In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses Chelsea being a fascinating work in progress, why nothing has changed at West Ham despite all their new signings, why he can’t look beyond Man City for the Premier League title – and more! 

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Chelsea remain a fascinating work in progress

Chelsea are a fascinating work in progress, aren’t they?

The Sancho/Sterling thing for instance… Sancho is probably on the same kind of money as Sterling, and I guess he’s younger…

I’m not sure what’s happened with Sterling but obviously something’s gone wrong internally I would have thought.

You don’t just treat a player with that talent and history the way that he was treated. So I think the move to Arsenal is good for him and it’s almost like an internal swap with Sancho.

But what about the likes of Ben Chilwell? He’s on the best part of 200 grand, and he’s now stuck with the kids, which I find that a little bit strange. What happens if Cucurella gets injured?

Putting my agents hat on for a second, you’ve got a player that has to deal with the situation that he finds himself in, and one he clearly won’t like, but in my humble opinion he has to be a professional.

He’s being very well paid, and it’s what he does for a living.

If you’re a professional roofer and you don’t get on with your boss for some reason, and you throw a tantrum because the guy asks you to go up on someone’s roof, then you either do it or you walk out.

So if Chilwell’s that unhappy, walk out. Speak to the PFA for breach a contract.

It doesn’t work that way though as we know, however, so for the short time the player is on Planet Football, the rewards are big and he must behave, in my opinion, like a professional, even if maybe his employers aren’t.

Not that I’m not suggesting Chelsea aren’t of course, because there’s obviously stuff that’s going on that I’m not aware of there.

Brighton have done it again with Hurzeler appointment

I find myself praising Paul Barber and the team at Brighton again.

I mean, they just keep coming up with these names out of nowhere. Fabian Hurzeler, just 31 years of age from the German second division and he seems to have got it straightaway.

The players seem to respect him, though I’m only observing, and from what I’ve seen tactically they’re very adept.

I thought Arsenal looked good at the weekend but Brighton were fantastic.

Admittedly, Arsenal were down to 10 and gave the Seagulls huge respect, and they were certainly happy with that 1-1 draw at the end.

I can definitely see Brighton qualifying for Europe this year.

Decent enough window for Arsenal

I quite like one of the buys Arsenal made this summer; Calafiori.

I’m not sure about Merino because I don’t know an awful lot about him, to be honest. Calafiori and Sterling are two good buys for Arteta.

Pressure is right on ten Hag unless results change quickly

The pressure is always on when you’re Manchester United, and it’s more on the manager than it is on the ownership at this moment in time.

That’s because the ownership were perceived to have done the right thing by keeping him in place.

What I don’t understand is players, for example Casemiro… he was amazing when he first joined the club but what’s happened to him? Why has everything gone so far south?

I just don’t understand what’s going on United.

They’ve got a team of really good players, and it’s just not happening for them. Even Rashford, the eternal servant, just doesn’t look the part anymore.

So I’m kind of sticking my neck out really, but unless things turn around fairly quickly, there must be a Plan B – and the Plan B would would be to replace ten Hag.

It’s kind of more of the same at the moment.

Liverpool looking good under cool, calm and collected Slot

Interestingly enough, sort of across the road is Liverpool, and I have to say that the new regime looks very relaxed.

Arne Slot is calmly getting on with doing the same thing that his predecessor did, and without really adding to the squad as well.

They brought in Federico Chiesa at the end of the window but that really was the extent of their business (Giorgi Mamardashvili doesn’t join for another year).

So far, so good.

Everton must stick with Sean Dyche if they want EPL survival

Down at the bottom of the Premier League, Everton have lost their first three games of the season, just as they lost their first three last season – so at least they’re consistent.

Things look a bit worse in 24/25, but I know Sean Dyche and he’s a great personal motivator so I’m banking on him to somehow turn it around.

There does come a point when you can only turn it around so often, however. A moment when you have to say, ‘right, got to do something else.’

It’s such a mess off the pitch at the moment that I don’t see them getting rid of Dyche because everything else is against them.

I wouldn’t know who’s going to go in there, and whoever it is – if Everton were inclined to go down that route – would want a budget.

Nobody knows what the budget is, because nobody knows whether the club can afford to finish their new stadium.

I don’t think bringing back David Moyes – as has been mooted – is overly relevant at the moment. Moyes is a good coach, but everyone has their day and some of his best are behind him now.

I’ve huge regard for David Moyes and maybe the whole emotional thing plays well. But I think it’s bit of an elastoplast rather than an operational fix.

All go at Juve whilst Dybala wins the plaudits at Roma

Juventus under Thiago Motta are trying to change everything.

They bought a young lad from Atalanta called Koopmeiners, and I’ve watched some videos of him – he’s technically a really good player.

What’s more, he’s gone there in the hope of playing rather than just going straight into the team – that takes guts. Bravo young man.

I’m delighted for Roma fans too, after Paulo Dybala turned down the €75m on offer from Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League.

I hear a number of Roma fans all went to his house to thank him – a lovely little story.

Haaland and Man City already looking ominous

With Man City you can’t look further than Haaland can you. I mean, which planet is this man from?! Just astonishing, unbelievable.

That third goal was quite incredible.

It’s early days but already I can’t see much beyond City for the title again – unless they get a ‘hangover’ after Christmas.

New signings won’t make a difference at West Ham

I just wonder whether all of the new summer signings are going to make a difference at West Ham.

Yes, they had to do it and I think they’ve done well, they’ve bought a couple of decent players.

Wan-Bissaka I like and there are a number of others that were brought in with him.

I just don’t know what it is, maybe a gut feeling, that it’s not going to make a great deal of difference.

I love West Ham so I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for them, and I just hope it’s hope it’s going to be a good, fun year for them.

Tottenham looking to youth is the right way to go

The last word this week is on Spurs because I’ve not mentioned them yet.

I think it looks like they’re concentrating on youth now under Ange, doesn’t it? The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall et al.

It’s an interesting experiment and one which, at the moment, I think is probably the right way to go for them.

The post Agents column: Look no further than Man City, brilliant Brighton, same old West Ham and much more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses Ivan Toney’s potential move to Saudi Arabia, why nothing has changed at Chelsea, why the Man City case could cause FFP rules to be rewritten – and more! 

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Former Arsenal and Tottenham target Ivan Toney looks to be Saudi bound

I’m pretty convinced now, after everything that I’m hearing, that Ivan Toney is on his way to Saudi Arabia.

