Panorama

[Dominus Maximus]

According to a danish paper, BBC are in ten days airing an episode of Panorama, in where an agent and three top clubs, are accused for corruption and other illegal stuff. Anyone else heard anything? And could it be us?

[Falconhoof]

I'd be very surprised if it was us.

 

Newcastle, Chelsea, Man U would top my list of suspects.

[Des]

Shouldn't this be in the Gen Footie forum, Crouchinho, or do you know something we don't?

[Dominus Maximus]

Shouldn't this be in the Gen Footie forum, Crouchinho, or do you know something we don't?

 

I know I shouldn't eat kebabs, while driking beer... Other than that no. But I put it here, because the article said three top clubs, and there are only three top clubs in the land.

[Kopfaithful]

i think it could be us. we have agents facilitating a lot of our deals, so why not us? it's clear we tap players up and the like before we sign them (pennant and bellamy are two examples this summer that are obvious). i'm not confident we're not involved.

[Des]

I know I shouldn't eat kebabs, while driking beer... Other than that no. But I put it here, because the article said three top clubs, and there are only three top clubs in the land.

 

Tenuous.

[Rushian]

Top clubs and agents in dock over new TV investigation

By Sam Wallace

Published: 08 September 2006

 

Premiership football will be hit with a new corruption scandal later this month after at least one leading agent and three top-flight clubs were targeted by an undercover BBC sting that will make serious allegations about the probity of transfers and financial dealings in the national game.

 

The agent involved is understood to be considering leaving the country following the probe while the clubs involved have all been contacted by the investigators on the BBC's Panorama programme to answer questions about allegations of "tapping up" players and corruption. These latest findings are due to emerge as Lord Stevens prepares his report into transfer bungs that was launched last season.

 

Crucial to the programme's success in breaking into the tightly guarded world of agents and clubs was a whistleblower from inside the agents' industry recruited by the BBC's investigators. It was he who carried out much of the undercover filming that took place at meetings between agents and club officials.

 

So far no one from the agents' fraternity has been prepared to go to such lengths to expose wrongdoing and the BBC is confident that it has a very strong case against a number of individuals. Lord Stevens' company Quest, which is carrying out the investigation into transfers at the behest of Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, is understood to be eager to see the BBC's evidence.

 

While the identity of the key agent in question is known by The Independent, it was not confirmed by the BBC, which is still finalising the programme that is scheduled to be aired on 18 September. Lawyers acting on behalf of those with allegations against them are still preparing their defence but some details of the charges can be outlined.

 

At least five agents have been contacted by the BBC via letter detailing serious allegations of corruption. Three officials at Premiership clubs have also been contacted by the BBC over corruption allegations.

 

As well as those officials, three Premiership clubs have been contacted by the BBC over what is described as breaking industry rules. That charge is known to relate to "tapping up" players, which is the term used to describe an illegal approach to a player without the permission of the club to whom he is under contract.

 

The investigation by the BBC has become the talk of the football agents' world as word has spread about the names of those who might be implicated. With Lord Stevens expected to report to the Premier League possibly before the end of this month, there is genuine anticipation that the former Metropolitan police commissioner will have some serious allegations about high-profile figures in the game made to him.

 

With the BBC investigation likely to coincide with the Premier League inquiry, there will be greater pressure on Lord Stevens to make sure his report is not perceived as a whitewash. His inquiry has interviewed numerous figures within the game and had access to clubs' paperwork concerning transfer deals.

 

In an industry that thrives upon rumour, there is anecdotal evidence about wrongdoing in transfer dealings but little hard evidence that could lead to a criminal conviction.

 

Scudamore announced the bung inquiry in January, shortly after the Sven Goran Eriksson "fake sheikh" sting. On that occasion, the then England manager and his agent Athole Still made suggestions to an undercover reporter that three clubs were guilty of corruption. Eriksson was interviewed by the FA but is thought to have dismissed the sting as idle gossip.

 

At that time, transfer "bungs" - illegal kickbacks paid to managers by third parties for buying certain players - were top of the agenda after then QPR manager Ian Holloway and Luton manager Mike Newell made similar claims.

