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Top football agent Jon Smith says our scouting system can't compete with most in the Prem



stss30

Registered User
Apr 24, 2008
9,545
Stumbled across quite an interesting interview with one of the top football agents, Jon Smith. It's on an Arsenal YouTube channel so understandably most of the chat is about them. However, he makes a few comments about the Albion. He basically says we can't currently compete with other top clubs in the transfer market as we don't have direct lines to senior agents and hints we will struggle in that department until we make the Prem for 2/3 years. For those interested his comments are around 19 minutes in this video...
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,809
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Stumbled across quite an interesting interview with one of the top football agents, Jon Smith. It's on an Arsenal YouTube channel so understandably most of the chat is about them. However, he makes a few comments about the Albion. He basically says we can't currently compete with other top clubs in the transfer market as we don't have direct lines to senior agents and hints we will struggle in that department until we make the Prem for 2/3 years. For those interested his comments are around 19 minutes in this video...


CAN'T COMPETE?

Stockdale for 1 million (at a time when our recruitment department was having a nightmare), Knockaert under the radar for less than 2 million, Kayal for less than a million. That's not competing. That's beating the system hands down.

I think what Jon probably means (though there's no way I'm wading through a load of tosh from an agent on a Prem video channel) is that we don't directly deal with him. Which strongly leads me to suspect he's a c***.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
CAN'T COMPETE?

Stockdale for 1 million (at a time when our recruitment department was having a nightmare), Knockaert under the radar for less than 2 million, Kayal for less than a million. That's not competing. That's beating the system hands down.

I think what Jon probably means (though there's no way I'm wading through a load of tosh from an agent on a Prem video channel) is that we don't directly deal with him. Which strongly leads me to suspect he's a c***.

He is talking Prem, not the lower leagues. I can understand that statement. But it is no different from most other clubs getting promoted and I can easily see us holding our own against the bottom half of the Prem.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,226
Football agents - mainly complete twats and con-men.

Probably has an agenda cos we didn't panda to one of his ridiculous asks...
 






stss30

Registered User
Apr 24, 2008
9,545
CAN'T COMPETE?

Stockdale for 1 million (at a time when our recruitment department was having a nightmare), Knockaert under the radar for less than 2 million, Kayal for less than a million. That's not competing. That's beating the system hands down.

I think what Jon probably means (though there's no way I'm wading through a load of tosh from an agent on a Prem video channel) is that we don't directly deal with him. Which strongly leads me to suspect he's a c***.

Perhaps I phrased his thoughts poorly. I think what he is getting at is we won't be in a position to sign players from top European clubs until our scouting system and range of contacts improve. It's well worth a listen imo but I'm not forcing you! He's also very complimentary about us and says he hopes we go up this year so don't think he's got an axe to grind with us!
 


El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,689
Pattknull med Haksprut
He says he loves the town (Brighton) and the club (The Albion), so why are people being precious about his comments?
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,809
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Perhaps I phrased his thoughts poorly. I think what he is getting at is we won't be in a position to sign players from top European clubs until our scouting system and range of contacts improve. It's well worth a listen imo but I'm not forcing you! He's also very complimentary about us and says he hopes we go up this year so don't think he's got an axe to grind with us!

I also probably phrased my reply poorly. I have very little regard for agents and their role in inflating the cost of football. If we're not dealing with them it's because we don't need to. CH will always buy players that fit the squad rather than chucking gazillions at an Arsenal or PSG starlet or an old has been with an ego. Long may that continue


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Lurchy

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2014
2,341
Perhaps I phrased his thoughts poorly. I think what he is getting at is we won't be in a position to sign players from top European clubs until our scouting system and range of contacts improve.

If anything finding the players from "top European" clubs should be easier than unearthing a gem at a lower level / lesser known club. If there are any problems attracting a high profile player than it's either because we'll be unable to compete on a financial level or that there's other more established clubs that are also in the mix. No one thought that a club like Stoke could attract players like Shaqiri, Bojan or Arnautović a few years ago or Swansea would sign players like Llorente but things do change.
 


Prince Monolulu

Everything in Moderation
Oct 2, 2013
10,201
The Race Hill
sport-footballer-football_game-football_match-football_player-playing_football-aken241_low.jpg
 


portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
16,979
What he states is bleeding obvious. Next....!
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,188
The Fatherland
I'm pretty sure we'll have tons of agents sniffing around us the minute we arrive in the Prem. After all, it's their job.
 




Bob'n'weave

Well-known member
Nov 18, 2016
1,970
Nr Lewes
What he states is bleeding obvious. Next....!

Agree. Any club making it up to the PL will have to adjust to compete, and dealing with the high end transfer market is all part of that. I don't think for one moment the Albion set up don't already have good contacts with premier blood sucking agents, they're just of no use to us now.
 




sdmartin1

Well-known member
Sep 23, 2008
1,258
What he states is bleeding obvious. Next....!

Is it? To be honest I'm a bit surprised we are disadvantaged in that way. Obviously financially we can't compete with Prem clubs when it comes to players with high wage demands but would like to think we could get a loan or two from some top clubs if available.
 


Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
No great shocks here. I watched it and he doesn't do anything but state the obvious:

Brighton are disadvantaged because we don't have the extensive contacts...We obviously don't have the ability yet to do that...if we go up then we would need 3 or 4 years to get up to speed.


Bloody hell, insightful stuff eh?
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,376
Outrage failure here. He singles us out in a most positive and affectionate way and says he hopes we come up. Adds that we don't have the connections of others and that will take time to change.

I think he's wrong concerning the connections. We just cannot compete with some others financially.
 






portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
16,979
Is it? To be honest I'm a bit surprised we are disadvantaged in that way. Obviously financially we can't compete with Prem clubs when it comes to players with high wage demands but would like to think we could get a loan or two from some top clubs if available.
I would have said anyone will talk to us if we have the money. We won't though. So they won't.
 


Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
22,953
Utter bulshit, Palace have been there 2/3 years and signed sone right turkeys. Schweinsteiger worked out well for United and on and on. We're doing just fine thank you Jon.
 



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