PL insiders said bungs inquiry could be squashed

The Lord Stevens inquiry into 39 transfers involving eight unnamed clubs may prove uneventful, according to well-informed Premier League insiders.

These insiders, some of whom helped set up the inquiry, have told The Daily Telegraph that they would not be surprised if in two months' time Stevens and his Quest team report that 39 has come down to zero and that their inquiry has found that no illegal payments have been made to club officials, employees or players.

Insiders emphasize that when the inquiry's terms of reference were drawn up, after much debate in the Premier League, it was done very tightly, to find any illegal payments made to club employees, officials or players. Despite all the talk of Lord Stevens looking at agents, their activities were never under scrutiny.

This explains why his team is not looking into 12 other transfers involving seven more clubs, which, as revealed by the Telegraph, have also suggested need further examination. It is understood that these transfers involve agents who are not subject to any control by the Premier League or the Football Association.

As regards action to control agents, the clubs are still waiting for the FA to produce revised rules on monitoring them. While there has been much discussion about banning the dual use of agents - the same agent acting for the club and the player - which many feel is one source of possible corruption, such regulations have not yet been adopted by the FA.

When the rules are changed, they may decide to publish details of all transfers, listing payments by clubs to agents in a particular deal. This information is already lodged with the FA.

Such steps would be welcomed by Manchester United, who lists such payments in their accounts. Manchester United disclosures go beyond the ones made by Football League clubs, which state the total amount paid to an agent in any particular period and do not relate to individual transfers.

Manchester United has consistently urged clubs to follow its example, and it emphasized this again when the Premier League decided to set up the Stevens inquiry. Although they are not opposed to the inquiry they feel transparency on agents' fees would be a first step towards curbing the alleged 'bung' culture.

THE BBC will tell FA chiefs the name of the Premiership boss who wanted a GBP 50 thousand bung.

Panorama's probe into alleged illegal payments in football showed footage in which their undercover man drew out money and took it in a suitcase to a hotel room.

The programme said the club boss had arranged to meet them there to collect his windfall. However, nobody showed up.

Panorama claimed he had been scared off by Luton chief Mike Newell's claim at the time that bungs were prevalent in the game. The FA asked for details about the manager and player concerned in the film. The Beeb said they would consider the request and now SunSport has learned they have agreed to hand over their evidence.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.