 

The remit of the Stevens inquiry originally stated it would only investigate transfers going back to January 2004, including five transfer windows - not including this summer - and only potential illegal payments between employees or officials of clubs.

 

It is not clear how many individuals Panorama will target as it edits its findings into a one-hour show.

 

Premiership football will be hit with a new corruption scandal later this month after at least one leading agent and three top-flight clubs were targeted by an undercover BBC sting that will make serious allegations about the probity of transfers and financial dealings in the national game.

 

The agent involved is understood to be considering leaving the country following the probe while the clubs involved have all been contacted by the investigators on the BBC's Panorama programme to answer questions about allegations of "tapping up" players and corruption. These latest findings are due to emerge as Lord Stevens prepares his report into transfer bungs that was launched last season.

 

Crucial to the programme's success in breaking into the tightly guarded world of agents and clubs was a whistleblower from inside the agents' industry recruited by the BBC's investigators. It was he who carried out much of the undercover filming that took place at meetings between agents and club officials.

 

So far no one from the agents' fraternity has been prepared to go to such lengths to expose wrongdoing and the BBC is confident that it has a very strong case against a number of individuals. Lord Stevens' company Quest, which is carrying out the investigation into transfers at the behest of Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, is understood to be eager to see the BBC's evidence.

 

While the identity of the key agent in question is known by The Independent, it was not confirmed by the BBC, which is still finalising the programme that is scheduled to be aired on 18 September. Lawyers acting on behalf of those with allegations against them are still preparing their defence but some details of the charges can be outlined.

 

At least five agents have been contacted by the BBC via letter detailing serious allegations of corruption. Three officials at Premiership clubs have also been contacted by the BBC over corruption allegations.

 

As well as those officials, three Premiership clubs have been contacted by the BBC over what is described as breaking industry rules. That charge is known to relate to "tapping up" players, which is the term used to describe an illegal approach to a player without the permission of the club to whom he is under contract.

 

The investigation by the BBC has become the talk of the football agents' world as word has spread about the names of those who might be implicated. With Lord Stevens expected to report to the Premier League possibly before the end of this month, there is genuine anticipation that the former Metropolitan police commissioner will have some serious allegations about high-profile figures in the game made to him.

 

With the BBC investigation likely to coincide with the Premier League inquiry, there will be greater pressure on Lord Stevens to make sure his report is not perceived as a whitewash. His inquiry has interviewed numerous figures within the game and had access to clubs' paperwork concerning transfer deals.

 

In an industry that thrives upon rumour, there is anecdotal evidence about wrongdoing in transfer dealings but little hard evidence that could lead to a criminal conviction.

 

Scudamore announced the bung inquiry in January, shortly after the Sven Goran Eriksson "fake sheikh" sting. On that occasion, the then England manager and his agent Athole Still made suggestions to an undercover reporter that three clubs were guilty of corruption. Eriksson was interviewed by the FA but is thought to have dismissed the sting as idle gossip.

 

At that time, transfer "bungs" - illegal kickbacks paid to managers by third parties for buying certain players - were top of the agenda after then QPR manager Ian Holloway and Luton manager Mike Newell made similar claims.

 

The remit of the Stevens inquiry originally stated it would only investigate transfers going back to January 2004, including five transfer windows - not including this summer - and only potential illegal payments between employees or officials of clubs.

 

It is not clear how many individuals Panorama will target as it edits its findings into a one-hour show.

[Andy @ Allerton]

If Manchester United isn't a very prominent suspect in this I'll be very suprised.

 

They do tapping up so often they don't even bother pretending they don't any more

[Bailo]

All it'll do is bring about the end of contracts and transfer fees. Bet no club actually gets done for it.

[Flasher]

All it'll do is bring about the end of contracts and transfer fees. Bet no club actually gets done for it.

 

 

I've often thought something along these lines has got to happen some day in football.

 

I imagine that contracts will become more about notice periods and buy out clauses more than ever. ie. "Craig Bellamy has just agreed a 5 year notice period and £10m buy clause with Liverpool"...

 

It's gonna get interesting me thinks.

Edited September 8, 2006 by Flasher

[Bjarkinn]

wrong thread

Edited September 9, 2006 by Bjarkinn

[Michael]

I would assume that Panorama's investigations concern transfers between English clubs as it would be harder to cover the foreign end of a transfer between countries. Could be completely wrong of course, but they could "get" two clubs with one transfer by confining it to England.