Now the interesting thing about that is, under Islamic law, alcohol and betting are two major sins. He’s paid the price for his betting issue, but it’s an interesting dichotomy of when does a sin not become a sin anymore? Certainly, he’s going to have to be very, very careful.

And it’s also an interesting decision isn’t it, because one would hope that the Saudi league is going to be successful and one assumes that the Gulf states will be promoting themselves heavily in the football world in the coming years, but it’s still considered to be a footballing backwater at present.

He’s probably chosen the financial route rather than the footballing one and I think he runs the risk of people saying ‘ok he was good, but he went for the money,’ and underplaying his role in the Premier League to date.

Personally, I was amazed when I was in Saudi in terms of how enthusiastic the audiences locally are, and I’m hoping that the experience produces an enjoyment for Ivan Toney on a par with the rest of the world’s football.

The Toney’s are a nice family, and I wish them well.

MLS will boom ahead of World Cup 2026 as more big names head Stateside

MLS can most definitely rival the other leagues in the world at present.

Don Garber, the supremo of MLS and who was my link person when I owned the London Monarchs and he was at the NFL in 1991 was, and is, great.

He’s a fantastic asset for MLS and has grown that league over 20/30 years to a place where it’s significant.

Although European football has its hierarchy and its home base, and it’s considered to be the ultimate place to play football, the world of football is growing around it.

MLS is much more mature now and it’s a tough league. The values of senior clubs are in the billions, so how wonderful is that for the investors who got behind the game with the round ball across the pond all those years ago?

With the World Cup going to the US in 2026, I absolutely think it’s a place to be and MLS can be considered as the next door neighbour now to Europe, as far as footballing interest is concerned.

Man City case will force a rewriting of FFP rules

The $64,000 question is what happens next for Man City.

It’s clear that having 115 charges against you is sizeable. I haven’t seen the evidence and obviously I can’t comment in front of a legal case, but the one thing for sure is that financial regulations are necessary in advance of sizeable pan global ownerships, be they nations, hedge funds or corporates – especially with multi-ownerships.

What this case will highlight is that the regulations are probably not yet quite right.

They don’t quite take into account the understanding of the multi ownerships that are currently in existence and will continue to grow, and also how the lesser financially able clubs need to protect the level playing field.

In summary, what’s likely to happen as a result of this case, whatever the result, is there will be a challenge from Man City.

If they’re found guilty, then there’s going to have to be a punishment which is applicable, but then, once the challenge is issued, that probably pushes everything into 2025.

Not forgetting too that City are also mounting a challenge against the Premier League itself for misappropriation of regulation.

It’ll probably be a real buggers muddle through this season, which will ultimately, in my opinion, result in the rewriting of Financial Fair Play in a much more realistic manner.

Big job needed at Everton… but John Textor is the right man

Everton is is a fascinating melting pot of decisions that perhaps should have been made in a different manner, and financial management that perhaps should have been a little bit more adroit.

It’s a club that needs a major clear up, however, the stadium is amazing. It’s like a little city in itself which will operate seven days a week, and I think that can only be good.

I think John Textor has enough financial muscle and experience to be able to re-establish Everton as a major contender but that’s going to take a few years, probably four or five, and he has to completely ring fence his Crystal Palace shareholding too, which I believe is 41% and so not a small holding.

I would suggest that would hasten a sale of Crystal Palace, because that just puts such a level of instability in their ballpark that it’s probably time for new owners to move in there as well within the next 24 months.

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In terms of whether John Textor is the right man for the job, he’s certainly got experience and, importantly, he knows the business of football. He will be one of the more interesting group of multi ownerships, that’s for sure.

Everton is not for the bashful and it really does need a sizeable turnaround including some of the previous investors to write off a lot, which I think will probably happen.

But if I was an Evertonian – and I wouldn’t expect miracles for the first 24/36 months – it’s going to need a little bit of a little bit of patience, but at least John Textor knows the business.

Unlike at Chelsea, he’s not just coming in as as a wealthy guy who thinks it will be an interesting challenge to run a football club.

More of the same from Chelsea

There’s no change at Chelsea, it’s the ongoing saga and more of the same.

They’ve got a lot of financial issues to sort and did they grab their coach because he was another one of Pep’s disciples, or is he as good as obviously they think he is? I think that’s a big question which will be answered, probably, by the turn of the year.

There’s unlikely to be too much happening at Man United until Christmas either, but it will be interesting to see what may or may not happen there too.

West Ham will do well. I think there’s a little bit more about Ipswich and Southampton this year which means that the three that came up may not be the three that go down, and Wolves appear like a team stuck in a rut and going nowhere.

The only thing I will say about this season, however, is that I don’t think there’s anything dramatic that can be said after just one game.

The post Agent’s column: Man City case could see FFP rewritten, no change at Chelsea and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why the reaction to Enzo Fernandez’s social media video, why Man United are still allowed to profit from abhorrent Mason Greenwood, who should replace Gareth Southgate – and more! 

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Reaction to Enzo Fernandez’s alleged racism is symptomatic of today’s world

In today’s society you can’t say what you want, you have to say what is acceptable to the world in general.

Enzo Fernandez’s words were critical of somebody’s heritage as I saw them. Not nice but not overly offensive either, and the fact that everybody jumped on it made it a lot worse.

I think is that symptomatic of the times we’re living in. Very often what you say in one sentence these days means you end up in the hangman’s noose, even though what the player probably wanted to infer was a much more placid comment than an offensive racist remark.

I’m not saying this was right from him, but I think the lesson to be learned is twofold.

Firstly, be very, very cautious on what you say publicly.

I’ve been on team buses with players who’ve won a big game, the energy levels are so high and they say and do things that are just spontaneous. I think you have to manage that spontaneity these days.

Secondly, and if I was advising a client of mine who’d been offended, I would advise him or her to make one comment saying ‘I’m disappointed. I’m sad. I love where I come from, and I’m very proud of it.’ Finish, end of story. Don’t make the situation worse.

If you are the injured party, you make one constructive comment and move on.

Abhorrent Mason Greenwood was still an asset for Man United

There are 26.6m reasons why Mason Greenwood’s move from Man United to Marseille has been allowed to happen.

He’s a major asset on the Man United balance sheet, and it’s very difficult when monies are at this level to just turn your back on that.

Sure, if you’re a director of a public company and you make a bad comment or error of judgment, you get fired and the company loses the benefit of your services. But the company’s detriment is exactly that.

It’s the person who loses on this occasion.

