MINUS trumpets and a drumroll, an important piece of history went uncelebrated this week when Fifa brought agents to heel.
Measured against the cheers of approval for the end of the £20-a- week maximum wage and the right to fair contracts decades ago, there will be few cheers from today’s players.
ReutersFootball agents have made a pretty penny off their clients for many a year[/caption]
The late Mino Raiola was one of the most powerful agents in the gameRex
One or two might frown at their agent’s payments, a few more might prefer personal representation but most have been prepared to accept the unchecked power of those men — and the occasional woman — in the belief that all’s fair when they like the look of their heavyweight pay packets.
Many agents are brigands, none more so than the recently deceased Mino Raiola who, you may guarantee, would have climbed onto a soapbox by now and let Fifa, club owners and anyone who knows naked avarice when they see it, that he’s a misunderstood soul with the good of football at heart.
Surely, only his mother believed that!
A magician, his best trick was to represent buying and selling clubs and his player all at the same time, netting himself tens of millions by appealing to the wilder ambitions of owners.
That’s a practice which is to be outlawed under new rules as triple representation in transfers is to be banned. Hard for anyone to argue against this although a number of agents will look to fight it.
Maybe agents view litigation against the new rules as a stronger weapon than noise, as few have publicly moaned about them.
And while they have known of Fifa’s intentions for some time and have not taken any action yet, Fifa have already introduced a tough new examination and licensing system this week.
Or maybe even they accept that being paid millions of pounds for doing very little means the game is up.
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Expect a rush of major transfers before October when a cap on agents’ fees and limits on multiple representations will slash their share.
Surely these rules will result in a reduction of the £167million paid by the Premier League clubs to these middlemen in 2022 alone, which can only be a good thing.
Fifa chiefs have drafted a formidable set of regulations — and about time, too.
However, no matter how watertight they appear to be where many millions of easily-earned profit are concerned my rule would be “watch your back”.
From my experience, dealings are especially suspicious and secretive when it comes to signing a talented lad.
Bribing parents and other connections is well recorded. Unqualified agents swarm like bees around a honeypot, dripping promises that go far, far beyond a box of chocolates.
Shutting down this kind of business will be hard, no matter what the authorities, clubs or teachers say, rather like enforcing the law during the Gold Rush.
But that should not stop them from trying despite a guaranteed loss of licence for two years if agents are caught transgressing.
All club CEO’s will be making very careful notes and be ready to dob in any agent who breaches the rules to Fifa.
Agent’s cut of a player’s remuneration will be five per cent, up to £180,000- a-year and a maximum three per cent over it.
It will be the same as for the buying club, and six per cent for both.
Then there’s an overall ten per cent for acting for the seller.
Furthermore, no longer will clubs be permitted to pay the agent’s fees, it will be the player’s responsibility. This new rule alone may have the single biggest effect on reducing agent payments!
There will be checks on all contracts, the rules and punishments for agents, clubs and players who break the rules will be swift and harsh.
About time.
Karren Brady has urged FIFA to stop agents from pocketing huge pay packetsREX Read More