Wes Fonguck

[#Beebot]

I'm wondering if his agent is really working in his interests here. I cannot see that him moving to some Nordic football league club is really a step up from where he was. Moving out of the country would seem to be a bad idea. He needs to be in the shop window in his own native country.

If he's playing top flight football in Denmark, Sweden or Norway that gives him a bigger platform than playing to a similar standard in L1/L2 would.

[DerekRocholl]

I'm wondering if his agent is really working in his interests here. I cannot see that him moving to some Nordic football league club is really a step up from where he was. Moving out of the country would seem to be a bad idea. He needs to be in the shop window in his own native country.

The shop window in his own country is limited to 200 or so clubs if you include Scotland, the shop window in Europe is in the thousands of clubs, including those in his own country.

[Mem Beespod]

I'm wondering if his agent is really working in his interests here. I cannot see that him moving to some Nordic football league club is really a step up from where he was. Moving out of the country would seem to be a bad idea. He needs to be in the shop window in his own native country.

If he's playing top flight football in Denmark, Sweden or Norway that gives him a bigger platform than playing to a similar standard in L1/L2 would.

Also there is no development fee for a foreign club which is a stumbling block for English clubs. Makes a lot of sense. Park Wes there for a season then he can come back and be a free agent. His agent is a very smart guy who has used the European leagues for players like Jadon Sancho, Reiss Nelson etc to get his players more games and increase their values.

[MCB]

It's only a good decision if he gets a contract at a club with a higher standard than Barnet play at. Or, in his agents case, gets a contract that pays him a decent sum.

Wes of course appears to be trialling at a bunch of club whilst the football season has started. He''ll be behind other players in match fitness and sharpness. Many squads are now settled.

There is of course no harm in looking at what is available overseas, but it almost feels like his agent has done that whilst excluding English clubs purely to avoid paying the development fee (which I assume the agent wants himself) and rejected a Barnet contract (which would have had to be an improvement on the one he signed in 2016).

It's only a couple of years since he was being linked with Aston Villa, Southampton and Man United, and since then he's made steady progress, and played 60 odd games. Yet - instead of accepting that Barnet have a clear line of progressions - i.e. Matt Stevens, Odoffin, he's chasing clubs not substantially better than where we are now. He wasn't even first name on the team sheet which Jack Taylor has become.

Just feels that he's been used to a degree, and taken 2 steps back in his progression. I don't think Barnet will ever be a club that denies players the opportunity to move to a better club should reasonable offers come in. However, if he signs for Ajax tomorrow i'd be patently wrong. Also I don't know if any League 2 or clubs were in for him, maybe we were his only offer in the English leagues?

Edit - this is old but counters some of my points! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... pensation/

[Mem Beespod]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

[MCB]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

That doesn't sound like the kind of thing we'd do

Of course, if the only long term casualty is Wes's footballing future, it's still utterly stupid of the agent. But I assume impacts any players the agent in question might have on his books - not being put our way in future.

[hoofer2]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

And an FU to Wes who must be gutted now has no club having had a decent breakthrough season. TK having an uneasy relationship with some agents may well be a contributory
factor as why we have not picked up one of Currie's striker targets.

[DerekRocholl]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

That doesn't sound like the kind of thing we'd do

Of course, if the only long term casualty is Wes's footballing future, it's still utterly stupid of the agent. But I assume impacts any players the agent in question might have on his books - not being put our way in future.

I would have thought that the financials surrounding the transfer of a player's registration who has been through an academy could be quite inhibiting on the prospects of players who are good enough to play at this level but wouldn't command a similar fee in the transfer market. IIRC it can cost up to £125k to acquire the registration of a player who has been at an academy from a young age.

[MCB]

I would have thought that the financials surrounding the transfer of a player's registration who has been through an academy could be quite inhibiting on the prospects of players who are good enough to play at this level but wouldn't command a similar fee in the transfer market. IIRC it can cost up to £125k to acquire the registration of a player who has been at an academy from a young age.

But the club can agree a lower fee - so it's dependent on us if the choice is £10,000 + 25% of future transfer vs sod all and they sign for a Dutch club.

[Mem Beespod]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

And an FU to Wes who must be gutted now has no club having had a decent breakthrough season. TK having an uneasy relationship with some agents may well be a contributory
factor as why we have not picked up one of Currie's striker targets.

I do and I don’t feel for Wes. On one hand he got sent home from preseason and was sat on his bum waiting for something to happen when he just wanted to play but on the flip side he’s entrusted his agent who’s one of the better ones, to manage the next stage. It could come off for him, it might not. A lot of decisions in life have some element of risk

[DerekRocholl]

I would have thought that the financials surrounding the transfer of a player's registration who has been through an academy could be quite inhibiting on the prospects of players who are good enough to play at this level but wouldn't command a similar fee in the transfer market. IIRC it can cost up to £125k to acquire the registration of a player who has been at an academy from a young age.

But the club can agree a lower fee - so it's dependent on us if the choice is £10,000 + 25% of future transfer vs sod all and they sign for a Dutch club.

Yes and it wouldn't be a complete surprise if the situation was created by the club looking to get Fonguck to either sign a contract for less than he wanted and holding out for the full EPPP fee once he declined and went out of contract. Unfortunately, while I'm loathe to believe much the Telegraph says, it appears there may be some form in this regard.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... pensation/

[Mem Beespod]

Wow! I didn’t realise how young a player can be handcuffed to a club.

[becbee]

I’m led to believe there was a breakdown in relationship with TK and the agent over something initially quite petty and unrelated to the contract which affected negotiations. Taking Wes out of the country so Barnet don’t receive a fee appears to be an FU to TK.

And an FU to Wes who must be gutted now has no club having had a decent breakthrough season. TK having an uneasy relationship with some agents may well be a contributory
factor as why we have not picked up one of Currie's striker targets.

I do and I don’t feel for Wes. On one hand he got sent home from preseason and was sat on his bum waiting for something to happen when he just wanted to play but on the flip side he’s entrusted his agent who’s one of the better ones, to manage the next stage. It could come off for him, it might not. A lot of decisions in life have some element of risk

We are not talking about a child here, we're talking about a 22 year old man who should be capable of telling his agent whether he wants to go abroad, to find a new club in this country or to simply stay put. The rest of us have to make our own decisions re our careers, with only perhaps consultation with our families -not just listen to someone who has his own personal vested interest.

[Mem Beespod]

I agree with you in theory but if you do a bit of background on Wes’ agent you’ll see how well he’s managed his young client’s careers. Who would have taken Jadon sancho from Man City and taken them to Germany? Not many. Yet look what success he’s had. Same with Reiss Nelson and Lookman.

A 22 year old who knows very little should be listening to someone who obviously knows what he’s doing and has a career plan.

[barnetpete]

I get a clubs point of view in wanting some form of compensation for a youth player who they have invested in for many years and has then made first team appearances, but then again like players over 24, don't let contracts expire if you don't want to loose someone.

As for the 11 year old in the article, if that's true that is a shame, and its shameful for clubs up and down the land who are messing with young players stopping them developing and playing. The likelihood of a player making it at 11 is still really slim and clubs will drop players when they wish but something has to be done about holding registrations and expecting large compensation for 10/11/12 year olds. It was brought in to stop the elite clubs creaming off the best players but how a league 2 or NL club can want compensation for a 12 year old when hardly any money gets paid for established first team players at this level.