Smurthwaite concedes defeat in bid to sign Alex Jones on permanent deal

[TheSage]

Well that will be an improvement on what we've got!

[Port Vale Paul]

A few old crocks Brown played with.

 

Don't knock the crocks, I can name 2 that did us proud, Ron Futcher in 1989 aged 32, & as recent as Lee Hughes aged 37 both helped to gain promotion.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

If that were true then they wouldn't be a good agent to have.

 

True but if the player does not know about the alternatives he just sees his agent getting him a (better) deal and is happy

 

Don't forget that players have a more personal one on one relationship with an agent than if say me or you were sending cvs to a recruitment agency.

 

That's what the agent wants the player to think..that he's his "mate" and acting in his interests. When I ran my own company I used agencies to recruit and to win business and they all without exception made out that they were looking out for me and getting me the best deals. If I were their boss I'd not want them to do that I'd want them to do what's best for the agency not what's best for me.

 

I believe football is probably more transparent in terms of players options because of that one on one relationship with an agent, plus players talk candidly with their team mates, plus mates and official in other clubs about potential moves and what's going on too.

 

I honestly believe outside the top level it's not like that..agents might only get one decent deal per player and not millions from that deal so they want the best they can for themselves each time.

 

But the player still has final say on the options presented.

 

True

 

He will also meet with new clubs and hear what they have to say too, after all the manager is the one that has to persuade a player their club is right for them.

 

All true..do you think agents and managers don't cozy up to each other and advise each other on what will appeal to a player to get the deal done? And that an agent might just favour one manager cos he will get more from that deal than a deal with another manager/club so will give him inside informnation on the player and what will make him happy?

 

Maybe I'm just cynical.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

He knows absolutely nothing about running a football club and refuses to pay a chief exec to help.

 

He's recruited an experienced CEO from Rochdale (allegedly).

[Essex Vale]

I have been critical of our Chairman in other posts, and I think my criticism is fair and justified. On this occasion, he agreed a fee with Birmingham, and it would seem offered to double Alex Jones' wages. I think that is a pretty reasonable response, and if Jones' agent has now priced him out of our reach then we just have to live with that. We cannot pay out silly money. So on this occasion I have no criticism of our Chairman I don't think anyone could have reasonably expected more in terms of his financial offerings. However, it begs the questions, when did we start this dialogue with Jones' agent? Did we start it too late which let him slip through our fingers? Who scouted him in the first place? I would bet anything you like it was not Bruno Ribiero.

 

So as always yet more questions to try to understand another situation that is difficult to fully grasp, and I don't mean the failure to secure Jones' signature now but the failure to secure it earlier How life moves on and we shall see how Alex Jones works out at Bradford City.

[Bea Smith]

The thing that matters is whether we end up with a stronger or a weaker squad by the end of the transfer window, at the moment it is like we are 1-0 down in a tie break at the end of a tennis set, with the opponents having first serve. Over to you to get some players in Smurf and balance things up.

[PV1973]

That's what the agent wants the player to think..that he's his "mate" and acting in his interests. When I ran my own company I used agencies to recruit and to win business and they all without exception made out that they were looking out for me and getting me the best deals. If I were their boss I'd not want them to do that I'd want them to do what's best for the agency not what's best for me.

Players agents are not just a voice on the phone, it is more a one on one relationship with a specific person who works with them whole career if the player chooses to. A footballers agent is pretty much at the players beck and call night and day for any issue.

 

I honestly believe outside the top level it's not like that..agents might only get one decent deal per player and not millions from that deal so they want the best they can for themselves each time.

Agents can only take 5% of a players salary. All the other stuff like signing on fees and sponsor ship deals are up for negotiation. But at the end of the day an agent has to work well for a player because that ensures his future business in recruting other players to him, otherwise he just won't get recommended. Working well could be getting a player a team where he will be playing every week to further his career, whereas some players will be happy to take the best monetary deal offered.

 

do you think agents and managers don't cozy up to each other and advise each other on what will appeal to a player to get the deal done? And that an agent might just favour one manager cos he will get more from that deal than a deal with another manager/club so will give him inside informnation on the player and what will make him happy?

Of course agents and clubs talk, these are their contacts, they will know what clubs are looking for a particular style of player based on what their contacts tell them.

 

I have been critical of our Chairman in other posts, and I think my criticism is fair and justified. On this occasion, he agreed a fee with Birmingham, and it would seem offered to double Alex Jones' wages. I think that is a pretty reasonable response, and if Jones' agent has now priced him out of our reach then we just have to live with that. We cannot pay out silly money. So on this occasion I have no criticism of our Chairman I don't think anyone could have reasonably expected more in terms of his financial offerings. However, it begs the questions, when did we start this dialogue with Jones' agent? Did we start it too late which let him slip through our fingers? Who scouted him in the first place? I would bet anything you like it was not Bruno Ribiero.

It could have been a case of Bradford offered more money for him that Vale did. Plus of course the agents job is to get the best deal out of each club for his player. So weigh it all up with that and the obvious stuff of more potential, bigger crowds, full time manager etc etc and its no wonder he chose them. I have no idea what he was on, but I'd hazard a guess that it was no more than a grand a week. But Jones had all the bargaining chips in his favour, his goalscoring record this season saw to that, he and his agent would have known way before that other clubs were interested and thats probably why he didn't rush in to signing for us before his loan spell was up. Why would he when he could afford to keep his options open.