I’ve seen and heard some of the stuff that went on with Mason Greenwood, and it was dreadful.

His partner seems to have forgiven him, they’re having children together, and no one really knows what went on except them.

It’s a terrible example to set, and we in the football sector are certainly focused on the fact that we are very influential, especially with younger minds.

So I completely understand the angst, and I disapprove heartily of everything that went on. I abhor partner violence.

I’ve got nothing good to say about that, obviously, but from a cold-hearted perspective of ‘why does the football industry allow benefits to be taken by his employers?’ – it’s because he’s an asset on the balance sheet.

Most companies don’t have people as their assets. They have hardcore assets which are either real estate or investments in certain entities within their industry.

Had the company, in this case Manchester United, just got rid of him, they wouldn’t have realised 26.6m in assets.

I can understand why that’s happened bit it doesn’t support any positivity towards Mason Greenwood, it just acknowledges the reality.

FIFA’s recent comments are disingenous and the new Club World Cup is just a money grab

I think FIFA’s comments were actually protective of themselves and disingenuous.

This is all about money. I’m sorry, there’s no other part of this. It’s not for the benefit of the game. What’s the new format of the Club World Cup going to offer the game that it doesn’t already have? This is all about additional income.

I think player welfare is absolutely paramount, that and fan well being.

I still believe that what’s going to happen is that the Club World Cup will ultimately morph into a Super League of some construction – though it won’t be called a Super League for obvious reasons.

I think the money will come out of the Gulf within the next five years that competition will evolve because the dates are already in the calendar.

Pre-season tours only stress a player’s body marginally, and the fact that you’re going to America or in some cases even Australia doesn’t matter because players have the best medical support and support more generally available.

It’s not overly taxing their bodies unlike flying around the world for a Club World Cup during the middle of the season when energy levels need to be conserved.

Why do you think so many players get injured and stay injured longer? Because we’re patching them up quickly to get them back.

I support the PFA and the EPL completely on this. Player welfare is a major part of the game and needs to be reviewed urgently now, because you can’t keep adding more and more games.

You have to balance player well being and squad success.

Jurgen Klopp is the only worthwhile choice to takeover the England job from Gareth Southgate

My choice to replace Southgate would be Klopp, absolutely. He’s out of a job – not that he needs one – but my only concern is that it’s a bit too soon and he probably needs a year out to spend some time with his family.

He can trot around the world and go to nice places without having to be somewhere on a Saturday afternoon.

I think if Klopp didn’t have any interest in it, and I haven’t spoken to him so I don’t know, you could then build a case for bringing back somebody like a Graham Potter, who was a great coach at Brighton.

I’m not sure that the Chelsea debacle was all his fault and England would give him a bit of rehabilitation, maybe. If he’s not that great, he can go and work for a club in a year’s time.

I think the FA will actually end up going for a Potter or an Eddie Howe, because it’s an easy and a justifiable appointment.

England are in a pretty decent place, but they need excitement.

Gareth obviously did a good job managerially over the years, but we need a manager that brings high energy, younger, more evolved tactics, and somebody like Klopp would be phenomenal. I’d move heaven and earth to get him.

Maybe there could be an interim coach before him and that would be revolutionary.

Big deals needed to open the transfer floodgates

I think there’s a few transfer deals blowing around but nothing’s happened yet.

Chelsea have got a lot of business to do because they need to sell some players, so it’s just a matter of who goes and when. It’s probably going to be the youngest guys in the system, because that system is better for Chelsea’s return on investment.

I think I’ve said it before, Victor Osimhen would fit so well for Chelsea and there’s been rumours that Napoli might let him go.

Arsenal have bought well with Calafiori and I think there’ll be one or two more, with Nketiah moving at some point too.

Something’s going to happen with Kalvin Phillips and something’s also going to happen with Ivan Toney.

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The market has been slow because of the European Championship, and it just needs one or two bigger deals to go through in order to open the tills for everyone else.

Everyone’s obviously concerned about the FFP issues, but I still expect it to be very busy in the last 14-20 days of the window.

Man United have got a lot to do, not just because a large number of their admin staff are going either.

Spurs will do something as will Liverpool. The Reds have done nothing which is a big surprise, but it’s kind of understandable if Arne Slot is taking his time before making his various moves.

The post Agent’s column: Reaction to Enzo is symptomatic of today’s world, abhorent Mason Greenwood was still an asset for Man United and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Gareth Southgate’s coaching team are the issue with England, what the Saudi Pro League has planned, what transfers could happen this summer – and more! 

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Southgate’s coaching set up is a real problem for England

I like Gareth Southgate a lot, and I used to work with him years ago. He’s a super human being and a great manager. Over the years you see the other great managers, but now it’s always a management team.

In days gone by, when I was working with people like Fergie, he wasn’t the greatest tactician, but he acknowledged that and hired the best tacticians, managing them from an overall capacity and in his case, very personally.

I’m sadly of the view that the coaching set up around Gareth Southgate at the moment just isn’t right. It doesn’t play to the strengths of the players that he’s got.

Look at the way the team played last week and the week before… and eight of those players are in teams that play a high press, very quick movement of the ball, inverted wingbacks on occasion, all the kind of modern jargon that you want to throw in there, but they play it well because they’re well coached.

Gareth could do worse than just say, ‘play like you play at your team and let’s coordinate what you do in a collective,’ rather than ‘let’s play it safe here, keep it there.’

Everything’s a bit old fashioned in this setup. It’s a bit 10 years ago, it’s showing and I’m fearful.

I mean, I want England to win it, but I’m very fearful that coaching has moved on, and England haven’t in coaching terms. I’d like to see us use the wonderful players we’ve got in the ways that they’re used to being used.

Gareth is a really good man manager, I’m just not quite sure what’s happening below him in the tactical management set-up.

Spain or Germany will win the Euros

I can’t see beyond the Spain vs Germany game for the winners of Euro 2024. I just think it’s going to be one of those two.

I’d like England to be in the final but if it’s not to be, then Spain vs Germany is the final I’d like to have seen.

Expect a last-minute rush in the transfer window

There are certain players that I think are going to move this summer, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz being one.

I can’t see much beyond Bayern as far as he’s concerned, because they need to do something big and he will be a great pleaser for the crowd in Munich.

I’m also looking at Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, which is an obvious one to Chelsea, but, as we’ve talked about previously, the way it’s set up at the moment means that the Blues will have to sell before they can buy.

Some of their best homegrown talent like Gallagher and Santos may have to be sold because of the financial implications, rather than the consequence of their positive talent. I think that’s a really strange situation that has to be addressed in how financial fair play is reconfigured.

