Edwards transfer under probe.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
Warriors' agent on alleged 'bung' list.
Trinidad and Tobago football star Carlos Edwards had a queue of interested Championship Division suitors when he left League Two club, Wrexham, on a free transfer in 2005. He chose then newly promoted Luton Town.
But, two years later, the English Football Association is probing the financial benefit of Edwards' move for his English agent, Mike Berry.
The British Daily Mail newspaper yesterday published a list of seven transfers conducted by Luton Town that allegedly involved "illegal payments" and Edwards' move was the most lucrative of them all.
Mail journalist Bob Graham claimed that former Luton Town chairman Bill Tomlins admitted to a string of illegal payments to agents including a £44,500 fee (TT$551,507) to Berry to ensure that Edwards signed for the "Hatters". The club books showed a £51,000 (TT$632,064) payment to Berry but Tomlin revealed that the complete figure was closer to £95,500 (TT$1,183,571).
Tomlin, who resigned as Luton chairman last month, publicly rowed with former manager Mike Newell after his assertion that corruption was rife in British transfers. Luton sacked Newell, two months ago, for gross misconduct after "two written warnings about his frequent profanity and outspoken behaviour".
Berry, who represented four "Soca Warriors" at the 2006 World Cup and held a position on the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's (T&TFF) 2006 LOC, admitted that he accepted an unspecified sum as a "consultancy fee" from Luton after advice from his solicitor. The money was paid by one of the club's holding companies.
"When I did my transaction to take Carlos to Luton, I agreed a £95,000 finder's fee for bringing him to the club," Berry told the Mail. "There were, at the time, a number of other clubs chasing Carlos, so the way it was agreed I would be paid was £51,000 plus an enhancement I was not worried who paid me, just as long as I got paid
"I filled in the forms required by the football authorities in relation to the fee of £51,000. Bill Tomlins said he wanted to pay the rest as a consultancy fee. I wasn't happy with that and I wondered why the fee had been split like that.
"I spoke to my solicitor about it. I didn't declare this amount to the authorities, but accepted it as a consultancy fee."
Berry told the Daily Express, yesterday, that he stood by his statement to the Daily Mail. Edwards, who joined Sunderland in January and was pivotal in the club's climb to the England Premiership, could not be reached for comment.
If proven, the illegal payments could result in a fine or points deduction for Luton who were relegated from the Championship. It is uncertain whether Berry would also face sanctions. The Englishman, who represents Edwards, Dennis Lawrence, Clayton Ince, Jason Scotland and Hector Sam, has plenty on his plate.
Today, Berry faces the British courts to hear a complaint filed by his former player and Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup custodian Kelvin Jack concerning their previous professional relationship.
Jack told the Daily Express that he signed a contract with Berry that allowed the agent to receive 10 per cent of his basic wages, which is double the maximum amount stipulated by FIFA.
"It was just a lack of knowledge (on my part) as well as you are desperate to get out and play in the UK," said the Gillingham goalkeeper. "It was only when I got out there that I realised I was paying well over the odds."
Another senior Warrior alleged that he paid five per cent of his basic wage to Berry for a successful work permit application although the procedure usually carries no cost. He claimed Berry had initially requested 10 percent.
"I was stuck between a rock and a hard place," said the World Cup player. "He wasn't supposed to charge for it but, if I didn't agree, he wouldn't have helped me get my work permit."
The player insisted that Berry still charged his players 10 per cent of their basic wage although he also received payment from clubs for his work.
Berry retorted that it was no one's business but his own.
"Whatever I take from my players is between me and my players," Berry told the Daily Express. "I don't discuss my business with you or anyone else."
Another British agent, Steve Davis, disagreed. Davis recently brokered a deal with Premiership team, Portsmouth, for the CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh trio of Lester Peltier, Atullah Guerra and Khaleem Hyland but insisted that he would not take a cent from the players for his work.
"Ethically, it is wrong to take money from a player," said Davis. "If you are a good agent, you do not need to take money from a player; you make it from the (buying) club.
"I keep saying to my players 'listen, you don't work for the agents, the agents work for you'."
He insisted that both parties were culpable in an arrangement that sees the agent charge the club for a transfer and then demand an annual fee from his player.
"I think it is totally wrong and I told (agent named) that to his face," said Davis. "But why did the players sign that? If players are stupid enough to sign a contract giving away 10 per cent of their wages, then whose fault is that?
"I think the (Trinidad and Tobago) players should seek advice. You have someone like Jack Warner on the island so surely they can seek advice from FIFA. (An agent) cannot accept a fee from both parties, inadvertently or otherwise, and if FIFA got hold of that he will be taken to court."
