Players must show fans more respect
Brand up for grabs
MANCHESTER UNITED’S rising star Brandon Williams is at the centre of a tug-ofwar with agents.
The 19-year-old defender has been a revelation since bursting on to the scene at the start of the season.
Wasserman group and agent Rob Segal from YM&U are locked in a battle to manage the next stage of left-back Williams’ career.
He earns around £3,600 a week – but that is expected to rise to £20k with an improved contract at United where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rates him as a major talent.
Williams needs to settle on his new advisors with several other high-profile agents also ready to offer negotiations on his behalf.
Steve Bates
FOR the first time in 47 years, Saturdays just aren’t the same for Jeff Stelling – or his army of devotees.
With Sky’s Soccer Saturday mothballed, Stelling and the boys in his band – Paul Merson, Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier, Alan Mcinally and Chris Kamara – are an act without a gig.
Soccer Saturday has fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic that has hit hard and wiped out live sport worldwide.
I’m honest, I don’t care who wins Bundesliga games, so I’m hoping when the Premier League and Championship return it will be different because you do have a connection with players and clubs.
Autograph
“The fans won’t be there, of course, and, more than ever, I think this has been a time when we’ve seen that their role is so underestimated.
“Maybe fans have been taken for granted by clubs and, after this, I hope clubs will now treat fans a bit differently.
“I hope they give them more respect than they have done, especially in the top flight,” said Stelling, a Prostate Cancer UK ambassador, who has raised more than £1million for the men’s health charity with his March for Men Walks.
“I’m not having a go at any club or player in particular, but it’s virtually impossible to get an autograph these days, let alone a selfie, because players are so sheltered and kept so far away from the fans.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to think that clubs start to realise that actually fans have a big part to play and maybe we should speak to them with more respect.
“I come from an era where you could stop anybody after a match or training and they were always happy to give you an autograph or sign a shirt.
“Nowadays you hear players don’t want to sign things because they might pop up on ebay. I think that’s a flimsy excuse.
Blow
“Thankfully, you can still do it at my club Hartlepool – and that’s the difference between the lower leagues and the top flight.”
Despite football heading back, it’s unlikely Saturday Soccer will return to screens immediately – or at all – this season, with the show needing a full programme of games to properly function.
And that would be a blow for
Stelling who has missed the show more than he ever imagined.
“I’ve worked solidly for 47 years and on Soccer Saturday since 1994,” he said. “I’ve been going a bit stir crazy since our last proper show on March 7 and Saturdays just aren’t the same.
“We always bill ourselves as ‘a football show with no football to show’. But when there’s no football at all, we couldn’t really continue with that.
“And it wouldn’t feel right to come back unless we are the full package, either. It wouldn’t be the same with just a couple of us in the studio – like Take That without Robbie Williams.
“I never thought I’d say it, but I have really missed the lads the past few months – Merse’s daft pronunciations and not knowing what Kammy’s liable to say.
“I can’t wait until we’re all back together.”