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Agents - Why?

Discussion in 'Liverpool' started by saintKlopp, Jul 16, 2021.

  1. saintKlopp

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    With the perennial talk of the amount of money agents make, I wondered whether anyone has anything positive to say about them?
    Is there something I'm missing because I can't see who really benefits from their existence? They get better deals for their players of course, but there are surely other ways of making transfer negotiations more balanced between players and clubs.
    Huge transfer fees between clubs are really no more than passing the money parcel around, but agents take a large percentage of it out of the game. Of course players take money out of the game as well, but as they're the ones that bring it in in the first place that seems fair enough.
    It's also in the interests of less-scrupulous agents to foment unrest amongst their prize assets, and this has progressively destabilised teams over the years.
    To me they just seem like opportunistic parasites who bring no real benefit to the game and its supporters - would anyone like to stand up for them?
     
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  2. luvgonzo

    luvgonzo Pisshead

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    I think they bring in additional money through sponsors for the players as well as negotiating contracts. You are right, scum that are running the game but I imagine players like them.
     
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  3. moreinjuredthanowen

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    Imo fifa have half heartedly tried to deal with them and got slapped down.

    The only way to deal with agents is for governments to arrest and charge for tax.

    Do we really think our top 10 agents are really cleaner than the players they represent?

    They have gone so far beyond representing a player for commercial terms when they are building consortium.to sit behind and then play both sides of the commercial deal. Theres ot one other business where a person can sit on both sides of a commerical deal and get away with it.
     
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  4. Red Hadron Collider

    Red Hadron Collider The Hammerhead

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    Nope. As usual, I'm in full agreement with you. Neil Fairbrother is a good lad and he's a cricket agent. Doubt they're as sordid as their football counterparts <laugh>
     
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  5. Jimmy Squarefoot

    Jimmy Squarefoot Well-Known Member

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    Can't stand agents but I presume the players love them. At the end of the day, Agent's duty is to get the very best deal for their clients. It's why parasites like Mina Riaola are despised by fans like us but players flock to join his agency.
     
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  6. johnsonsbaby

    johnsonsbaby Well-Known Member

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    I understand why a player needs an agent in that they perform a useful role ie. negotiating transfers and fees. It would be difficult for players to have to do this themselves. However, what was created maybe out of a necessity, has morphed into a monster. If I mix my metaphors: the genie is out of the bottle and it's not going back.

    I don't know enough about it. Are there any regulations in place?
     
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  7. InBiscanWeTrust

    InBiscanWeTrust Rome, London, Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Madrid
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    They’re needed for players if imagine. Most of them aren’t the smartest cookies so having an expert negotiating your contract etc is for the best.

    The fact clubs have to pay an agent to act as a middle man is ridiculous though.

    the payment for an agent should come from the player. If they want the best agent, pay him a % of your wage/sign on fee. Don’t expect a club to pay for the ‘privilege’ of having to deal with them. I know people say that would just increase players wage demands though.

    Let’s be honest, all the times clubs are happy to pay stupid money to them to get their players then why stop? It would take all clubs to say no we aren’t paying your agent a fee and that’s never going to happen.

    Wasn’t there talk of limiting the payment amounts they can earn but didn’t work due to freedom of work or something? Just don’t see how you control it unless clubs take a collective stand tbh
     
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  8. Bumps

    Bumps Well-Known Member

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    They are no different to other abhorrent professionals
    Consultants are up in that list for me
    I don’t blame those who become consultants I blame the industries for allowing it
    Lawyers are up there to
    Whilst I realise it is not all of them are bad any professional that allows themselves to defend someone who has raped a child or murdered another human anything of that ilk and they know it (due to confidentiality) is seriously ****ed up imho
     
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  9. saintKlopp

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    I have no idea how it could be regulated, but I agree that in principle it should be the players who pay the agent their cut as it is they that they're working on behalf of.
    I suppose the problem with regulations is that football organisations are a voluntary club and although they can devise rules, getting everyone to abide by them is well-nigh impossible. Limiting percentage cuts or whatever will just lead to more creative accounting and more brown envelopes being passed about.
    It's a sorry state of affairs though, and I'd like to see some effort to curb the excesses.
    But it's football, excess is what it does.
     
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  10. saintKlopp

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    Well the adversarial justice system insists that everyone has someone to stand for them, no matter what they are accused of.
    An inquisitorial system would mitigate against that, but it carries drawbacks of its own.
    Just like with police or forensic investigators who have to witness the results of some horrific crimes, a sort of cognitive dissonance develops so they don't get emotionally involved - theoretically at least.
     
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  11. johnsonsbaby

    johnsonsbaby Well-Known Member

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    I think what you're talking about here involves human decency and integrity, both of which are in short supply.
     
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  12. InBiscanWeTrust

    InBiscanWeTrust Rome, London, Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Madrid
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    If all clubs decided that was it then they could eliminate it.

    I can’t imagine Haaland contract finishing and having a year out of football because no club wanted to pay his agent. Problem is, never gonna get to a stage where clubs agree to it. Supply and demand isn’t it, all the time a club wants a player and is willing to pay money to the agent to help get that player into the club, then agents are gonna still play a big part.
     
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  13. Mr Beej

    Mr Beej Well-Known Member

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    I don't know but agents would presumably not have been needed had clubs not been screwing over their players?
    Also with the money on offer a young player especially would need professional advice before signing a contract I'd have thought. A role for the PFA perhaps.
     
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  14. Zanjinho

    Zanjinho Boom!
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    I don't mind agents but I despise the freedom they are allowed to operate in, there needs to be regulations brought in. Players should have to pay them too, not the clubs.
     
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  15. Diego

    Diego Lone Ranger

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    Yep, if an agent is working for a player then the player pays.
    Any other business and this would be classed as a conflict of interest. Who is to say that a player will not be placed at a club because his agent made more from the deal without regard for what was best for the player.
     
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  16. Solid_Air 2

    Solid_Air 2 Well-Known Member

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    PFA can and do represent some players in contract talks or at least i know they did and assume some lower league players still make use of their services .
     
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  17. Solid_Air 2

    Solid_Air 2 Well-Known Member

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    Seem to remember when the agents getting paid by club came up before @johnsonsbaby said it was because here the HMRC prefer it that way and the same applies with actors agents .

    pity the tags are switched off .
     
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  18. Zanjinho

    Zanjinho Boom!
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    Something to do with tax avoidance.

    Pay it to the player, they get taxed, the player pays it to the agent who also gets taxed.

    Cut the player out the equation and the club pay directly to agent, only raced once.
     
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  19. Solid_Air 2

    Solid_Air 2 Well-Known Member

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    sure JB said it was what the HMRC wanted presumably as it makes their job easier <laugh>
     
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  20. Zanjinho

    Zanjinho Boom!
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    Might not have been JB that said it, just remember that being part of the conversation last time.
     
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