STING DRAWS EFL INTO WEB
BARNSLEY assistant manager Tommy Wright has been sacked and the future of QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink remains uncertain after EFL clubs became embroiled in the Daily Telegraph’s football corruption investigation.
Earlier in the week, England manager Sam Allardyce paid the price by losing his job in the aftermath of a Telegraph sting in which he told undercover reporters how to ‘get around’ rules on third-party ownership.
Then, eight current and former Premier League managers were accused of receiving ‘bungs’ for player transfers in more Telegraph revelations.
If EFL clubs thought they would stay stay out of the picture, they were mistaken – and Barnsley were in the middle of it. A Telegraph report included footage of Wright apparently accepting £5,000 in return for allegedly helping to persuade the Championship club to sign players.
A spokesman for Wright said: “Any suggested acts contrary to criminal law or those of the Football Association and FIFA are categorically denied.”
However, the Tykes responded quickly by terminating Wright’s contract with immediate effect.
A Barnsley statement added: “A meeting between the club and Mr Wright was held this morning, attended by club chief executive Linton Brown.
“After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s
Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.
“The club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrong-doing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary.”
Meanwhile, QPR’s internal investigation into the conduct of boss Hasselbaink was put on hold as they awaited all of the
Telegraph’s evidence. Hasselbaink was filmed apparently negotiating a fee to travel to Singapore to speak to a Far East firm and he also allegedly discussed the possibility of signing players from the firm, who were undercover reporters.
In a statement on Friday, QPR said: “We urge the Telegraph to provide full disclosure of all its information relating to the allegations, including video footage and a full transcript of the discussions that took place.
“The club believes this information should not be provided selectively, but unedited and unconditionally, in order for the club to view the full context and the sequence of what was said by all parties to include in its investigation.”
On Wednesday, Hasselbaink had said: “I have today, through my lawyers, responded in full to the accusations levelled against me by the Telegraph. I was approached by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell of the Telegraph purporting to be players’ agents.
“They offered me a fee to make a speech in Singapore. I do not see anything unusual in being offered to be paid to make a speech. I did not make any promises in return.
“I did not ask QPR to purchase any of the players who were said to be managed by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell and did not and would not recommend the purchase of a player for my personal gain. I deny any accusations of wrongdoing on my part.”
Meawnwhile, controversial Leeds owner Massimo Cellino was filmed by the Telegraph allegedly offering undercover reporters, posing as an investment firm, a way to get around FA and FIFA third-party ownership rules. In a meeting at Leeds’ ground, Cellino apparently offered to sell shares in the club as a means of funding the purchase of players.
The Italian proposed the fictitious firm buy 20 per cent of the club, in return for which it would receive the same percentage of future player sell-on fees.
However, Leeds insisted it was a non-story. In a statement, they said: “Mr Cellino has made a perfectly proper suggestion, which is entirely consistent with the FA's regulations, as the only parties entitled to take benefit from ownership of a player is the club itself.
Potential
“If a company commits money to a club by way of investment, taking on the potential for profit but also the risk for loss, then that is a normal, everyday corporate process.
“This is plainly not a suggestion as to how to circumvent the rules, but rather an accurate, albeit concise, explanation of how to operate within the confines of the rules and effectively become “the club”.
In a joint statement with the FA and Premier League, the EFL said: “English football takes the governance of the game extremely seriously, with integrity being of paramount importance.
“Any substantive allegations will be investigated with the full force of the rules at our disposal, which are wide-ranging and welldeveloped. In addition, should we find any evidence of criminality we would inform and seek the support of the appropriate statutory authorities.”