THE Premiership scandal?
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THE Premiership is facing a new bungs scandal after an undercover TV probe into illegal payments.
A football agent was secretly filmed making bung allegations by investigators for BBCÂ’s Panorama programme.
In the undercover tapes he names TEN clubs and SIX managers as part of wide-ranging allegations that will rock the English game.
A BBC insider said: “It’s pretty strong stuff.
“I’m sure there are some people who are very nervous about it coming out. It could have massive repercussions for those involved.”
The film is part of a six-month probe. It shows the agent candidly discussing certain high-profile transfers in detail over dinner with a man he believes to be a foreign businessman.
In fact, he is actually a Panorama investigator, who pretends to be interested in buying his own agency business.
The dealings of one particular Premiership 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.
In another revelation, the agent admits to taking a top teenage prospect to two major clubs, despite the fact the youngster is already under contract to another team.
The Panorama report is due to be broadcast on Monday, September 18.
But BBC lawyers are still vetting the film.
If true, the allegations will be the biggest scandal to hit the game since that involving George Graham.
Arsenal boss Graham was sacked in February 1995, after nine years in charge, when it was revealed he had accepted £425,000 in illegal payments from a Scandinavian agent.
The Premier League are already midway through their own probe into illegal payments being headed by Lord Stevens.
A BBC spokesman said yesterday: “I would rather not comment on any ongoing work.” -
Woohoo, more embarassment for Europe's top leagues. First, the referee kelong scandal in Germany, then Juventus implicated in match fixing, now this.
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why no new news on mike newell's allegations?? only bbc one....
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which 10 clubs and which 6 managers?????
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huh???? i dun understand,wats the scandal about?
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SGE also mentioned about this right?
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This is actually quite the same as the last time when the newspaper sent an undercover reporter posing as an Arab businessman interested to buy Aston Villa.
Only this time, the reporter posed as a keen buyer interested to buy the agencyÂ…
I donÂ’t think there will be much problems for the clubs mentioned cos who is the agent who was secretly filmed by the reporter and how credible is he is also questionable.
Even if he is a well known agent, whatever he said is also arguable if they are truth or liesÂ… or he was just bragging to a potential business associate...
I guess this is one way to promote their documentary...
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Premiership brace for new bungs sensation
tribalfooball.com - September 07, 2006
The Premiership is on the verge of a new bungs sensation following an investigation by the BBC program, Panorama.
In the undercover tapes an agent names TEN clubs and SIX managers as part of wide-ranging allegations that will rock the English game.
A BBC insider told The Sun: "It's pretty strong stuff.
"I'm sure there are some people who are very nervous about it coming out. It could have massive repercussions for those involved."
The film is part of a six-month probe. It shows the agent candidly discussing certain high-profile transfers in detail over dinner with a man he believes to be a foreign businessman.
In fact, he is actually a Panorama investigator, who pretends to be interested in buying his own agency business.
In one revelation, the agent admits to taking a top teenage prospect to two major clubs, despite the fact the youngster is already under contract to another team.
The Panorama report is due to be broadcast on Monday, September 18, but BBC lawyers are still vetting the film.
don't tell me Relegation and points reduction is going to come in again -
If not wad?Fines?Originally posted by ghimpheng:don't tell me Relegation and points reduction is going to come in again Pls lor the EPL clubs are so fuggin rich nowadays -
Chelsea among one of them?
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no chance =D Maybe your club is but mine is 100% notOriginally posted by LazerLordz:Chelsea among one of them? -
Really? They are always the first candidates with all that money they haveOriginally posted by ghimpheng:no chance =D Maybe your club is but mine is 100% not -
A football manager has publicly named an agent who he says attempted to bribe him.
Luton Town's Mike Newell says football agent Charles Collymore offered him a cut of a player's fee that he tried to negotiate.
Mr Newell says he rejected the offer and reported the agent to the Football Association.
Mr Collymore, who works as a freelance agent, denies offering or accepting any bungs.
Bungs are defined as illegal payments made to managers during transfer dealings.
Mr Collymore, in undercover BBC filming, said he knew eight Premiership managers who would accept bungs.
He made the allegation to a Uefa-licensed coach Knut Auf dem Berge who worked undercover for the BBC's Panorama programme for nine months on an investigation into corruption in football.
Mr Collymore says he gave Knut Auf dem Berge false information because he was suspicious of his agenda.
Mr Newell met the Football Association in January to discuss his allegations that transfer bungs are rife in football.
Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has been appointed as head of a probe into alleged transfer bungs in the Premier League.
He is looking at irregular payments in transfer deals made since 1 January 2004. He is expected to publish his findings imminently. -
Yue miao yue hei.
