Gareth Bale and Harry Redknapp were today among the high-profile names urging FIFA to rethink plans to scrap the licensing of agents amid concerns that rogue individuals could wreak havoc.
Current proposals will allow ‘intermediaries’ with no prior training or qualifications to represent players from February 2015, following an end to the tough licensing exam introduced in 2001 to help regulate the industry.
FIFA would instead require individuals merely to register and they claim the changes were “overwhelmingly endorsed” when presented at their annual Congress in May. But the Association of Football Agents (AFA) are against the idea and have grown frustrated at a lack of co-operation. Despite comprising some of the leading agents in the world, AFA members have not been consulted by FIFA and continue to seek greater representation domestically.
The Football Association have already agreed to end agent exams in England in anticipation of FIFA’s impending decision but Harry Redknapp believes the plans must be resisted.
“FIFA’s plan needs to be reviewed,” the Queens Park Rangers manager told Standard Sport. “I’ve been approached by people claiming to represent players when they do not but allowing almost anyone to act as an agent will make deals very messy and complicated.
“The FA need to discuss this further with FIFA and work with the agent association.”
The role of agents in football continues to be hotly disputed. Bale became the world’s most expensive footballer when leaving Tottenham to join Real Madrid for £85.2million but he stressed the much greater role an agent plays in helping a footballer.
“It is vitally important every player has a very good agent,” said Bale. “In my case, I picked the best one. It is very important a player has an agent who looks after his interests on and off the pitch.”
FIFA are due to finalise their draft of regulations which will then be presented to the Executive Committee and next year’s FIFA Congress.
“FIFA’s work in the context of the revision of the Players’ Agents Regulations seeks to introduce a system which is overall easier to implement and hence easier to enforce,” said a spokesman.
