Nigel’s Agent

[Silvio Dante]

This seems a bit…irregular???

Edited December 29, 2022 by Silvio Dante

[Bris Red]

Odd for an agent to publicly come out and defend their ‘client’. Very odd in fact..

[exAtyeoMax]

Just read that

[ralphindevon]

Yeah wierd one. 

Not sure who he's trying to convince. 

[Port Said Red]

Just now, Bris Red said:

Odd for an agent to publicly come out and defend their ‘client’. Very odd in fact..

Preemptive strike? 

[Shuffle]

Agent trying to protect his client and gravy train. 

[Silvio Dante]

The third tweet in the thread is this:

Not saying anything we don’t know but it’s sailing close to releasing confidential information as it confirms what we have to do financially in the market. One thing  is working that out, another thing the managers agent confirming it.

[glynriley]

3 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

The third tweet in the thread is this:

Not saying anything we don’t know but it’s sailing close to releasing confidential information as it confirms what we have to do financially in the market. One thing  is working that out, another thing the managers agent confirming it.

 

Not really, just confirms what we have been doing. Information also relayed by Richard Gould at the fans forum.

[Loosey Boy]

2 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

The third tweet in the thread is this:

Not saying anything we don’t know but it’s sailing close to releasing confidential information as it confirms what we have to do financially in the market. One thing  is working that out, another thing the managers agent confirming it.

He’s not said anything different to what Nige and Richard Gould have said on numerous occasions has he?

Having said that, I do find it strange, Nige’s Agent putting this on social media?!

I think his last sentence says it all though…..let’s trust Nige to finish the job he’s started! 
 

Having said that, seeing this, I’m not so sure he will stick around for much longer

[luke_bristol]

Don’t think I’ve ever seen this from an agent before. Might be a desperate last roll of the dice from NP to stay on and hopefully get through to the summer and a chance to spend some money.

[CTIDhc]

This is the kind of shenanigans you would see going on at another club and think thank heavens it's not us ... just now unfortunately it is 

[CityCiderEd]

First time I've ever seen an agent go onto a clubs forum........ and proceed to give him a massive vote of confidence...... 

[Major Isewater]

I’m not bothered.

 

[formerly known as ivan]

Find out more about what is happening at the club via the manager’s agent than we do from the club itself.

Maybe there would have been no need for this if our own board were not so invisible!

[Fodbarmyarmy]

Prep for tonights club statement after the expected result?

[spudski]

What I ask myself...is...are the Agents posts consented by NP himself?

Or did the Agent take it upon himself to post the comments without consulting NP first?

Either way...it's an odd one.

If consented...you have to ask why? 

If not...I can imagine NP going bat shit crazy on him.

 

[Northern Red]

2 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Find out more about what is happening at the club via the manager’s agent than we do from the club itself.

Maybe there would have been no need for this if our own board were not so invisible!

He's not said anything that hasn't already been said by Gould or Pearson.

[Silvio Dante]

12 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said:

He’s not said anything different to what Nige and Richard Gould have said on numerous occasions has he?

Having said that, I do find it strange, Nige’s Agent putting this on social media?!

I think his last sentence says it all though…..let’s trust Nige to finish the job he’s started! 
 

Having said that, seeing this, I’m not so sure he will stick around for much longer

Yeah probably fair. I’m just a bit gobsmacked that an agent has come out on social media and completed what looks to be a pre-emptive defence. I can’t think it would happen based on just fanbase unrest so feels to be more of getting defence in early in advance of a club potential decision.

In him posting it, it’s made me feel that Nige leaving is all the more likely.

[petehinton]

Pearson will be fuming with that. No chance in hell he’s the sort of guy to ask a representative to tweet support for him

[Northern Red]

Dare one of the journos to ask him about it tonight, especially if we lose...

[Selred]

I’d argue against the squad value point.

Also interesting nothing was mentioned about tactical performance, which is the main reason I wouldn’t be upset if he left now.

[cidercity1987]

It's a stain on the supporter base that this guy feels the need

Why can't we just support Pearson to finish the job he's been bought in to do

[frenchred]

2 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

It's a stain on the supporter base that this guy feels the need

Why can't we just support Pearson to finish the job he's been bought in to do

What absolute bollocks!

Nothing to do with supporter base and all to do with an underperforming manager who can't get the best out of the players at his disposal while playing players out of position and giving his mates a game

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Very "down the rabbit hole"- not seen this from an agent before in respect of an under pressure manager..

Interestingly.... this agent, Dean ElDredge  also has another of his clients at BCFC:

None other than Jason Euell.

 

[AshtonRobin21]

Feels like the beginning of the end.

[Redandproud]

28 minutes ago, Fodbarmyarmy said:

Prep for tonights club statement after the expected result?

Explain?

[Bat Fastard]

This was always going to be a long term project to rebuild our club.  If you can liken it to the captain of a trans-Atlantic ship - would you sack him in mid voyage if the ship was caught in a storm?  I doubt if his job is as easy as the keyboard warriors on this forum seem to think. We are still afloat and I reckon that Nige will bring the ship safely into port if given the chance.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, Bat Fastard said:

This was always going to be a long term project to rebuild our club.  If you can liken it to the captain of a trans-Atlantic ship - would you sack him in mid voyage if the ship was caught in a storm?  I doubt if his job is as easy as the keyboard warriors on this forum seem to think. We are still afloat and I reckon that Nige will bring the ship safely into port if given the chance.