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hope Man United not 1 of them........
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Premier League inquiry is a 'waste of time'- Jordan
Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan today claimed the Premier League inquiry into corruption in football was 'an absolute waste of time'.
With the BBC's Panorama programme tonight promising to uncover wrongdoing in the game, Jordan fanned the flames of the 'bung' controversy by insisting he knew 'three or four managers' who took such financial sweeteners.
Lord John Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, is to present the findings of his investigation into corruption at a meeting of the Barclays Premiership chairmen on October 2 - but Jordan does not believe it will have any lasting effect.
'Everybody knows who does [take bungs] and who doesn't. I can sit here and tell you three or four managers who I know take bungs,' said Jordan, who claimed the inquiry is 'an absolute waste of time'.
'The big fear is that football will be regulated, and I think this is an exercise in semantics by the football authorities to ensure Government regulations aren't implemented.
'The nature of transactions are now so well-documented that I don't see what they can find.
'They will spend a lot of money, and everyone will say 'wonderful' - but then read it and file it,' Jordan told the London Evening Standard.
The Panorama programme, to be shown on BBC1 at 9pm, is entitled 'Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets' and is set to make damaging allegations about at least one Premiership manager.
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has already insisted he has nothing to fear from the programme, for which he was secretly filmed as well.
The programme is based around filmed conversations between agents and undercover journalists posing as representatives of a new agency called Dynamic Soccer.
The BBC believe they have uncovered some damning testimony that will 'rock football'.
I don't agree with him -
Updated: Sep. 19, 2006
Allardyce fingered in TV bungs exposure
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce was at the centre of allegations about illegal payments in football made by the BBC's Panorama programme on Tuesday night.
'Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets' alleged that Allardyce and his son Craig, a football agent, received illegal payments.
The programme also made a number of other allegations of wrongdoing by several other figures in the game. All those named in the programme have issued statements to the BBC denying they have done anything wrong.
The Football Association said tonight they have asked for any evidence uncovered by Panorama and will investigate 'any possible breach of the rules'.
• The programme, which used an undercover reporter posing as an agent, also alleged that:
• Three agents named in the programme admitted giving bungs.
• Newcastle assistant manager Kevin Bond admitted he would consider discussing receiving payments from agents.
• Frank Arnesen, Chelsea's director of youth football, offered Middlesbrough 15-year-old England youth star Nathan Porritt £150,000 over three years to move clubs.
• Liverpool also tried to tempt Porritt from Middlesbrough.
• Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp was involved in 'tapping up' a player.
Panorama used undercover reporter Knut auf dem Berge, a UEFA-licensed coach who has worked in England for the last eight years, to gather evidence for the programme.
A BBC Panorama press release says: 'In undercover filming three different agents name Sam Allardyce, a recent candidate for the England manager's job, as a corrupt manager. Two of them say that they have made illegal payments to Sam Allardyce personally.
'Peter Harrison, an agent known to be close to Allardyce, is secretly filmed saying that he bribes Sam by offering to pay his son Craig. He says: 'If I say `Listen Sam, I'll give Craig some money'... he'll say `Yeah, OK, we'll do a deal.'
'Panorama has also uncovered that three different Bolton transfer signings (of defender Tal Ben Haim, Japanese star Hidi Nakata, and goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi) involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce. The programme understands that Craig Allardyce received around £50,000 for the deal involving Ben Haim. At the time Craig was contractually banned from doing any Bolton deals.
'In the case of two of these deals (Nakata and Ali Al-Habsi), the agent secretly paying Craig was Peter Harrison.
'Craig admitted to BBC reporter Alex Millar that his father Sam Allardyce did know about these payments, saying: 'Yeah course he knew course he knew... I've never hidden anything.'
Panorama's allegations against Arnesen, Liverpool and Redknapp appear to be less clear-cut. This is because the programme shows agent Peter Harrison making the first approach - about Porritt to Arnesen and Liverpool, and Blackburn skipper Andy Todd to Redknapp.
Three agents - Harrison, Teni Yerima and Charles Collymore - tell Panorama that football managers take bungs.
The BBC release said: 'Talking about the possibility of setting up a new agency,
Peter Harrison says: 'You'll have to pay the managers to get them on side.'
He says: 'I think you've got to be giving them at least £100,000 a year and then you'll make £500,000 a year.
'Harrison makes a series of admissions, including admitting how he had arranged to pay a major club's chief scout a £30,000 bung in January this year.'
Panorama also claims that Bolton chairman Phil Gartside misled his own club's fans by complaining in the press in August 2005 about an 'illegal approach' to then captain Jay-Jay Okocha.