There will be a lot of money spent in this window but it’ll be quite late. I think everyone will be looking to see what everybody else is doing.

Salah will probably end up in Saudi and Ivan Toney will leave Brentford now, but will he go to Arsenal? Will it be Spurs? Not quite sure, but something’s going to happen with him.

Serious discussions around player welfare need to be had

As a former senior agent, and certainly one that kicks around with a lot of players and agents these days, player welfare is a big topic but one that’s just passed everybody by.

The money’s so big people don’t want to miss out, and there’s always a fear of ‘this can’t go on forever.’

I think there’s a there’s a worry that at the top of the game that there needs to be more competition, more of what the paying public want. However, there’s only so many players to go around and I think player welfare is a serious discussion which hasn’t really been had.

It’s a bit like when Covid happened and the clubs made all the players have the vaccination without really thinking about the potential consequences. ‘Let’s get the game on’ was the attitude, which I think was the right thing to do, but you’re beginning to see the medical kickbacks from the effects of those vaccinations now.

I mean, I’m not medically qualified enough, but there’s too many serious medical conditions, many of them through heart issues, which can’t be pure coincidence.

There’s a moment in time where the finger begins to point to a specific time frame when player ‘congenital heart failures’ actually rose dramatically. At that time, player welfare was second to the welfare of the game, and that’s happening all over the place now.

Players need physical rest and recuperation.

At the end of the season players are beginning to realise how tired they are and how difficult it is for them to keep themselves fit during the close season – and that’s when these conversations must take place. I think that is symptomatic.

One of the reasons given in the past as to why England have performed so poorly at international tournaments is the tiredness in the legs of the players from the Premier League. It’s a more strenuous, more physically taxing league than all of the others, but that’s the price you pay for having the greatest league in the world.

Saudi Pro League bigwigs happy with progress so far; focus remains on 2034

I didn’t have specific conversations when I met with Saudi Pro League representatives recently, I just had general conversations, but they have a long term goal with their project, running into the World Cup in 2034.

So, as far as they’re concerned, the conversations that we had were all about how we can promote the Saudi league outside of Saudi.

Having said that, inside Saudi, when two of the top teams were playing each other, every coffee lounge and every restaurant had the game on. They weren’t featuring overseas games. They were featuring Saudi Pro League games and the crowd were really, really energised.

So, something good is happening in Saudi football, and I think they’re happy that what they’re creating appears to be working locally. I think their big concern is ‘how do we get international acceptance’? That’s where they’re going to focus their attention.

I think there’ll be a few more deals this summer but nothing sensational. They’re not going to buy the top six players in the world but they’ll buy another two or three reasonably high-profile names. Then the focus is on what happens next. How can they promote what’s happening in Saudi abroad?

The post Agent’s column: Southgate’s poor coaching set-up, Spain or Germany for the Euros and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Chelsea are at the last chance saloon with Enzo Maresca, why West Ham will be sold within three years, why VAR won’t be scrapped – and more! 

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Chelsea at the last chance saloon with Enzo Maresca

Hiring Enzo Maresca is a really brave decision you have to say from Paul Winstanley, who’s the sporting director at Chelsea, and it’s probably the last chance saloon.

I like Paul, he did a great job at Brighton and he has a highly intellectual footballing brain, but it is definitely a risky proposition.

Having said all of that, the fashionable and loud voices all say that you need young, new, innovative coaches from the Pep school of how to do things in 2024 and that’s where he comes from.

In terms of his managerial ability, he was bit poor at Parma, Leicester fans don’t seem overly upset, which is a slight concern, but when you look at what’s happened at Brighton, and it’s where Paul came from, they pick people out that they’ve done their research on and they’ve worked.

So, being bold and brave might not be the worst thing in the world… fingers crossed.

West Ham’s new set-up a pre-cursor to sale within three years

West Ham, as was over the last couple of years, have got away with their way of working because they didn’t have an obvious striker but they did have a decent coach.

Now it looks as if things will work slightly differently at the club with Tim Steidten driving transfers, and I think it’s a path that they have to tread to become a modern club.

I’ve grown up with a lot of the people running our game and have had good relationships with most of them, and I’m fond of David Sullivan who has been very kind to me.

I’ve watched him operate and he’s bloody good at what he does – but he’s in his 70s. He’s not ill at all, but he’s had medical issues and I just feel that he’s possibly setting the club up for the future.

When you look around the corner, the David Gold shareholding that’s for sale… the price has gone up and up and up, and the obvious taker was originally Daniel Kretinsky but he’s gone and bought the Post Office now, so he’s obviously not going to buy West Ham at the same time.

He’s still a major shareholder, however, so put all those computations together, and you get a club that needs to set itself up for a potential sale in the coming 36 months.

So for me, the new way of working is an obvious step for West Ham to take. It’s modern, it’s cool, it’s doing the things that the likes of Man United are going to have to do in future and I think it’s a bold move, but a necessary one.

I think there’s a real chance that West Ham will be sold in the next 36 months but it does depend, by the way, on who comes in and takes the Gold shareholding.

There’s some big players in that mix, and I think when you see the outcome of that, whoever comes in may be the prelude to what happens next.

EPL and EFL must evolve in complete harmony

I think everything has to evolve.

When I was there at the beginning of the Premier League with Rupert Murdoch, David Dein et al, people said to us, ‘what’s the necessity?’

The guys at the top of the English footballing pyramid were having to fund everyone at the bottom, and we’re not a million miles from that same position now, where the Premier League have offered sizeable sums of money to the Football League. The Football League in turn has said, ‘No, we want more.’

The government have got slightly more important things to do right now, so a regulator would need to sort it out.

The Football League is saying, well, when Labour get in, they’ll support us. The Premier League owners that I know are saying, ‘well, no one can tell us what to do with our money. They can try and regulate us but we’ll put it all on hold in a legal process for two years and see where that goes.’

So they need to try and be a bit creative, rather than litigious.

Ideally, League One and League Two need to be sustained, and there’s enough monies in the system to achieve that without negotiating much further than we are now. In other words, I think a deal between the Premier League and Leagues One and Two is probably not a million miles away.

I think the issue is the Championship, because what may work better, ultimately, is a Premier League One and Two.

The thing is, parachute payments – and I understand why they’re there – give the three relegated clubs an unfair advantage, because the EPL don’t do anything for the rest of the clubs.

