19/09/2006 23.12
BBC Show Murders Bolton, Allardyce, Son Craig Over Illegal Dealings
BBC's much awaited documentary on 'bungs' in Premiership transfer deals pulled the veil from over all the action taking place behind the scenes at Bolton FC, and also showed Chelsea Sporting Director Frank Arnesen trying to 'help' a deal through with a cool £150,000, even as the player's club had no knowledge.
Many names were not revealed throughout the programme, supposedly for legal reasons, even though what was revealed is set to cause a lot of drama over the coming days.
Sam Allardyce And Son Craig In Very Murky Waters
Sam Allardyce and son Craig - an agent - were the ones who featured heavily, with Craig even being caught on camera explaining how it all worked.
The show revealed the findings after an undercover football agent managed to delve deep into football's darkest corners.
Craig was filmed admitting he made money illegally from transfer deals supervised by dad Sam, as well as suggesting how the Bolton coach would 'help' him out by using his position to push 'interesting' deals through.
He was also shown happy to cooperate with the undercover agent (backed by an imaginary millionaire), to push more deals through with the help of his father, so everyone involved could make money.
The Three Agents
Peter Harrison, Teni Yerima and Charles Collymore were the three agents who unknowingly facilitated the whole sting.
Harrison - a lose friend of the Allardyces - was the one who revealed how he could get Sam Allardyce to okay transfer deals by promising pay-offs through his son, and who set up the meetings with Craig.
Yerima and Collymore also took many names, though many ware 'beeped out' during the programme.
Chelsea's Arnesen And His Mode Of Dealing
Among other revelations, Chelsea Director of Youth Football and Chief Scout Frank Arnesen was also taped discussing and agreeing to a move behind the scenes.
Arnesen was caught explaining to the agent how the player would fit into the system, and even suggesting the 'cut' that Chelsea would be willing to offer, to 'help' the deal through.
The player concerned is Middlesbrough youngster Nathan Porritt, and Arnesen was willing to offer £150,000 distributed over three years, to facilitate the move.
The programme also showed Livepool wanting to sign the youngster.
Redknapp's Former Assistant Kevin Bond Discusses 'Bungs'
Harry Redknapp was the only other manager named, as names continued to be kept under wraps.
While the Portsmouth boss was only taped showing interest in, and agreeing to take a player (Blackburn skipper Andy Todd), his former assistant, Kevin Bond - currently Glenn Roeder's number two at Newcastle - was found willing to push deals through, as long as he and Redknapp got what they needed.
Video as well as audio recordings with Bond showed his clear interest in the 'bunged' deal. However, while being confident of talking Redknapp in, he admitted that he had yet to speak to his boss.
For The Record
Redknapp has denied any wrong-doing prior to the show being aired, or that his conversation could be seen as 'tapping-up', and pleaded ignorance on questions pertaining to his former assistant.
Kevin Bond has been sent on leave by Newcastle.
Allardyce has also claimed innocence, and suggested that the enquiry should spare nobody, including his son if found guilty. However, he was quoted as being 'worried' prior to the show being aired.
Craig Allardyce quit as an agent in April, allegedly after finding out about this sting operation.
Chelsea have denied that what was filmed can be taken as proof of illegally 'tapping-up' a player.
And...
Among less illegal but just as involving revelations, the show brought into focus how the tranfer market works, showing Bolton bosses secretly negotiating Jay Jay Okocha's transfer, naming their price (£5 million), even as they promised fans that the player would not be sold.
The show mentioned that as many as 18 Premiership managers, past and present, had been named during the investigations, though most names were not revealed, allegedly for legal reasons.
Abhishek Thakur
Goal
Full Version: BBC Documentary
Noooooooooooooooo!!!! 
These things do not happen in EPL ... this is the Italians' work ... only Serie A is rotten.
English football is sooo pure, I even believe Italians did this so that the Moggiopoli will be forgotten sooner!!! Nasty Mafia!!!
Let's see who'll be penalised for this ...
...
These things do not happen in EPL ... this is the Italians' work ... only Serie A is rotten.
English football is sooo pure, I even believe Italians did this so that the Moggiopoli will be forgotten sooner!!! Nasty Mafia!!!
Let's see who'll be penalised for this ...
...
La liga is next 
It's happens everywhere. The more football becoming about money the worst it gets.
It's happens everywhere. The more football becoming about money the worst it gets.
