Arsene Wenger refers to this time of year as the "fishing season."
The English Premier League season has officially come to an end after another year of exciting football. Some teams are left to moan about their respective performances—whereas some are rejoicing in the fact that their club has exceeded expectations or have surprised them with several strong showings throughout the season.
And while these stages of thought and reflection occur amongst the clubs themselves, football agents roll up their sleeves and wind up their fishing rods to sling out their best bait into the pond—with hopes that they'll get the deal that they crave for the player that their representing.
And perhaps at times, agents are referred to as nothing more than pests.
They're often viewed as the ones poisoning our beloved football heroes with greed—asking for more money than what is really necessary, when most of the people in the general public, would gladly strap on their boots to play in the Premier League under a minimum wage.
They'll ask for the entire bank if they have to, and in the end, they've even proven to be too strong of a counter balance, and ultimately, a manager's worst enemy.
Managers pride themselves on emulating the Arsene Wenger way. Bringing in players at a relatively low cost, then selling them off at vastly inflated prices. It's a formula that has made some managers look like geniuses, while leaving the buying clubs seriously questioning their respective managers' transfer policy.
And when agents get in the way of the implemented system or wage salary cap, you can bet that managers are not the least bit pleased with their influence on the players within the game.
Take, for instance, the situation surrounding Mathieu Flamini.
Flamini, 23, who was due to be a free agent at the end of the year, has recently bid farewell to Arsenal supporters after announcing that he would be signing a more lucrative deal with AC Milan (an estimated £70,000 per week)—in spite of the fact that Arsene Wenger had offered him a new contract to extend his stay at the Emirates, albeit for less than £70,000 per week.
And while many are quick to blame Arsene Wenger for the sudden loss of his world-class midfielder, few are quick to direct blame towards Mathieu Flamini and his representative for showing a lack of loyalty towards his club.
However, of course, Flamini insists that his decision to make the move to Milan had nothing to do with the money.
He claims that he was growing weary of the constant failures in the Premier League and Champions League in Arsenal colors. After three years without a domestic title, the Gunners fell out of contention in the later months of the season, possibly a side effect of the inexperience amongst the young players within the squad.
Whilst many can understand Flamini's frustrations, his actions indicate that his real concern had more to do with the money being offered on the table.
Despite his major concerns at Arsenal, Flamini left behind a club with momentum, and in doing so, moves to a club that appears to be going through one of their toughest transitions to date.
The Rossoneri are in the midst of what they would refer to as a "crisis," considering the fact that the Italian giants could very well be competing the UEFA Cup next season—if Fiorentina manages to hold onto the final Champions League birth through league play.
Older players have been asked to leave following their abrupt Champions League exit—ironically, at the expense of Arsenal—and Flamini appears to be a part of a puzzle that will take some time to solve. Alexandre Pato leads the way as AC Milan's future stalwart, but outside of him, there aren't very many wunderkids donning the black and red.
Thus, one has to think that Flamini's true intentions are hidden behind the vast amount of money that he will be receiving per week—all thanks to an agent who stirred the bidding war for his client.
Arsenal had offered him a fair deal. He obviously had a role in Arsene Wenger's long-term plans, and would have been guaranteed of a key role in what looks to be an exciting future for the London football club—had he stayed on.
But Wenger wanted to stay within the realms of his salary cap, and when Flamini turned away from his offer, he turned his back on his team mates and Arsenal—showing a lack of loyalty.
In a world that is still suffering the ill effects of recession, one has to wonder how much longer deals such as the Flamini contract can last in a footballing business that seems to be undergoing an excessive amount of inflation.
One has to wonder when athletes will begin to twist their minds back to reality, and realize that £60,000 per week is still plenty of money to survive on.
And if Mathieu Flamini was really concerned about the overall success of his team, he'll have a tough time finding trophies with a club that might not even qualify for the Champions League next season.
But then again, he'll still have his £70,000 per week to count on if all else fails.
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5 months ago
good write. Hmmm flamini played for arsenal as a professional, nothing more.
Its ironic too coz when he left marseille to come to arsenal his coach called him a betrayer (or something close to that.)
5 months ago
Flamini didn't leave for footballing reasons.. it is the most obvious, blatant conclusion you can reach. He gave his word to Wenger and packed his bags off to Milan. I remember Jose Anigo, I think, said "I've been betrayed, it is a beautiful treason".. when Flamini did exactly the same thing to Marseille. If you're a professional, you play out your contract - Flamini did that.. he did though, give his word to Wenger that he would sign a new deal, so that speaks volumes about Flamini as a person.