I think what has to happen is if you just separate Leagues One and Two, and there were additional payments to the Championship for all the other clubs, that would make it all a little more balanced.

Effectively, the major financial reconstruction is in the Championship to allow everyone to compete with the clubs coming down.

Russians needed to keep Everton afloat as new buyer hunt begins

I think I said previously that if Everton went down, they would have to go into administration.

If 777 pulled out, which has now happened, and there was nobody else, then the Russians would have to step up and keep the club alive during the process.

There was a there was a rumour, and it is just rumour that 777 allegedly hadn’t loaned Everton money and that the Russians were allegedly continuing to fund the club.

At the moment, the only obvious potential buyer that I see is John Textor, but he has to get rid of his 45% share in Crystal Palace.

Now, I know he’s talking to the Premier League about becoming a silent partner, so he’ll have no voice and won’t be a part of the decision making process at Palace.

His plea to the Premier League, therefore, will be on the basis that he could be allowed to have conversations with Everton? I think that he’s waiting for that as a response.

It makes no sense for the very wealthy Russians behind Moshiri to let this go, because they’ll lose everything. They might as well keep it going and wait for a Textor or someone else – and there will be a someone else at some point.

If the Russians can’t, for whatever reason – politically or otherwise – keep it together, then they will have to seek some sort of administrative support, which would be disastrous for Everton Football Club.

VAR shouldn’t be scrapped… but the officials need to up their game

I don’t think VAR will be scrapped because I think there’s enough positive sentiment towards it.

I think the problem is all in the presentation, and the whole issue is the timeframe that it takes to make a decision.

In the World Cup it was a lot faster, and that’s the system that should be followed. The officials absolutely need to present what is happening on screen in the grounds, so that the fans become part of it rather than just a waiting audience.

They actually need to change it a bit where the lines that are drawn for the tightest decisions don’t determine whether the player is onside or offside.

I like that expression ‘clear and obvious,’ which was the entire premise of VAR in the first place.

Leicester could be hit with 15 point deduction… and they’d the first club of many

It looks like Leicester may possibly be hit with a 15-point deduction before the season starts, and things are certainly beginning to shape up that way.

What I’m hearing now may not happen, however, the news is coming from very good sources.

Forest have breached Financial Fair Play again whilst Chelsea may have also done so, therefore we could also see both clubs facing more charges.

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Villa are another team to have breached FFP regulations and they too are facing punishment, whilst Man City’s 115 charges will be heard before Christmas.

So I think it’s worth noting that, of course, you have to regulate in the game, but let’s not forget that it’s supporters who are the lifeblood of the game as well as the players.

For both parties it’s all about what happens on the pitch, and that shouldn’t be determined sizeably by what happens off it.

The post Agents column: West Ham to be sold within three years, Chelsea at the last chance saloon with Maresca and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Real Madrid will win the Champions League, why Declan Rice has been one of Arsenal’s best-ever signings, why Man United could stick with Erik ten Hag – and more! 

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Real Madrid to win ‘their’ Champions League… again

It’s probably going to be Real Madrid that win the Champions League final because it’s sort of in their DNA. This is their competition and it’s almost like General Franco organised it!

There were teams that used to turn up at Anfield years ago and they’d walk onto the pitch past the ‘Welcome to Anfield’ sign which was there to intimidate them.

I think the Champions League is there to intimidate every other team apart from Real Madrid. It’s quite bizarre, isn’t it?

For example, they were halfway through the second half of their semi-final against Bayern and their legs completely went – and yet they still ended up winning it.

They always find a way, don’t they?

I am a huge fan of what’s happened at Dortmund this year mind you, and I’d like to see Dortmund win because I think they kind of deserve it this year. They’ve done so well.

However, I’m struggling to see past Real Madrid on this occasion.

You know if it was Real Madrid vs Dortmund in a league over the course of time, I’d back Dortmund, but in a one-off game and considering the size of the occasion… my heart and head combined tell me that it’s probably gonna be Real Madrid.

Declan Rice has been one of Arsenal’s best-ever signings

I think not only is Declan Rice a great talent, but he’s brought the ability to encourage the players around him to do better in themselves.

Firstly, because he comes with a big £100m tag and he’s kept his head down and been a gentleman on and off the field, and I think that’s a bit inspirational.

Inspirational players are the best players to have on your team as well as talented ones, and he is both.

He’s just got on with the job, played really well, and the £100m price tag is irrelevant now which shows how successful he’s been.

No go for 777 at Everton, but all hope is not lost for the Toffees

777 Partners have got a lot of baggage that seems to be crystallising in all the wrong places and at the wrong time.

That is now beginning to infiltrate the thinking of people who need to be on side with them, such as the Premier League, and this would indicate that this is a problematic position for them to continue to progress.

Interestingly enough, the Everton supporters have possibly handed them a way out because at the recent AGM fans voiced their concerns regarding 777.

That could be the kicker for 777 to say ‘look, supporters don’t want us now, obviously they’re the heartbeat of the club and so we will no longer be there.’

MSP Sports Capital are a company that seems to be circling Everton at the moment and there will be others. I’m aware of the numbers by the way, and they are huge; into eight/nine figures, and I think there’s going to have to be a lot of potential Russian write offs to get the right owners in place.

Everton won’t go down. Had they gone down I think they would’ve had to go into administration which, in a bizarre way, might have been the best solution. Don’t try telling that to someone who’s got blue in their veins though.

They’re a wonderful club with a great history, good players and good support and I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I think it’s unlikely that the 777 takeover will happen now.

Everton are big enough to attract huge money so if I was Moshiri, I’d do what I do very well at the moment and that’s do nothing at all because I think there’s going to be more interest from other parties.

Cogent reasons for Man United to stick with ten Hag

It becomes evident that there’s a lot of take away from what’s going on at Man United at the moment under the new regime.

Staff who were previously working from home some of the time are encouraged not to do that because they might not have a job. There’s people that were working on three day weeks now working five day weeks because they might not have a job….

There’s obviously some financial rationale going on there and if I’m Sir Jim Ratcliffe, I’m looking at the managerial situation with the first-team and thinking ‘okay, where do we go with this appointment? It has to be superb and I’m looking around looking for Mr. Superb and I’m struggling to find him.’

Then, given that it’s going to cost a lot of money to get rid of Erik ten Hag and reinvest in the squad anyway, it’s tempting to believe that Sir Jim could quite possibly decide to work with the Dutchman because he knows the team and he knows the squad.

If, in a few months time, he still can’t do it, then United will regroup again. After all, the development of the squad is going to take 4-5 years regardless.

