Trix
First off we had a great day, really enjoyed it. The conditions were a bit too good for proper fishing tbh, but for novices it was far better than what I'd call ideal conditions. Anyway I don't want to name too many names because I may well be getting a fair bit of business off the back of today's little excursion, but the stuff I can say I will. There was not much transfer related stuff talked about, but I did push them as far as I thought possible.
Lovren
This is again second hand, as although my mate speaks regularly to his agent he hasn't seen him for at least a week or so. Firstly I need to clarify the comment I made in the Lovren thread regarding him willing to strike. When Lovren joined Southampton he had better options available to him but he decided on Southampton because he bought into the long term plan that Pochetinno and Cortese pitched to him. He was made assurances that the team would be built on and not dismantled as they had a great young squad that in a couple of years could really go places. Well one year in and things are very very different. He understands though that it is not Poch's fault and that Poch has moved on to try and fulfill the same dream he had at Southampton which is to build his own footballing dynasty in his own image. Hard work, a system that is both solid defensively but has fluidity from an attacking pov. Most importantly there has to be strong team ethic where they want to win, not for the fans or the coach, but for each other. When I was told he would go on strike to get his move this was part of a very short conversation I had, where I am not sure I got the whole context. After a more lengthy chat it appears that yes he will strike but that will be a last resort. He feels that he has done things the right way by putting in a transfer request, and that coupled with a decent transfer fee should be enough. He wasn't lied to when he went there but things have changed significantly since he agreed to the move and where he originally thought it might take a couple of years to progress and start to chalenge the top sides he now believes they never will while the current regime is in place.
Levy
Not as disliked by agent folk as I thought. One of the guys that I spoke to has had many dealings with Levy over the last few years, and said Levy is very good at what he does. The agents job is to get the best deals for their players and Levy's job is to get the best possible deal for the club. He said Levy would never expect the agents to role over and he thinks the same from his POV re the chairman. Said whenever he knows he is going to be negotiating with Levy he makes certain he is prepared and knows he has to be on his A game. I asked him about Levy moving the goal posts late in deals and he replied "who doesn't if they have the other guy on the ropes". He also added he is one of the very best as far as looking after the players is concerned. Makes sure they have everything they need when they are new to the club and more so the country. Says the team Levy has working with the players from a non playing perspective are excellent. Worth noting his agency have had a few players at the club and one there at the moment. He said Agents are likely to push players towards a club they have a good working relationship with. I asked if that meant he might be willing to put a word in with Messi, to which he laughed and replied he will retire at either Barca or move back to South America. Nothing else interests him at all.
Hugo
Is very happy at the club and has settled well. believes the squad massively under achieved last season. He said as the goalkeeper he can see everything from a perspective that no one else has. (Hugo's own words apparently)" Last season, it was at times like watching a game of chess where one of the players did not know how the pieces moved. We often had the best team but the worst tactical thinking". Said he has seen enough in training to know we should have done far far better, which is why he is willing to give it another season at least. When i asked if that meant he would definitely stay, I was told "some moves are just too big to turn down". Poch has spoken to him and told him briefly what he plans to do and that Hugo is very much part of his plans. Wished him good luck at the WC and told him he hoped that he comes back with a winners medal. (I expect he said exactly the same to all our WC contingent) Now i don't know if any of the players were consulted prior to the appointment, but apparently he was a very popular choice with a lot of them before Tim had even gone. Read into that what you will.
Poch.
All four of the boys today were very complimentary of him(and I mean very). Even though none of them have had first hand dealings with him(yet) they were all very much of the same opinion. Stuff gets passed between agents and players very quickly and everything they had heard regarding Poch was positive. Both agents said they would encourage their players to speak to Poch if he wanted them, but one of them said they will know more about him through word of mouth than they did anyway. Many of them mix outside of the clubs because they have so much in common, and can't just do regular things.
A couple of smaller bits.
We tried to sign Agbonlahor a good while back but he thought Villa were the better long term prospect.
Villa have a young teenage lad that apparently every agent in the land is trying to get their hands on, but his old man is having none of it. Very, very special was the verdict from them all, and apparently miles ahead of his age group(and not just in this country).
