Arsenal’s players keep agents close
ARSENAL players are choosing to employ relatives as their agents after FIFA washed their hands of attempts to regulate middle-men.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s father Mark, the former England international, is acting as his representative since Alex split from Impact Sports Management, although Raheem Sterling’s adviser Aidy Ward is also involved.
Calum Chambers is on the books of Cassius Sports Management, whose head of talent ID is his stepfather Steve Moss.
Danny Welbeck has long been looked after by his brothers Chris and Wayne through their business Markfield Sports Management, while Jack Wilshere’s father Andy remains the major influence on his son’s career, although he has signed up with Ten10 Talent. And Kieran Gibbs also has a soon-to-be family adviser in his mother Donna’s fiance Andy Harris.
The trend at Arsenal has coincided with the agency business being thrown into turmoil by FIFA passing the buck to national associations to officiate on agents from April 1.
LIVERPOOL
club secretary Stuart Hayton is leaving Anfield after just two seasons following 20 years at Wigan, having never settled into the role at the bigger club. Liverpool insist the popular Hayton’s departure ‘by mutual consent’ in May has nothing to do with the various big contract issues facing the club — Raheem Sterling’s stand-off over a new contract, Glen Johnson being on a free at the end of the season having signed for £18m and Jordan Henderson having only one year left on his deal. FABIO CAPELLO and Terry Venables (right) were two conspicuous names missing from the list of England managers who signed the letter prepared by PR agency Milltown backing FA chairman Greg Dyke’s campaign to boost home-grown talent.
It is understood Russia manager Capello has yet to provide an answer, while Venables, who spends a lot of time at his hotel in Spain, could not be contacted.
A
NUMBER of Kent County Cricket Club fans are upset chairman George Kennedy is going to benefit personally from the conversion of an office building inside the club’s St Lawrence headquarters at Canterbury into a five-flat development. Kennedy has loaned Kent more than £1million to improve the ground. Chief executive Jamie Clifford said: ‘Without the chairman’s generosity, the future of this club would have been in serious jeopardy. He has taken the risk with the flats and any profit made will be nowhere near the amount he has put into Kent.’