There’s a European Championship coming up of course, and there may be better managers leaving their posts around then, as well as younger managers coming through.

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The Roberto De Zerbi’s of this world will be getting their brownie points, but there’s not enough choice out there.

There is, evidently in my head, a school of thought where ten Hag stays and United start rebuilding under him. In three months time something could change as other opportunities could emerge and other managers may become available.

We have to wait and see what happens in the Euros but I could understand why United would keep hold of ten Hag.

Solanke might just get a seat on the plane with England

I like Dominic Solanke at Bournemouth, he’s just cracking on, and in the world of Gareth Southgate he might just get a shot.

I think Maddison will go to the Euros, I think Mainoo will go and I like the two boys at Palace, Eze and Guehi.

The big question for me is whether Jordan Henderson goes.

With some of the younger lads in there, they’ll need one of the stable heads to just calm everybody down in those really tense moments when we’re heading towards a semi-final penalty shootout!

The post Agent’s column: Rice one of Arsenal’s best ever, Man United could stick with ten Hag, Real Madrid to win UCL and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Man City will win the Champions League, why Newcastle won’t sack Eddie Howe, why the Saudis don’t want the Pro League turning into a circus – and more! 

Man City will win the Champions League, Arsenal want the Premier League

Man City I think will get through against Real Madrid next week.

Just like there is an art to staying in the Premier League, similarly, there’s an art to playing football in Europe, in particular the Champions League – something that Man City do wonderfully well.

It’s difficult to try and encapsulate that because in reality, what is a mindset?

It’s not just a question of being a good football team, but something extra is definitely needed at the top of most sports because it’s just different in that rarified atmosphere.

Think of how many tennis players say how playing at Wimbledon is unlike playing anywhere else both because of the different mindset needed and recognising of course that grass is different from clay.

PSG are a little fragile so my initial reaction without thinking about it too much is I think Barcelona might go through in that tie.

Again, they’ve just got that mindset in the Champions League and though they’ve not been at their best for the past few years, I think they’ll go through.

Arsenal I have a fear for in Europe, I just don’t think they’re quite there yet.

It might be unprofessional to say it but I think they’ll win the Premier League. I just think that’s what they want and I think it’s their passport to what happens next.

If I use the word sacrifice it will be with a very small ’s,’ and I think Arsenal may sacrifice the Champions League in exchange for winning the Premier League.

Fans must be included when a decision is made by Semi Automated Offside Technology

I think we’ve said in the past that the Semi Automated Offside Technology that was used at the Qatar World Cup was a much more superior model than the one in use in the Premier League.

The Premier League has overplayed VAR to the point where the supporters can’t celebrate a goal. They’re waiting for the challenges which are multifaceted, and then there’s a bit too much discussion on it.

In simplistic form, the officials absolutely need to run the process publicly.

You must put it on the screens if there are screens at the grounds, because otherwise the whole atmosphere loses its momentum.

Fans are crying out for change because it’s spoiling the beautiful game.

For Hawk-Eye in cricket supporters see the ball, you see the line in tennis in real time too… football needs to catch up and quickly.

Newcastle will stick with Howe

The supporters reading this will know that the best chance of putting together a team and a system, and the variety of systems that play within it, is at the beginning of pre-season.

If a manager has a bad start but they’re allowed to get through to November before a change occurs, that’s not great for anyone for obvious reasons. In some cases the change happens as early as late August!

I think Eddie Howe is a very good manager and the Saudi Public Investment Fund will know that a question of whether to replace him is a very, very difficult one for them to answer.

He’s had a few months of unfortunate injuries and so if it was me, I wouldn’t knee jerk. I would take the risk, and I hope the Saudis will do the same. I think they probably will.

They’re in it for the long game so my guess is that they’ll let Howe and his team hang around for a little while longer.

Saudis won’t want the Pro League turning into a circus

The Saudi Pro League project runs the risk of becoming a bit of a circus.

As we’ve articulated that previously, I think it’s a great venture and one that could benefit the game with sizeable financial input – providing it’s done in a considerate manner for the game rather than for political expediency.

I think you will find a lot of the Northern European players potentially resistant to going there even though the money is good.

If the money is great that resistance will drop, but in some instances, the younger players will say, “well, I’m earning good money here as well. So that’s where I want to be.”

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If that’s the case, which I think it will be, I think you’ll see a lot more Americans and Southern Europeans going into Saudi Arabia, and possibly some Australians as well. I can see a lot of Brazilians and Argentinians and Uruguayans going there.

There’s a few obviously from Northern Europe too, but I think that will be the intake.

The interesting thing is that they’re extending foreign intake per club to 10 players, meaning they only need a Saudi goalkeeper and the rest of the squad could be from overseas – which I think begins to point to foreign recruitment in easier territories.

The post Agent’s column: Man City to win UCL, Howe to stay at Newcastle and more! appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Donald Trump could shape the future of football, why Ivan Toney deserves an England call up for Euro 2024, why Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to be more impactful at Man United – and more! 

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No changes needed to the structure of the football pyramid

I hate gerrymandering stuff that is not real and the supporters wouldn’t like it either.

Clubs need to work more diligently once they’ve been promoted from the Championship into the Premier League.

Brighton have had a good level of management all the way through their time in the top-flight, and Forest and Wolves have also done well during their time in the top division.

There is a mindset that says let’s bank the £120m check, let’s spend £60m and if we go down we go down £60m richer than we were and we’ve got the use of parachute payments.

I think that the parachute payment needs to be looked at, but the Premier League is the most successful sporting league in the world so why change it?

There’s enough money if you’re clever enough and in a changing footballing market where you don’t have to spend a fortune.

So just maybe being cleverer is much more important than fixing something which is not broken.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe doesn’t need to be Man United’s ‘front of house’

I think what Sir Jim’ needs to do is be a bit more impactful and get a couple of quick wins!

I love football fans, I love the humour, I love the tribal laws, and there is a distinct quality which I share – we have no patience. It is what it is though because Sir Jim only took over in February.

I think during March and April, he should keep the conversations going and then if I was advising him, I’d be asking them to scale back.

I just think float some ideas generally, but I wouldn’t be too specific at the moment because things can change. Unless they’re already in conversations and about to enter into the final stages of signing a player or two.

He’s got a lot of work to do and if I was him I would be saying I want to observe, but I want to try and help at the front end of this as best I can. Look across the road (at Man City) – it took them four years to get properly up and running a few years back.