QUOTE (mishale @ Sep 20 2006, 03:55 AM)
La liga is next
next?? Like Barcelona and Real have not been receiving "gifts" from refs all these years!!??
Football is slowly starting to become the has been sport .. So sad that it is an international language, yet is being manipulated in an unsport-like manner.
Tsk tsk .. I say relegate Chelsea
I would forgive Shevchenko once they drop, I would even want to see him kiss that blue shirt in 1st division 
Tsk tsk .. I say relegate Chelsea
I would forgive Shevchenko once they drop, I would even want to see him kiss that blue shirt in 1st division
QUOTE (dst @ Sep 20 2006, 03:56 AM)
next?? Like Barcelona and Real have not been receiving "gifts" from refs all these years!!??
But I want public mess involving them
So let's wait and see what the EPL fans have to say about this, because according to them only Italian football is corrupted because Italians are mafiosi.
First it was German footbal, then Italian, now it's English, next come the Spanish football (I personally can't wait for both Berca and Real to get busted)
First it was German footbal, then Italian, now it's English, next come the Spanish football (I personally can't wait for both Berca and Real to get busted)
QUOTE (dst @ Sep 20 2006, 10:47 AM)
Noooooooooooooooo!!!!
These things do not happen in EPL ... this is the Italians' work ... only Serie A is rotten.
English football is sooo pure, I even believe Italians did this so that the Moggiopoli will be forgotten sooner!!! Nasty Mafia!!!
Let's see who'll be penalised for this ...Â
...
These things do not happen in EPL ... this is the Italians' work ... only Serie A is rotten.
English football is sooo pure, I even believe Italians did this so that the Moggiopoli will be forgotten sooner!!! Nasty Mafia!!!
Let's see who'll be penalised for this ...Â
...
Hahaha, yeah let's see who gets punished. i bet it'll all be forgotten by tomorrow...
QUOTE
The Football Association and the Premier League will press the BBC to provide to their investigations with all the evidence collected by Panorama's year-long probe on Friday.
There is growing concern within the football bodies the corporation will be selective in the evidence it provides to back up their claims of illegal payments and illegal approaches by figures within the game.
It is understood that a senior figure in the FA will contact BBC top brass tomorrow to ask that every shred of evidence be provided.
The FA alone are to investigate the BBC's allegations relating to illegal payments, against Sam Allardyce, his son Craig, Newcastle assistant manager Kevin Bond and agents Charles Collymore and Peter Harrison.
The FA and Premier League will jointly investigate allegations of illegal approaches involving Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp.
It has emerged Redknapp launched a libel claim against the BBC before the programme was even screened.
A BBC internal memo, which has been seen by PA Sport, revealed Redknapp's solicitors sent the corporation a libel claim over reports that appeared in the press speculating about what the Panorama programme would allege.
Redknapp's solicitors claimed leaks to the press had originated from within the BBC, an allegation which the BBC has already denied.
Meanwhile, Redknapp has leapt to the defence of his good friend Allardyce, who has declared himself 'utterly innocent'.
Asked whether the allegations would affect Allardyce, Redknapp said: 'I hope not. He is a fantastic manager, a lad who is so clever at what he does in terms of preparing teams.
'He is excellent as a manager and a smashing fellow. I hope things get sorted out for him, but he's a very strong character. He understands the game and, hopefully, everything will be OK for him.'
Redknapp also appeared in the programme discussing Blackburn defender Andy Todd with Harrison.
The Pompey boss said today: 'I don't know why I was on it (the programme), do you? It is a farce.
'I really don't want to talk about this. I just want to talk about football - or the Ryder Cup, or something. But anyone who saw the programme will be wondering why I was on it. It was farcical.
'I don't think there is anything in it that I need to worry my lawyer about.'
Meanwhile, Fulham manager Chris Coleman has expressed his disgust at the Panorama programme - but admitted the practice of touting players to clubs in the 'murky world' of football was widespread.
Coleman suspects players from Fulham's academy have been touted around other clubs.
He said: 'I'm sure something similar would have happened to us because we've had players touted to us from other clubs and unfortunately it's the murky world of it.
'It's not just football, it happens in all businesses. The rules are bent by everybody, or at least most people.
'The fact is it's football and it's the number one sport. It happens in football, I'm not going to pretend it doesn't.
