Arnautovic saga improving arguments for agentless future
West Ham have been dragged into a transfer saga after an offer for star striker Arnautovic. But without a meddlesome brother this would never have happened.
I’m sure I speak for most managers in the Premier LEague, and maybe beyond, when I say I’m sick of players’ agents. At West Ham alone they have effectively cost us young players Quina and Oxford, and now seem set to lose us Marko Arnautovic. Why are they so powerful in the modern game?
Originally agents were hired in order to help represent players in contract negotiations so they couldn’t be bullied or their lack of knowledge of market averages could not be exploited. Now they seem to be self serving, generating interest in their players via media appearances or talking to other clubs to discuss terms whilst the player is still under contract. But they can also cost players their place in a team.
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In other sports agents have no-where near as much power, and aren’t media hogging idiots. I understand that we have a different system to the American sports. As such always expecting players to run to the end of contracts is probably a pipe-dream. But I don’t think an agentless future is too much to ask for.
A central clearing house for UEFA would probably be the way forward. This would be a central hub, which records all details of contracts and transfers, enabling money to be monitored across the continent (and beyond if done properly) enabling everyone to see what people have paid and are currently being paid. It would also put all clubs on a level playing field when it comes to information of players buy out clauses and wage packets.
Here there would be ‘agents’ as such, but they would work for the central clearing house. It would be their job to communicate relevant information to the footballer in the negotiation and represent his demands to the club. But it would not be his job to engineer moves, and there wouldn’t be an astronomical fee to the agent just for handling a contract.
Next. West Ham hold all the cards in Arnie transfer. dark
Who knows, maybe we’ll see the end of crazy clauses in contracts as well? Who doesn’t think this sounds better for the future? Well, probably money grabbing players and agents. And I think money will be paid to the right people to stop this ever happening.