[£440,000]

I hope it´s Willie McKay.

[smithdown]

Agent Zahavi behind transfer plan

 

Super agent Pini Zahavi says he is a key figure behind a £100m transfer fund designed to acquire control of the best emerging players in the world.

Zahavi says the fund is being set up by City of London investors.

 

"The fund is not quite complete, but we're aiming to raise around £100m in order to buy shares in players," Zahavi told the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

 

"They've asked me to find the players and act as advisor to the fund. The plan is absolutely legal."

 

Zahavi added: "We will look mainly for young players who develop and eventually play at the highest level.

 

"Some players will stay at their clubs and some will move.

 

"Already around 80% of players in South America are partly owned by investors as well as the clubs they play for."

 

Zahavi is the agent who organised Rio Ferdinand's transfers to Leeds United and Manchester United.

 

click

[Awrence]

Agent Zahavi behind transfer plan

 

Super agent Pini Zahavi says he is a key figure behind a £100m transfer fund designed to acquire control of the best emerging players in the world.

Zahavi says the fund is being set up by City of London investors.

 

"The fund is not quite complete, but we're aiming to raise around £100m in order to buy shares in players," Zahavi told the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

 

"They've asked me to find the players and act as advisor to the fund. The plan is absolutely legal."

 

Zahavi added: "We will look mainly for young players who develop and eventually play at the highest level.

 

"Some players will stay at their clubs and some will move.

 

"Already around 80% of players in South America are partly owned by investors as well as the clubs they play for."

 

Zahavi is the agent who organised Rio Ferdinand's transfers to Leeds United and Manchester United.

 

click

 

 

 

Is it just me, or does the word legal often get used when unethical or immoral might paint the situation in a bad light.

 

 

Maybe Pini can enlighten us as to how this is good for football?

[Maldini]

I'd be amazed if it's us considering the shady dealings that have gone on in recent years at Blackburn, Man United, Portsmouth, Bolton, Villa, Newcastle among others.

[billybunter]

I really f***ing dont like the sound of big companies investing in players. FFS they are human beings not f***ing robots.

 

Its a direction that football really doesnt need to go at this moment

[Maldini]

FIFA should be looking at this, they'll leave it too late to do anything about it though.

[Guest sniffer]

I'd be amazed if it's us considering the shady dealings that have gone on in recent years at Blackburn, Man United, Portsmouth, Bolton, Villa, Newcastle among others.

 

Bolton and Pompey may get a mention on Panorama.....

[growler]

companies buying players for non football reasons ie profit = slavery.

 

Sure, if the player makes it, he makes a s*** load of money. However, what happens if he doesn't? Or has to move to outer mongolia without his family?

 

the easiest and quickest thing to do, is to ban agents fees being paid by the club and ban non-football entities owning player contracts.

 

If the player wants an agent, pay him yourself.

[KBR]

I heard it was Harry Redknapp, Stewart Downings agent & Sam Allerdyce's son, who used to be an agent up until recently (first I heard of it)

Panorama have sent all 3 letters to inform them of the the documentary & are asking them to clarify their position & give answers to questions.

 

Apparently they are all seeking legal advice......

 

Agent Zahavi behind transfer plan

 

Super agent Pini Zahavi says he is a key figure behind a £100m transfer fund designed to acquire control of the best emerging players in the world.

Zahavi says the fund is being set up by City of London investors.

 

"The fund is not quite complete, but we're aiming to raise around £100m in order to buy shares in players," Zahavi told the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

 

"They've asked me to find the players and act as advisor to the fund. The plan is absolutely legal."

 

Zahavi added: "We will look mainly for young players who develop and eventually play at the highest level.

 

"Some players will stay at their clubs and some will move.

 

"Already around 80% of players in South America are partly owned by investors as well as the clubs they play for."

 

Zahavi is the agent who organised Rio Ferdinand's transfers to Leeds United and Manchester United.

 

click

Alright mate.... rememeber that time we went to meet a client in Mayfair, and afterwards I introduced you to a mate of mine, the trader guy??? Apparently his boss is one of the investors.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

FIFA should be looking at this, they'll leave it too late to do anything about it though.

except Blatter's receiving his %.