Agents are there to brainwash you. I'm sure Gerrard, Maldini, Fabregas all have agents and yet, they want to stay and play for the club they love. At the end of the day, it is the player, the individual who makes the call and unfortunately for us, Flamini left. He had just one good season, so calling him world class - just like calling Adebayor world class would be slightly premature.
5 months ago
another example of an overhyped player
5 months ago
Flamini left for money sure but is he entirely to blame? im an arsenal fan but AC Milan are probably the winningest (english is not my first language :( ) clubs in the whole world;look at their trophy tally;the Italian PM/media baron Silvio Berlusconi used to be owner of AC Milan -- arsenal can only dream of such backing;what MILAN lacks in pitch make up for it off the pitch as well(8 points penalty recently;relegated to serie b in early 80s) ...
Flamini is saleable now and he cashed into it .. whats wrong with that?? nobody gave a rat's a$$ if he had gone to Birmingham last year (only club interested in him this time last year) ... some loyalty is desirable from players but it is optional ... also why didnt the club secure his contract before if he was so important? why was it left to last year ... almost every player in arsenal gets his contracts sorted with 18 months left to go in the contract ... the club has been lazy not to secure his signing before and they are trumpeting the loyalty issue to cover their own laziness.
Will any arsenal fan question the loyalty of benzema/messi/ribery if arsenal sign them by paying more wages?(i know its a rhetoric question).
Stop blaming Flamster ... he has been a professional in Arsenal and best of luck for his future endeavours.
5 months ago
everytime Wegner is mentioned now, I just think of "Wegner is a Voyeur" from "I'm on setanta sports". Nonetheless good article.
5 months ago
A year ago the Premier League season ended and Arsenal sat in fourth place on 68 points with a +28 goal differential, Theirry Henry was headed off to Barcelona, and the sky looked to be falling. Even the staunchest of Gooners secretly hoped the team would be able to secure a Champion's League spot in the '07-'08 season.
Here we sit a year later, having managed 83 points and a +43 goal differential. Adebayor and Flamini had tremendous seasons, and it's possible that Henry's departure finally allowed the young phenom Cesc Fabregas to become what we've expected him to become.
Now Mathieu Flamini has followed the Euro to AC Milan, and some of the same cries have been heard ringing through the rafters at the Emirates. This is the same man that wouldn't have made page three news had he accepted an offer to go to Birmingham a year ago. Sure, he had an outstanding season, but I don't blame Arsenal and Wenger for not splashing cash all over him for having ONE great season.
AC Milan are historically a great club. A great on-pitch club with a checkered off-pitch past. A club that seems to be showing some wear and tear of late, and risk seeing themselves fail to qualify for Champion's League play as they currently lie fifth on the table. So Flamini did not leave for greater success, he left for money. Money that I am glad Wenger will have to find another Theo Wolcott, or Cesc Fabregas, or Bacary Sagna, or... the list goes on.
Arsenal showed many of the signs of a great young team trying to break their way through to the top. They allowed referee decisions to rattle them, and they showed lapses in concentration after scoring big goals late inthe season. These are things that can be corrected, but the important fact is that they had the talent and ability to get them to those points. They will grow, they will learn, and they will fill the empty spots with talented players. Few managers in the world have an eye for talent within a specific system like Wenger's.
The kids are going to be okay.
5 months ago
I love the way that all of the Arsenal fans are getting on Flamini’s back because he’s signed for Milan on a free transfer and hence huge wages. Don’t they remember how they signed Sol Campbell on ridiculously high wages because he came on a free from Tottenham? Arsenal were happy to splash the cash when getting someone on a free and now complain when players leave in similar fashion. What comes around goes around.
from 5 months ago
well said ... im an arsenal fan and i agree with you.
so many people are calling for "loyalty", i guess they too would have shown the same had they been in Flamster's position **wink** .
**sorry about double post**
5 months ago
Flamini in my opinion may have a better chance of winning silverware by going to AC milan, especially if they do only end up in the UEFA cup... The problem as I see it at Arsenal is that Wenger seems to buy young and grow that talent, and he is VERY good at doing this, however he needs to do it to the extent of an entire squad to be able to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd. Wenger needs virtually all his youngster to turn into top class players at the same time to compete when the others are buying ready made class, aka Chelsea. And being in Transition may mean that Milan are ready to Splash the cash, and hey presto season after next the Champions league is back in Italy... So he MAY have gone for money, but you could say the money shows intent from the club to go places...
5 months ago
It is neither Arsene Wenger's fault nor Flamini's. If I were to blame someone, it would be the Arsenal hierarchy. I think Flamini left due to a combination of two main reasons: lack of silverware, and Arsene Wenger's lack of endeavour in the transfer market to supplement talent with world class players (like Chelsea and United do), which would indicate to Flamini a lack of ambition on Arsene Wenger's part.