'In fact eight days earlier, Gartside had been in a room with the agent (Teni Yerima) that he was complaining about, negotiating to sell Okocha,' says Panorama.
All the figures named by the programme have issued denials to the BBC. These included:
• Sam Allardyce told the BBC that he has never taken asked for or received a bung and would not condone any breaches of the FA rules - whatever personal affection he has for his son.
• Craig Allardyce said he was exaggerating his own importance to the undercover reporter in order to attract opportunities. He denied any wrongdoing in his Bolton deals or in his relationship with the club.
• Peter Harrison denied he is a corrupt agent and says that everything he said to Knut was merely pub gossip and banter.
• Teni Yerima told the BBC that he made everything up as part of his plan to find out who Knut was working for.
• Charles Collymore told Panorama he had made up what he said to find out Knut's real agenda.
• Kevin Bond told the BBC he was not interested in receiving bungs. He also says no-one he has ever worked with has taken a bung.
• Harry Redknapp denied his conversation with Harrison regarding Todd amounted to `tapping up'.
• Both Chelsea and Liverpool denied the meetings filmed by the BBC broke any industry rules.
• Phil Gartside told the BBC he had not wanted to sell Okocha but could not ignore a generous offer for his player. -
The documentary also shows Chelsea's director of youth football, Frank Arnesen, secretly filmed making a illegal approach or "tapping up" Middlesbrough's England youth star 15-year-old Nathan Porritt.
Chelsea have denied the filmed meetings broke any industry rules.
The Premiership champions were given a suspended three-point deduction by the Premier League when they were found guilty of illegally approaching Arsenal's Ashley Cole, who has since joined Chelsea.
But the Press Association has reported that Panorama's claims will not lead to that points deduction being triggered.
Chelsea are also currently the subject of a joint investigation by the Premier League and Football Association over claims by Leeds of illegal approaches for three academy players last season.
The Press Association claims the suspended sentence refers to 'contracted players', and not academy players.
Sports minister Richard Caborn called on the programme to hand its evidence to the Premier League's inquiry, headed by Lord Stevens, which is due to announce its findings into illegal payments in football on 2 October. -
Two agents make claims against Premiership manager
tribalfooball.com - September 19, 2006
Two agents claim they made illegal payments to Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce to secure transfer deals.
In an undercover BBC Panorama film, agent Teni Yerima says he bribed Allardyce.
Agent Peter Harrison says he paid Mr Allardyce's son to secure deals with Bolton and Craig Allardyce is filmed boasting about access to his father.
Sam Allardyce told the BBC he has never taken or asked for or received a bung.
He said he would not condone any breach of FA rules whatever personal affection he has for his son.
Panorama also uncovered that three different Bolton transfer signings involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce, some when he was contractually banned from doing any Bolton deals.
The club has admitted it knew nothing about the manager's son getting a cut of the money in these deals.
In the secret filming Craig Allardyce told the undercover reporter: "I'll get the (player) profile and I'll walk straight into the office and sit down with me Dad. It's easy, it's easy."
Craig Allardyce told the BBC that he had exaggerated his own importance to the undercover reporter in order to attract opportunities.
He denied any wrongdoing in his Bolton deals or relationship with the club.
The Portsmouth manager, Harry Redknapp, is secretly filmed discussing the possibility of buying the Blackburn captain Andy Todd, illegal under FA rules.
At the meeting, Redknapp tells agent Peter Harrison: "I like Toddy, don't I? No I'd take him. I would take him. I would take him without a doubt."
But Redknapp denies his conversation about Andy Todd with the agent Peter Harrison amounted to "tapping up".
His assistant at Portsmouth at the time of the filming, Kevin Bond, is secretly recorded admitting he would consider discussing receiving payments from a proposed new agency involving Peter Harrison. Bond also says he will discuss it with his then boss Harry Redknapp.
Mr Redknapp told the BBC that he has never taken a bung and had given Kevin Bond no reason to think otherwise.
When Bond was told of the filming he said that he is not interested in receiving bungs and that no one he has ever worked with has taken a bung.
The documentary also shows Chelsea's director of youth football, Frank Arnesen, secretly filmed making a illegal approach or "tapping up" Middlesbrough's England youth star 15-year-old Nathan Porritt.
Last year, Chelsea were fined ?500,000 by Premiership bosses, the Premier League, for "tapping up" Ashley Cole from rivals Arsenal.
Chelsea have been warned they would be docked three Premiership points if they were ever caught at it again.
Middlesbrough have confirmed that they did not give permission for the approach.
Chelsea have denied that the filmed meeting broke any industry rules. -
Bolton boss Allardyce: I'll fight any bungs claim
tribalfooball.com - September 19, 2006
Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce hit back over bung claims last night.