So I think managing expectations, managing aspirations, is probably the most important thing for Sir Jim right now plus an impactful decision or two.

Ivan Toney is worth a seat on the plane for England

We’ve got Foden who will go to the European Championship, Kane will go and Callum Wilson probably. Jarrod Bowen offers a slightly different formatted front runner, Saka is wide and will come inside.

I think you need someone like Ivan Toney on the front line to disrupt things because he’s a big boy. He’s absolutely got a point to prove as well and he scores goals!

So yes, I would have Ivan Toney in my England team tomorrow morning.

The new Champions League format will change again

There were always going to be some changes to the Champions League and things will evolve, particularly with Ceferin leaving.

This particular iteration of the competition has been flagged for the last 12 to 18 months so I don’t think the Super League has had a great deal of influence here because it was going this way anyway.

There will be other changes too because I think the Saudis will have conversations with FIFA which will ultimately – and this is just a forecast by me – change up the World Club Championship which nobody understands or doesn’t seem to want anywhere.

Those dates are fixed in the calendar and I think there’s a reasonable chance that some sort of evolving Super League under FIFA’s banner will evolve over the next 24/36 months.

Donald Trump could be key to the future of European football

There are an interesting group of think tanks being put together to assemble what the game plan will be in world politics should Biden or Trump win the American election.

I was speaking to one of the think tank chairs and the general political feeling was that if Trump gets in, which they think he will, China, the Gulf and India will be his priorities. Europe will slip down that priority list and Britain is relatively irrelevant even if we speak the same language.

The interesting thing for me though, was that they were looking at green energy, AI, and right at the bottom of that list, sporting influence.

This is where football will actually play a part in what happens next and so I think a lot of people are going to come up with a lot of ideas. I think the blue card was just one thing that came out.

I mean, if there was going to be some sort of foul play which didn’t warrant an instant red but warranted more than a yellow, I don’t see a blue card as being a problem – but the players have got to go off for 30 minutes. It’s got to be it’s got to be something that has an impact on the game.

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For me the biggest game changer in terms of game involvement is we have to stop the abuse of the referees. I deplore the intimidation of referees players who do so should be off straight away. Gone.

Any players that abuse referees verbally or physically should be given a big deterrent in order that they don’t do it again. The laws of the game are far too easy on them at this point.

Players have got to learn respect for the future of our children in this game.

They know there’s a line in the sand and they’ve got to stop crossing it as far as authority and football is concerned.

The post Agent’s column: Donald Trump could shape European football, Sir Jim needs to be impactful, Ivan Toney on the plane and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Man United are living in the past, why Phil Foden is a decent Ballon d’Or shout, why Arsenal can come back against Porto – and more! 

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Everything at Man United is out of date and INEOS have to get to work quickly

I think the whole system at Man United is antiquated, probably 20 years out of date.

They’ve not really changed anything with the last regime and the regime before that, with personnel either stood down, resigned or left. Nothing’s changed, really.

If you look at Tottenham Hotspur, Man City, Newcastle and Arsenal et al they are really well run clubs in all departments.

The manager, I believe, should report into a sporting director or a technical director who reports to the board. Those nice, cosy, what used to be called ‘fireside chats’ between the manager and the owner is just not how it should be done anymore.

I absolutely think the heartbeat of a football club are the football people that work there.

It’s going to be a long haul. Changing Old Trafford, which needs huge attention, and so much more besides.

Their actual PR is pretty good. I think their social media is strong, but I just think that the way the club reports within and the way it’s structured is where Sir Jim Ratcliffe should be focussing his initial efforts.

I love Phil Foden and I hope he wins the Ballon d’Or

Thomas Frank made a lovely statement recently about Phil Foden being the closest English player to winning a Ballon d’Or and I hope it’s true because I love Phil Foden.

I think he’s a great English footballer with a brain that’s a lot more ‘international.’

The only thing I’d caution about such comments is when I think of players like Juan Mata, Alexis Sanchez and perhaps a more pertinent one, Dele Alli – all of whom were heading in that direction but got lost on the journey.

Foden’s 24, he’s maturing, he’s high energy and with a lot of trickery – and he had a good World Cup.

I think you should ask me that in three years time, and I hope my answer is yes because he is the complete package.

He just needs to keep his head in the right place.

FFP isn’t quite the level playing field we expected

Real Madrid are kind of a law unto themselves.

Apparently PSG didn’t quite get punished for their FFP issues and Man City still seem to be in the long grass – for a wee bit longer anyway.

Bear in mind Real Madrid was the club of General Franco, and Franco was a bit like Putin is in Russia, he kind of owned the country.

So I think the problem for everyone else is that Real Madrid are probably still living off of Franco’s bank account in some shape or form.

I mean, there’s been there’s been a lot of discussion about how they still own their training ground when apparently they might allegedly have sold it a few times. Not quite sure how that’s played out.

Real Madrid can do stuff like this because they can and because they’ve enough money around them and enough assets to put into FFP.

FFP was designed so that each club doesn’t overspend against their turnover, and then there’s a levelling out between those that have high turnover and those that have lower turnovers. So you supposedly get a level playing field.

As I’ve just said, there’s three or four examples which indicate that the level playing field isn’t quite always as level for everyone as it should be.

I can’t argue against Kylian Mbappe becoming the ‘most expensive free transfer of all time’ because I was the guy who led the charge into the Premier League and said players have to be paid much better.

Remember when Trevor Francis was the first million pound player and we all went, ‘Oh my God.’ Now £120m for a player doesn’t seem to scare the horses, so we’re only talking about advancing what there is in place.

Certainly nothing goes up forever, but I have been saying this in football for 20 years and it’s kept going up. Potentially, it’s got further to go but there will be a moment in time, a sort of pause or a levelling out because living in the stratosphere can be very dangerous.

We’re living in a world where nations are struggling to find support in some of the activities that are going on around them and taking place in their own backyard politically, so they’re using sport as their vehicle to promote their well being – and further their travel on that journey.

Corporate entities will help clubs to buy players in future

Adidas and Apple helped MLS and Inter Miami to sign Lionel Messi, and I think we’ve just got to have a look at the music business as an example of whether the same can happen in Europe.

The major corporations now cross pollinate all the major acts. Sponsorships are very often IT led so that there is a visual download activity around not just ticketing, but the actual sponsorship in the event itself.

Football is going to go the same way because football is the biggest followed sport in the world.

The biggest players are now nations, which means that the major corporations will join in that support. It’s bound to happen.