Also, he may have left for money. But who's to say he would have signed the contract if arsenal gave him 70K? I am an Arsenal fan, but i am honest as well: what the author has said about Milan is crap: they are a bigger club than Arsenal and are the biggest European giants. They have the structure that whatever happens (even transition over the summer), it goes smoothly. You wouldn't expect them to rebuild like Arsene Wenger, they would just buy some world class players to replace their old ones. And also, I believe Flamini might also feel a lack of respect on part of Arsenal's board: he gave out his heart this season for Arsenal, and the Arsenal board say that he is 'worth' 55K (their most lucrative offer), whereas Flamini will get 70K from Milan. It shows that Milan value Flamini more than Arsenal, and shows that Arsenal feel he is surplus to their needs. Also, all the talk has been about Fabregas renewing his contract at Arsenal, and no one talked about Flamini's condition only when he was about to leave.
But i do feel Arsene Wenger did the best he could in this situation. Although I think the wage structure could be 'slightly' better at Arsenal, it was good he didnt splash out the money on Flamini to save the 'domino' effect.
5 months ago
well said ... im an arsenal fan and i agree with you.
so many people are calling for "loyalty", i guess they too would have shown the same had they been in Flamster's position **wink** .
5 months ago
i see no problem, if i was offered 70,000 per week on a free id take it in the same situation, football in the end is a business, just like in any other profession we go were the money takes us. why must they stay for "loyalty" sake?
from 5 months ago
Honestly Ken, Thats a load of waffles mate. I dont know about the flamini situation because I hear he was treated badly last summer when he wanted a new contract. But this "why must they stay for "loyalty" sake?" thing is really a stupid question? If, for instance, Real Madrid came in for Adebayor and offered and hefty salary, wouldn't it be disloyal on Adebayor's part to just "Up and Leave"? He was bought when he nothing but a bench player at Monaco, and Wenger developed him into a decent striker ,Not world-class by any means, but a decent striker.
Just that you asked that question, says a lot about you...
from 4 months ago
yes it would, but i see no reason why he can't take it, Arsenal would have every opportunity to negotiate a new contract before the six month bosman ruling could take effect. If Arsenal wants to keep Adebayor or Flamini they should have matched the offer or tied him up last year.
This is Arsenal's problem if they want him they can negotiate, but players can, and should seek greener pastures.
Adebayor served Arsenal well for the length of his contract, he lived up to his contract, if they want to continue their partnership it can be negotiated.
Let me put it to you this way. Sports Illustrated offers you a job to write for a new magazine venture Football Illustrated, to be run in the UK. They offer you a 4 year contract for 75 thousand USD a year.
You sign, live out your contract, become a big wig with a popular column in the magazine, and just as your about to meet for negotiations Time calls, and offers you a 6yr 650k Euro a year to be a foreign corespondent/television personality for a new Television station airing in 40 countries.
What are you doing? if you take the Time job does that make you "disloyal"?
5 months ago
I agree with Ken. The bottom line is that football is a business. Teams that are successful spend money period. You can have fantastic youth academies like Ajax and West Ham ( to name a few) but you will lose those youngsters if you don't have the money to hold on to them.
The great teams all survive the departures of their big players. Arsenal survived Henry leaving. Man U survived Cantona's retirement and Beckham's departure. Liverpool survived Owen leaving. In a profession where one mistimed tackle can end your career...what is wrong if a player moves for better wages?
I support Man U and love the fact that SAF signs the players he wants into long term contracts. Thats what Wenger should have done with Flamini. That said I don't think his one breakout season deserved 70,000/week.
Arsenal played the most attractive football this year. But without adding depth to the squad injuries and the toll of competing on different fronts in a long drawn out season will end with another trophyless season
Talent only takes you so far!
from 5 months ago
considering Ronaldinho is making 115,000 a week at Barca. i don't think its that big of a deal.
4 months ago
Wegner made him the player he is, 3 seasons ago I thought he was crap, but Wegner gave him the chance to mature and he came on a lot this year, probably more influential than fabergas. You may disagree but Flam controlled the pace of the game making the challenges in the midfield that took a lot of the pressure off the back four. If you look at their dip in form, most of the games they dropped points in Flam didnt play, but fabergas did. Speaks volumes about him as a player. I would be frustrated as well if the team were not willing to bring in new established players year after year. That is part of the reason Henry left, he was the old guard and wanted additional experience added but never got it (except for the purchase of gallas).
4 months ago
Spot on writer!!!!
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