BBC's Panorama last night showed three agents claiming several managers were on the take, though Allardyce is the one who will face the most serious questions.
The Bolton boss strenuously denied any wrongdoing last night.
He said: "I haven't seen the programme but three agents have admitted to me they lied to the BBC for financial gain. Make no mistake, anyone who makes wrong allegations against me will be vigorously pursued by my lawyers."
Harry Redknapp's insistence he had nothing to fear from the probe was well founded.
He said: "I'm told the programme adds up to nothing at all. Really, it's nothing to do with me." -
imagine all 10 big EPL clubs are demoted to division 2...
wonder who will watch EPL anymore... rather watch division 2 liaoz...
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if I am not wrong, Chelsea is at it again.
once bitten twice shy is not applicable to Peter Kenyon.
If found true, Chelsea will be docked 3points. but peanuts to such a high-flying team, right? -
lol nothing wrong with signing of young talents and that we might or might not deduct 3 points the result of the investigation are not yet out
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Updated: Sep. 20, 2006
LMA slams BBC's 'lack of substance and evidence'
The League Managers' Association claim there was a 'complete lack of substance and evidence' in the Panorama investigation into transfer bungs.
The BBC programme claimed it would uncover 'disturbing evidence of serious wrongdoing in the Premiership' before the screening.
Three agents in the programme accused Bolton boss Sam Allardyce of being willing to accept illegal payments over transfers, while his son Craig was accused of accepting money for his part in two deals, even though the sums were never registered with the Football Association.
A statement from the LMA read: 'As the organisation which represents professional football managers in this country, we were very disappointed with the BBC Panorama programme screened last night.
'There was a complete lack of substance and evidence to the pre-programme assertions and claims which were being made. If the BBC has any hard evidence then it should hand that evidence to The Football Association and Lord Stevens.
'All our members are fully aware of their responsibilities and of the need to act professionally and with the utmost integrity at all times.
'There has been considerable debate about the transparency of the football transfer system and the role of agents both in this country and abroad.
'The LMA supports any full and thorough investigation into these issues and welcomes the publication of the Lord Stevens report in the near future.
'If there is any evidence of financial misconduct within football then let it be brought out into the open and the guilty parties treated accordingly.' -
Updated: Sep. 20, 2006
Sports Minister calls for BBC to hand over evidence
Sports minister Richard Caborn has called for BBC's Panorama programme makers to hand over any evidence of illegal payments made to Bolton boss Sam Allardyce and other Premiership managers to Lord Stevens' bung inquiry.
Caborn said the allegations made by Panorama damaged the integrity of football.
The programme, titled 'Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets', alleged Allardyce and his son Craig, a football agent, received illegal payments and also made accusations of wrongdoing by several other figures in the game.
The Allardyces and all those named in the programme issued statements to the BBC denying they had done anything wrong.
Caborn now wants Panorama to hand over evidence to the Stevens inquiry to back up their claim that 18 Premiership managers past and present had been named as having taken illegal payments.
The minister said: 'The integrity of sport needs to be upheld and there are proper rules for managers and agents. These allegations damage the integrity of football and need to be looked at properly.
'The programme alleged they had names of 18 managers who had received illegal payments, and I think they should give all their findings over to the Lord Stevens inquiry.
'This reinforces what I have been trying to do to bring in greater regulation into football through the European Football Review.'
The Football Association have said will investigate any evidence of alleged wrongdoing provided to them by Panorama.
An FA spokesman said: 'We have watched the programme with great interest and have asked the BBC if they will share the findings from their investigation with us.
'If we have evidence of possible breaches of rules and regulations, we will of course investigate that.'
The Premier League have already instigated an inquiry into illegal payments in the game and Stevens is due to reveal his findings on October 2.
Stevens, a former Metropolitan Police commissioner, has been auditing all 362 transfers conducted by 26 clubs between January 1, 2004 and January 31, 2006.
The Premier League have asked for the BBC to make their evidence available to the Stevens inquiry.
A statement said: 'The Premier League takes all allegations of this nature seriously, which is why we launched an inquiry into alleged irregular payments in transfers back in January of this year.
'As we have made clear any evidence from any source is welcomed. Indeed when the BBC initially approached us regarding Panorama's findings we requested they be submitted to Lord Stevens for investigation.
'We hope now the BBC has had the opportunity to broadcast that their documentary evidence and filming will be made available to Lord Stevens and his team.
'There are allegations concerning other potential breaches of industry rules in the programme that fall outside the terms of reference of Lord Stevens' inquiry.
'Again we request the BBC pass on their evidence in order that the FA and ourselves can examine all aspects of these allegations in order to determine the most appropriate course of action that each body should take.'