Ex-Football Agent: How Big Money Deals Are Done

28 September 2016, 17:50

Former top agent Jon Smith joins Iain Dale in the LBC studio where he exposes just how big football deals are done.

A day after Sam Allardyce departed as England manager, lots of LBC listeners have complained that football is full of dirty money.

So Iain put it to Jon: just how much bribery is still invovled in football in 2016?

"There are inducements in every walk of life," said Smith.

"Bribes?" asked Iain.

"No, inducements."

Iain responded: "What's the difference? Because most people would think of an inducement as a bribe."

Smith was insistent that bribes were not the same as inducements. "No, absolutely not.

"You have to travel to certain parts of the world to know how they deal. Is it wrong if you're in Asia...where you are encouraged to if not grease the palms, certainly make the other side feel comfortable?

"I've sat in a meeting with Southern European managers and done a deal and we're very very nearly there. He's looked at my watch and said: 'I like that Jon, where did that come from?'

"And you start a story but you know where it's going to go: I'm going to have to give him my watch."