 

Latest:

 

Top Bosses In Bungs Shame, screamed a backpage headline last Sunday. Ho hum, it must have been a quiet weekend. Football has already had more bung stories than your average coopers' convention.

 

This one may lead to something more than the usual flood of denials and legal threats followed by general inertia, but the air intake should not be held indefinitely. Much depends on how much of Tuesday's BBC1 Panorama investigation into alleged corruption in the game gets past the lawyers.

 

It is claimed that two Premiership managers will be accused of taking backhanders in transfer deals. Reports have also linked Kevin Bond, Glenn Roeder's assistant at Newcastle United, with the programme, which is entitled Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets. Whatever the strength of the latest cloak-and-dagger exercise Newcastle treated the matter with sufficient seriousness to leave Bond behind when the team flew to Estonia for Thursday's Uefa Cup game with Levadia Tallinn.

Given the number of TV exposures that have turned out to be strong on accusation but weak on corroboration it would be unwise to make any judgments until the programme, or what the lawyers have left of it, has been aired. Yet the timing could be important because at the beginning of next month Lord Stevens is due to make a preliminary report to Premier League chairmen following his inquiry into 50 transfers completed in the two years from January 2004.

 

The activities of players' agents continue to come under scrutiny, the intensity of which was hardly alleviated by the revelations of the staggering fees paid to some of them by Newcastle during the recent VAT tribunal hearing when the club lost an appeal against the taxman's decision that prevented them from claiming VAT on agents' fees. The outcome caused less of a stir than the realisation that Newcastle alone had paid more than £3.5m, VAT included, in agents' fees over a 32-month period.

 

All of which must further vindicate Mike Newell, the Luton manager, whose criticism in January of agents and allegations of bungs helped prompt the Stevens investigation. The leading agents, who had just formed a trade association, denounced Newell's comments as defamatory (well they would, wouldn't they?) but it was his observation that "a lot of people involved with the game and doing deals are getting backhanders" that caused the bigger uproar. It will be interesting to see how much of Panorama's undercover work postdates Newell's outburst.

 

Of all the television investigations into dodgy football dealings none so far has bettered the exposure in 1980 by Granada's World in Action programme of how Louis Edwards, then chairman of Manchester United, acquired his majority shareholding in the club and later increased the family's shareholding before the rights issue. A secret slush fund for signing schoolboys was also exposed. No legal action was taken against Granada and a month after the broadcast Edwards senior suffered a fatal heart attack. The Football Association, meantime, had done what it will always do best - nothing.

 

Not a lot should be expected from the FA this time, whatever Tuesday's Panorama reveals. How can an organisation that cannot even agree to reform itself, after the Burns Review, be expected to offer wide-ranging reforms in the way the game at large operates? The Premier and Football leagues may be a better bet or even the agents themselves, one of whom, Phil Smith of First Artist Agency, has spoken of "a perennial problem in our industry which needs to be flushed out".

 

So far, in the matter of backhanders,there has been only one significant catch, Arsenal's George Graham, who in 1995 was banned for a year after being found guilty of taking £425,500 in illegal payments from a Norwegian agent, Rune Hauge, when two Scandinavians, John Jensen and Pal Lydersen, came to Highbury. The FA accepted Graham had not signed the two for personal gain but Arsenal sacked him all the same. It had taken a combination of allegations in a Danish book, an Inland Revenue investigation and a Sunday newspaper exposure to bring the case to light.

 

It will be surprising if Tuesday's programme achieves anything so spectacular. In fact reports that the company involved in the arrival of the two Argentinians, Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano, at West Ham is being investigated in Brazil amid concerns about money laundering suggest that football may be about to pay more attention to where the cash has come from than where it ends up.

 

Do you like green eggs & ham?

[fyds]

I was told by someone who really should know on this that it wasn't us, but wouldn't say who it was.

[Maldini]

The Corrado Grabbi transfer stunk of it too.

[R A Softlad]

...as the one that offered him a bung. FA investigate. Agent barred. Diao leaves. Street party in Newell's honour...

 

 

Newell points the finger.