FA action can help end bung claims - agent

Football agent Jon Smith has called for new regulations from the Football Association to avoid the allegations of transfer bungs to managers.

Three agents accused Bolton boss Sam Allardyce of being willing to accept illegal payments over transfers, while his son Craig was accused of accepting money for his part in two deals, even though the sums were never registered with the FA.

Smith, who set up the First Artist company, believes the FA can make the working relationship between clubs and players’ representatives smoother with changes.

Smith said: “The big issue from the programme is a lack of regulation. The FA’s regulations do not work and are not enforced properly, and no-one gives a damn about them. In fact, we don’t think they are legal.

“Until they get real and get proper departments to deal with this then there will always be allegations.”

He added: “The FA made a complaint to us about us about a recent transfer being against FIFA regulations – a very small matter in the paperwork – but why bother when there are other fundamental things wrong with the regulations”

Allardyce was accused on BBC’s Panorama show, although Smith felt the investigation did not live up to expectations.

“I think they got near to the edge of the cliff but didn’t fall off,” Smith said. “There was allegation and innuendo but there wasn’t actually any meat on the bone.

He added: “Had it just been a programme things might be different, but it was hyped up beyond belief.

“At the end of the day there was around £300million worth of Premiership transfer deals last year, the big boys accounting for around 70% of that. The ones in the programme were very low down on the food chain and, if there has been something wrong, let’s put the handcuffs on them.”