'I've been touted players from other clubs, it's as simple as that and I'm sure agents have touted some of my players, so what do you do?'
When asked if he had ever been offered a bung, Coleman replied: 'No, never. I can honestly say I've never been offered a bung.'
Charlton manager Iain Dowie believes anyone found guilty of taking a bung should feel the full force of the law - but hit out at the BBC Panorama investigation as 'all hearsay and title tattle'.
Dowie said: 'I do not think it is right if that goes on and am totally against it, but I do not see any evidence in the programme - it is all hearsay and title tattle.
'There were no bank statements, no proof - if there is, then that is different.
'If there is black-and-white evidence, with payments made, then you have got what is coming to you because it is job where you are well paid and it should not happen.
'With both Sam and Harry, there has been a hell of a lot of mud thrown and there seems to be very little substance to it.'
Dowie, 41, had spells in charge of Oldham and Crystal Palace before he took charge at The Valley this summer but insists he has no first-hand evidence of any improper conduct.
He said: 'You hear everyone say that it goes on, but I have never experienced it.'
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There is growing concern within the football bodies the corporation will be selective in the evidence it provides to back up their claims of illegal payments and illegal approaches by figures within the game.
It is understood that a senior figure in the FA will contact BBC top brass tomorrow to ask that every shred of evidence be provided.
The FA alone are to investigate the BBC's allegations relating to illegal payments, against Sam Allardyce, his son Craig, Newcastle assistant manager Kevin Bond and agents Charles Collymore and Peter Harrison.
The FA and Premier League will jointly investigate allegations of illegal approaches involving Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp.
It has emerged Redknapp launched a libel claim against the BBC before the programme was even screened.
A BBC internal memo, which has been seen by PA Sport, revealed Redknapp's solicitors sent the corporation a libel claim over reports that appeared in the press speculating about what the Panorama programme would allege.
Redknapp's solicitors claimed leaks to the press had originated from within the BBC, an allegation which the BBC has already denied.
Meanwhile, Redknapp has leapt to the defence of his good friend Allardyce, who has declared himself 'utterly innocent'.
Asked whether the allegations would affect Allardyce, Redknapp said: 'I hope not. He is a fantastic manager, a lad who is so clever at what he does in terms of preparing teams.
'He is excellent as a manager and a smashing fellow. I hope things get sorted out for him, but he's a very strong character. He understands the game and, hopefully, everything will be OK for him.'
Redknapp also appeared in the programme discussing Blackburn defender Andy Todd with Harrison.
The Pompey boss said today: 'I don't know why I was on it (the programme), do you? It is a farce.
'I really don't want to talk about this. I just want to talk about football - or the Ryder Cup, or something. But anyone who saw the programme will be wondering why I was on it. It was farcical.
'I don't think there is anything in it that I need to worry my lawyer about.'
Meanwhile, Fulham manager Chris Coleman has expressed his disgust at the Panorama programme - but admitted the practice of touting players to clubs in the 'murky world' of football was widespread.
Coleman suspects players from Fulham's academy have been touted around other clubs.
He said: 'I'm sure something similar would have happened to us because we've had players touted to us from other clubs and unfortunately it's the murky world of it.
'It's not just football, it happens in all businesses. The rules are bent by everybody, or at least most people.
'The fact is it's football and it's the number one sport. It happens in football, I'm not going to pretend it doesn't.
'I've been touted players from other clubs, it's as simple as that and I'm sure agents have touted some of my players, so what do you do?'
When asked if he had ever been offered a bung, Coleman replied: 'No, never. I can honestly say I've never been offered a bung.'
Charlton manager Iain Dowie believes anyone found guilty of taking a bung should feel the full force of the law - but hit out at the BBC Panorama investigation as 'all hearsay and title tattle'.
Dowie said: 'I do not think it is right if that goes on and am totally against it, but I do not see any evidence in the programme - it is all hearsay and title tattle.
'There were no bank statements, no proof - if there is, then that is different.
'If there is black-and-white evidence, with payments made, then you have got what is coming to you because it is job where you are well paid and it should not happen.
'With both Sam and Harry, there has been a hell of a lot of mud thrown and there seems to be very little substance to it.'
Dowie, 41, had spells in charge of Oldham and Crystal Palace before he took charge at The Valley this summer but insists he has no first-hand evidence of any improper conduct.
He said: 'You hear everyone say that it goes on, but I have never experienced it.'
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