As long as the rights owners, which are the clubs and the leagues, have the ability to dictate the circumstances, rather than the brands and the countries telling people how to play their game and how to influence what happens on the pitch, there isn’t going to be a problem. However, it is worth noting that major funds are now offering to buy into leagues’ marketing programmes such as Italy.

The big fear for I guess all of us who don’t like domination in our life, is that the people with the big money, which are the huge hedge funds, the countries and the major brands, will be able to effectively run the planet in 20 years because they’ll have the IT behind them.

They’ll have the data that they’re absorbing and they’ll have the ability to dictate what you think and what you should do. All of that is a society problem but football, as we’ve said before in this column, reflects society.

Arsenal will come back and Man City can win back to back UCL titles

I’m still expecting Arsenal to come back in their Champions League match against Porto.

I read the reports, that they weren’t going to qualify now, that they’ve blown it again but I’m sticking with them.

I think Man City, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern will go through, which leaves me pondering Atletico Madrid and Inter with Borussia Dortmund in the background, because I just don’t think they’re quite strong enough.

Teams other than City can win it, of course they can, and I’m thinking certainly of Real Madrid here.

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It’s a bit like walking out at Anfield under that tunnel sign that says ‘This is Anfield.’

It’s a momentary mind gap that you have to overcome, and I think when you come up against Real Madrid in the Champions League, you just have to forget they’ve won it so many times and just get on with it.

My favourites at this point would be Real Madrid and City but not necessarily in that order.

The post Agent’s column: Man United living in the past, Foden’s a great Ballon d’Or shout, Arsenal UCL comeback assured and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Tottenham have had the best transfer window, why David Moyes is wrong, why the time is up for Erik ten Hag, Klopp’s perfect timing – and more! 

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Another brilliant transfer window for Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou got what he wanted in this transfer window and I can’t argue that Tottenham have done very well in that respect.

A quality defender and a striker in Timo Werner who is already shutting a few mouths.

Ange has got the backbone of the team strengthened and didn’t overpay by the looks of things.

It’s the second or third time I’ve complemented Spurs this year, but they deserve it because they’ve done good business.

Moyes is wrong not buying a striker for West Ham

I’m surprised at David Moyes for going another window without signing a striker for West Ham, but then when I look at him, the whole Moyes structure, and lots of the technical stuff, it’s very relevant at the moment.

Moyes’ game plan revolves around the strikers performing in a certain way and I can understand that if he doesn’t get the right one – and there’s not a lot available other than the Ivan Toney’s of this world – then he must stick with what he’s got.

‘It’s not just the strikers, it’s the system’ is something that Moyes has said so often now it’s become a mantra.

I personally don’t agree with him, but who am I to question someone who’s got a lot more experience on the frontline than I have?

I tend to side with the supporters who would say he needs a striker, because I think he does and it’s a mistake not getting one – but that’s my view. His answer would be very much along the lines of ‘I’m a systemised coach.’

Unless there are the right people are available to play the system, he feels comfortable with it and, in fact, the system then becomes more important than the players.

Hearing that from an older coach is a really interesting take.

I think there is unquestionably value consternation too.

At the moment there’s FFP and everything else, and clubs aren’t spending because they don’t want to be potentially skating on thin ice.

Having said all of that, nothing goes up forever, but this market has done and just risen on a continual basis. The wave just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

I think this window has been a welcome reality check as a lot of the market has paused, awaiting the result of the Man City case accusations.

Time’s up for Erik ten Hag at Man United

Unless something dramatic happens and there’s a turnaround at Man United in the last four months of the season, which is possible, I think it’s likely that we’ll see Erik ten Hag’s tenure end this season.

If I was Sir Jim, I would probably want to put in my own management team, and obviously the core of the management is the coach.

I think INEOS’ strategy would be very much like that of PIF when they bought Newcastle. They didn’t say ‘okay, we’re here, Steve Bruce you’re out, and we’re bringing in Fred Smith now.’

They let him continue, quite rightly, it didn’t quite work out for him, so they then brought in their man.

I think that’s a mirror image of what’s going to happen at Man United.

Jurgen Klopp is bowing out at Liverpool at the perfect time

I was a fan of Margaret Thatcher and I think she hung on too long. I was and I am a fan of Arsene Wenger and he hung on too long.

I think Jurgen Klopp’s timing is immaculate.

He’s rebuilt for a second or third time, a bit like Sir Alex Ferguson did, and he obviously felt that he didn’t want to have to go through a whole other three-year rebuild.

Jurgen may yet walk away with 2,3 or 4 trophies – what a way to go. I salute him for quitting at the top and I sincerely hope there’s no other reason.

I’m hearing rumours that he may not be well, and I just hope it’s untrue. I hope he’s leaving because he thinks it’s time and that he wants to spend some more time with the family.

If he wants to come back he’d be more than welcome anywhere and everywhere, so I think it’s a perfect exit.

Even a hardened Arsenal fan like me would be smiling if he won the league again. That’s how much he means to football in this country.

Whoever comes in to replace him is on a hiding to nothing unless Liverpool don’t win anything this season.

If Klopp wins nothing, he’ll still be lauded and people will say ‘it just didn’t quite happen this year.’

If he wins two or more competitions, then I wouldn’t want to be that person coming in. To follow that would be very, very difficult.

Everton facing threat of administration if they go down

I’m hearing from the financial markets that 777, until fairly recently, had allegedly been in the marketplace looking for additional funds, which wouldn’t fill me with a lot of confidence.

They’re, elegant, they’re good guys and I think they’ve got a good track record, so in some way, shape or form they’ll pass the proper person’s test.

I know a lot about Everton and the funds, and the finances are incredibly messy. A lot of the money has come out of Russia for example, so that’s probably going to have to be addressed in terms of what is actually physically owed and what isn’t, and what comes under embargoed funds.

They’ve also had a loan out there with a particular fund on which they’re paying a very high interest rate.

Not to mention a contingency of £300m in additional funds for the new stadium that I’ve heard about.

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You and I both know that when you do anything with your house though, the last bit is always the most expensive, so I think you’re looking at £500m for the final piece of the stadium, which is a lot of money.

My big worry is that Everton get caned, they lose their appeals and, ultimately, they go down.

Then I’d be fearful, given and being aware of some of the financial issues, that quite possibly the only exit for them from those problems would be to go into administration.

That indeed would be a very sad day.

The post Agent’s column: Brilliant Ange, Moyes gets it wrong, ten Hag to go, Klopp’s perfect timing and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.