Bale’s agent warns English game is on road to ‘disaster’
SUPER agent Jonathan Barnett has warned the English game is heading for “disaster”.
And Barnett, below, predicts there may never be another Roman Abramovichstyle take over of a Premier League club.
Barnett, co-founder of The Football Forum to look after the interests of players and agents, fears:
Championship salary caps would dramatically reduce the quality and deter would-be owners.
Brexit will stop the best European stars coming to England.
FIFA rules on agents could result in “years” of legal battles.
Barnett, whose client list includes Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish, said: “The salary cap in the Championship would be a disaster.
“No good young players will want to go to those clubs. It’s heading for doom. The standard will drop dramatically and if we didn’t have these spending rules, you would see big hitters buying Championship clubs.
“Abramovich put money into Chelsea, gave money to other clubs and transformed the game.You could have the same in the Championship but for these rules. He was the best thing to happen to the Premier League.” On Brexit, Barnett warned: “It is the biggest threat to English football.
“There are players who could have saved West Brom but they can’t get work permits.
“European players have helped British players so much.”
FIFA are trying to bring in rules, targeting super agents and “dual representation” – when the same agent acts for a player and a club in a transfer.
“We don’t want to go to war but it’s inevitable as the rules they have come up with are unacceptable, unworkable and illegal,” added Barnett.