guess. They will look at anybody and anything I suspect.

[Gnulty]

Clubs arguing about money, before the bodies have been found, must do the families warm at heart....

[Pimlico_Claret]

That should read "Agents knees need capping"

Or Agents need knee-capping.

[conyoviejo]

Very sad indeed..

image.jpeg (61.66 KiB) Viewed 3331 times

[South West Claret.]

I can’t tell how much I detested agents before this thread started, but having scanned through this thread now I feel even worse towards them

[Spijed]

I can’t tell how much I detested agents before this thread started, but having scanned through this thread now I feel even worse towards them

It's Nantes who want the money, nothing to do with agents.

They sold a player in good faith for £18 million.

[Dark Cloud]

I just wonder whether Cardiff are stalling because they see a potential get out by suing whoever set up the flight. According to the report in the Mail they offered Sala a ticket on a commercial flight, but someone else (McKay?) got him the seat the ill fated plane. Cardiff might claim they would never have sanctioned that.

[Pimlico_Claret]

I can’t tell how much I detested agents before this thread started, but having scanned through this thread now I feel even worse towards them

I totally agree - let's organise a mass stampling on football agents.