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Agents claim manager was bribed | Agents claim manager was bribed |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Two agents have claimed they made illegal payments to secure transfer deals with a former candidate for the England football manager's job. | Two agents have claimed they made illegal payments to secure transfer deals with a former candidate for the England football manager's job. |
In an undercover BBC Panorama film, agent Teni Yerima says he bribed Bolton manager Sam Allardyce. | In an undercover BBC Panorama film, agent Teni Yerima says he bribed Bolton manager Sam 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. | 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. | 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. | He said he would not condone any breach of FA rules whatever personal affection he has for his son. |
Mr Allardyce gave his reaction to the allegations on Tuesday night. | |
"I'm doing my job and tonight is very difficult in that time in itself," he told BBC Radio Five Live. | |
"I'm aware of the situation and because I haven't seen anything of the programme, I need to have a look at that before I make any comment whatsoever. | |
"But if there are things saying wrong about Sam Allardyce, believe you me, I will be fighting them." | |
Join the debate about the film | Join the debate about the film |
Mr Allardyce was named as a possible replacement for the England manager Sven Goran Eriksson before the job was given to Steve McClaren. | Mr Allardyce was named as a possible replacement for the England manager Sven Goran Eriksson before the job was given to Steve McClaren. |
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. | 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. | 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." | 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. | 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. href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5361368.stm" class="">See undercover pictures | |
The Premier League released a statement on Tuesday night in response to the allegations made in the programme. | |
"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." | |
Secret recording | |
The Portsmouth manager, Harry Redknapp, is secretly filmed discussing the possibility of buying the Blackburn captain Andy Todd, illegal under FA rules. | 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, Mr 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." | At the meeting, Mr 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 Mr Redknapp denies his conversation about Andy Todd with the agent Peter Harrison amounted to "tapping up". | But Mr 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. Mr Bond also says he will discuss it with his then boss Harry Redknapp. | 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. Mr 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. | Mr Redknapp told the BBC that he has never taken a bung and had given Kevin Bond no reason to think otherwise. |
When Mr 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. | When Mr 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Middlesbrough have confirmed that they did not give permission for the approach. |
Chelsea have denied that the filmed meeting broke any industry rules. | Chelsea have denied that the filmed meeting broke any industry rules. |
In the programme, for the first time a former agent gives an on-camera interview about the corruption he says he has witnessed. | In the programme, for the first time a former agent gives an on-camera interview about the corruption he says he has witnessed. |
Steven Noel-Hill said: "The game is corrupt. Bungs were the lubricant of deals. I would say that 80% of all deals have bungs attached to them." | Steven Noel-Hill said: "The game is corrupt. Bungs were the lubricant of deals. I would say that 80% of all deals have bungs attached to them." |
Three different licensed agents who are secretly filmed admit it is normal for some Premiership managers to take bungs. | Three different licensed agents who are secretly filmed admit it is normal for some Premiership managers to take bungs. |
Charles Collymore - named publicly for the first time in the Panorama film by Luton Town manager Mike Newell as the agent who offered him an illegal payment - said to the undercover reporter: "There's managers out there who take bungs all day long. | Charles Collymore - named publicly for the first time in the Panorama film by Luton Town manager Mike Newell as the agent who offered him an illegal payment - said to the undercover reporter: "There's managers out there who take bungs all day long. |
"I would say to you comfortably there's six to eight managers we could definitely approach and they'd be up for this no problem." | "I would say to you comfortably there's six to eight managers we could definitely approach and they'd be up for this no problem." |
Why I went undercover | Why I went undercover |
When Mr Collymore was offered a right to reply to the filming he denied offering or accepting any bungs and says he gave the undercover reporter, UEFA-licensed coach Knut auf dem Berge, false information because he was suspicious of his agenda. | When Mr Collymore was offered a right to reply to the filming he denied offering or accepting any bungs and says he gave the undercover reporter, UEFA-licensed coach Knut auf dem Berge, false information because he was suspicious of his agenda. |
Panorama also reveals that the Bolton chairman Phil Gartside - who is part of the Football Association board which helps police the game - misled his own fans. | Panorama also reveals that the Bolton chairman Phil Gartside - who is part of the Football Association board which helps police the game - misled his own fans. |
He complained in the press last August about an illegal approach to buy his captain Jay Jay Okocha and said he had asked Fifa to investigate. | He complained in the press last August about an illegal approach to buy his captain Jay Jay Okocha and said he had asked Fifa to investigate. |
But Panorama finds out that eight days earlier he had been in a room with the agent Teni Yerima discussing the sale of Okocha. | |
Mr Gartside has since told the BBC that he had not wanted to sell Okocha but could not ignore a generous offer for his player. | Mr Gartside has since told the BBC that he had not wanted to sell Okocha but could not ignore a generous offer for his player. |
Agent Peter Harrison has since denied that he is a corrupt agent and says that everything he said to the BBC's undercover reporter, Knut auf dem Berge, was merely pub gossip and banter. | Agent Peter Harrison has since denied that he is a corrupt agent and says that everything he said to the BBC's undercover reporter, Knut auf dem Berge, was merely pub gossip and banter. |
He says his payments to Craig Allardyce were legitimate. | He says his payments to Craig Allardyce were legitimate. |
Agent Teni Yerima told the BBC that he made everything up as part of a plan to find out who Knut auf dem Berge was working for. | Agent Teni Yerima told the BBC that he made everything up as part of a plan to find out who Knut auf dem Berge was working for. |
In March, Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, was appointed as head of a probe into alleged transfer bungs in the Premier League. | In March, Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, was 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 and he is expected to publish his findings within weeks. | He is looking at irregular payments in transfer deals made since 1 January 2004 and he is expected to publish his findings within weeks. |