Influence of the super agent who works by one simple mantra: ‘Eat what you kill’
NEIL FEWINGS, the man who now represents Declan Rice on behalf of the so-called ‘super agency’ Wasserman Media Group, may keep an extremely low public profile but in a rare interview last year he laid out his mantra for business. ‘Eat what you kill,’ he told ESPN. He has certainly delivered on that edict, and it was only this year that he helped Virgil Van Djik secure a £75 million move to Liverpool from Southampton. It is not just those world record deals that Fewings, who keeps such close ties with so many of his clients (Jack Wilshire, Ryan Bertrand and Jordan Henderson to name just a few) that he often attends their weddings, is involved with. For example, Fewings has represented Ireland international David Meyler, while striker Colin Kazim Richards, 14 clubs and counting, has had the last eight of his transfers negotiated by Fewings after he helped secure a move to Galatasary from bitter Turkish rivals Fenerbahce. ‘We would all prefer to stay in the safety of the civilized world,’ Fewings told ESPN. ‘But when an opportunity presents itself somewhere, you need to be able to go do it.’ The emergence of Rice at West Ham was one which was much closer to home for Fewings. Wasserman’s London offices are based in Soho, eight miles from the London Stadium, and he was able to use the allure of their worldwide reputation to prise the teenager from previous agent David Dixon. Fewings’ influence extends far and wide and is not confined to current players. In that ESPN feature, he boasted about his relationship with former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy. They have become firm friends and they holiday together. Fewings was the one who negotiated with the BBC for Murphy to become a permanent fixture as a pundit for ‘Match of the Day’.
Murphy recently waxed lyrical about Rice’s ability and warned West Ham they were in danger of losing a star academy graduate over their refusal to sufficiently increase his basic £3,000 per week salary.
‘I’m amazed West Ham haven’t got him a new contract sorted,’ Murphy said on TalkSport. ‘Why haven’t they sorted it? This lad hasn’t just come into the first team, he’s been around since last season. This is typical of lots of clubs who forget to reward young lads when they’re doing really well – and I don’t mean stupid money, I don’t agree with young lads who aren’t in the first team earning £20,000 a week. But he is on a very low contract, playing at the top level, dealing with some top players and looking very, very accomplished.
‘All of a sudden he’s only got next season on his contract and what, West Ham think the big clubs aren’t watching him now? I’m amazed at West Ham, it’s ridiculous for a lad of this talent. It shouldn’t have got to this.
‘They’ve got a problem now after his last couple of performances. They’ve got a super young player who they haven’t looked after and dealt with. Hopefully they deal with it soon. He’s probably very happy there and wants to stay, but they have to act quickly because his performances now are taking him to a different level.’
West Ham made a complaint to the radio station over the remarks, citing Murphy’s relationship with Fewings, and it’s just a small indication of the pieces at play with Rice’s international future still undecided.