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Premier League may face another bungs problem
England - 11 September, 2006
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England's Premier League has been hit with another potential scandal, this one after an undercover TV probe into illegal payments caught a football agent making bung allegations.
The agent was secretly filmed making bung allegations by investigators for BBC's Panorama programme, which is due to be broadcast Monday, 18 September, though BBC lawyers are still reviewing the films.
In the tapes, the agent throws various allegations at ten clubs and six managers.
"It's pretty strong stuff," BBC source said. "I'm sure there are some people who are very nervous about it coming out. It could have massive repercussions for those involved."
It was part of a six-month probe, and reveals the agent discussing certain high-profile transfers in detail over dinner with a man he believes to be a foreign businessman. The businessman is a Panorama investigator, who pretends to be interested in buying his own agency business.
The dealings of one particular Premier League club are discussed in great detail. The agent claims most deals there are carried out by some of his rivals, who are given preferential treatment, with allegations of backhanders to officials.
The agent also admits to taking a top teenage prospect to two major clubs, despite the fact the youngster is already under contract to another team.
If true, the allegations will be the biggest scandal to hit the game since that involving Arsenal manager George Graham was sacked after nine years in charge in February 1995, when it was revealed he had accepted GBP 425,000 in illegal payments from a Scandinavian agent.
The Premier League is already midway through their own probe into illegal payments being headed by Lord Stevens. The long-awaited findings of that investigation are due to be revealed chairmen of the Premiership clubs at a meeting on 2 October.
Stevens and a team of investigators from Quest have spent the last seven months poring over the details of 362 transfers between 2004 and 2005. They have completed their research and a draft report is being finalised.
Their initial findings are expected to give support to the vast majority of the deals they reviewed, but it is understood some clubs will face more in-depth analysis in the coming weeks.
No doubt fearful of leaks from clubs opposed to the inquiry – set up in the wake of Sven-Goran Eriksson's 'Fake Sheikh' revelations – Stevens wants to address the chairmen on Quest's report directly before it is released to the public.
The former Metropolitan Police commissioner will then meet with the clubs involved in those "irregular" transfers identified by Quest as worthy of further probing.
The agent was secretly filmed making bung allegations by investigators for BBC's Panorama programme, which is due to be broadcast Monday, 18 September, though BBC lawyers are still reviewing the films.
In the tapes, the agent throws various allegations at ten clubs and six managers.
"It's pretty strong stuff," BBC source said. "I'm sure there are some people who are very nervous about it coming out. It could have massive repercussions for those involved."
It was part of a six-month probe, and reveals the agent discussing certain high-profile transfers in detail over dinner with a man he believes to be a foreign businessman. The businessman is a Panorama investigator, who pretends to be interested in buying his own agency business.
The dealings of one particular Premier League club are discussed in great detail. The agent claims most deals there are carried out by some of his rivals, who are given preferential treatment, with allegations of backhanders to officials.
The agent also admits to taking a top teenage prospect to two major clubs, despite the fact the youngster is already under contract to another team.
If true, the allegations will be the biggest scandal to hit the game since that involving Arsenal manager George Graham was sacked after nine years in charge in February 1995, when it was revealed he had accepted GBP 425,000 in illegal payments from a Scandinavian agent.
The Premier League is already midway through their own probe into illegal payments being headed by Lord Stevens. The long-awaited findings of that investigation are due to be revealed chairmen of the Premiership clubs at a meeting on 2 October.
Stevens and a team of investigators from Quest have spent the last seven months poring over the details of 362 transfers between 2004 and 2005. They have completed their research and a draft report is being finalised.
Their initial findings are expected to give support to the vast majority of the deals they reviewed, but it is understood some clubs will face more in-depth analysis in the coming weeks.
No doubt fearful of leaks from clubs opposed to the inquiry – set up in the wake of Sven-Goran Eriksson's 'Fake Sheikh' revelations – Stevens wants to address the chairmen on Quest's report directly before it is released to the public.
The former Metropolitan Police commissioner will then meet with the clubs involved in those "irregular" transfers identified by Quest as worthy of further probing.
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