Agents may have accounts forced open
Tuesday, 3 October 2006 08:00Agents may find themselves forced to reveal details of their bank accounts by the English Premier League's inquiry into allegations of corruption in football.
Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Stevens, who is leading the inquiry, said his team may use Football Association rules to force agents to open their accounts for inspection - after only 65 out of 150 co-operated with the investigation.
Lord Stevens looked into all 362 transfers that took place in the Premier League between January 1 2004 and January 31 2006 - and announced yesterday that 39 transfers, involving eight clubs, will be investigated further over the next two months.
Roughly half of those involve foreign transfers, and half are domestic transfers.
The FA confirmed they have the right to request information from licensed agents' bank accounts under their 'powers of inquiry' - and those who failed to do so risk a misconduct charge.
An FA spokesperson said: 'We have co-operated fully with the Stevens inquiry so far and will continue to do so. If we are asked to try to obtain information from agents under our powers of inquiry we will, of course, do so.'
Taylor calls for independent body
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes a permanent independent body to oversee transfers would have a positive influence on the game.
PFA chief Taylor would welcome the autonomy of a permanent independent commission, and he told PA Sport: 'On a confidential basis to an independent body, there is no reason why clubs and the people who have been involved in such transactions should not have to open up their books and bank accounts to make sure there is no impropriety.
'That has to be done better independently and with confidentially rather than being looked at by people from within the game.'