Nige is like the bar tender on the Titanic:

" sorry Sir, we've just run out of ice but there's plenty more on it's way".

[redsquirrel]

might jason euell be behind it??

[maxjak]

59 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

This seems a bit…irregular???

Increased Squad value?   If he is talking the monetary aspect?    Sorry, but that is most defeinitely NOT the case.

[Robbored]

1 hour ago, Bris Red said:

Odd for an agent to publicly come out and defend their ‘client’. Very odd in fact..

It’s definitely unusual for sure. However he’s pointing out what Nige has achieved so far at City aimed no doubt at Nige’s critics of which I’m not one.

[Major Isewater]

41 minutes ago, spudski said:

What I ask myself...is...are the Agents posts consented by NP himself?

Or did the Agent take it upon himself to post the comments without consulting NP first?

Either way...it's an odd one.

If consented...you have to ask why? 

If not...I can imagine NP going bat shit crazy on him.

 

It’s a bit undermining NP’s force I would think. I can imagine NP saying that he doesn’t need defending publicly. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

I agree with him on the games vs Sheffield United, Watford and Stoke in particular. Swansea seemed to take some control 2nd half but I think had we got 5 pts from the Sheffield United, Watford and Stoke games nobody really could have argued. Maybe More than 5 but we sure as hell deserved more than one. Perhaps 7 in fact.

I suppose playing youth and giving them their head has enhanced their value.

Some of the FFP stuff I agree with but as I've always said, the whole "oh Covid cost a club, any club millions in the transfer market therefore it should be added to our allowances" seems dubious to me FFP wise.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[maxjak]

6 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Nige is like the bar tender on the Titanic:

" sorry Sir, we've just run out of ice but there's plenty more on it's way".

More like a member of the band,  who continued playing  .........despite the ship slowly sinking into the icy depths? 

[chinapig]

48 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Find out more about what is happening at the club via the manager’s agent than we do from the club itself.

Maybe there would have been no need for this if our own board were not so invisible!

Everything he has said the club has already said. There is no new information here.

Though I still find it odd that he has intervened.

[Oizys]

51 minutes ago, CityCiderEd said:

First time I've ever seen an agent go onto a clubs forum........ and proceed to give him a massive vote of confidence...... 

It was twitter....he didn't come on here!

That said - highly irregular, but whether or not this is authorised by Nige will be indicated by whether or not the tweets remain without being deleted.

[chinapig]

11 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Increased Squad value?   If he is talking the monetary aspect?    Sorry, but that is most defeinitely NOT the case.

Scott, Semenyo, Conway have considerably more value than they had before Nigel joined.

Under Ashton and LJ they'd probably be on loan somewhere!

[RedRock]

A little bizzare… and likely to have the opposite effect to that intended. 

While currently a  ‘remainer’, Pearson’s slightly off-beat post match interview, combined with this, makes me think something is going on behind the scenes and the owners are slightly ahead of my curve - which is a first.

Maybe a ‘next two matches to turn things around’ ultimatum has been issued.

[Loosey Boy]

58 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Yeah probably fair. I’m just a bit gobsmacked that an agent has come out on social media and completed what looks to be a pre-emptive defence. I can’t think it would happen based on just fanbase unrest so feels to be more of getting defence in early in advance of a club potential decision.

In him posting it, it’s made me feel that Nige leaving is all the more likely.

Agreed - hope yours and my feeling proves to be wrong……as I said in my earlier post, this has made me think that sadly, he won’t be around for much longer

[spudski]

It's probably a good time to re read this recent interview to get a balanced view.

https://www.skysports.com/football/story-telling/11096/12734982/nigel-pearson-interview-bristol-city-manager-on-changing-the-culture-at-the-club

[RedRock]

10 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Scott, Semenyo, Conway have considerably more value than they had before Nigel joined.

Under Ashton and LJ they'd probably be on loan somewhere!

Certainly Scott and Conway - although I think his hand was forced to play those two. Semenyo, the jury is out .. yet again!!!

I think the problem is the value of the rest, (even taking into account the depressed market) has diminished, and most are zero, if not negative value.

[BasSavage88]

What a shit agent 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

20 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Scott, Semenyo, Conway have considerably more value than they had before Nigel joined.

Under Ashton and LJ they'd probably be on loan somewhere!

Surely the credit for developing yoof at BCFC belongs elsewhere? The role Brian Tinnion has played has been invaluable. Ultimately, Nige has to agree to play them but their development/value didn't start the day they pulled on a first team shirt.

There are dozens,or more, young players whose value is enormous but have never played a League game- just look at the Prem academies. Look at some of the loans that are made for players who havent started a game for the parent club. As for loaning out our development players- surely this is a critical pathway for them?

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said:

This seems a bit…irregular???

It’s seems unusual that an agent comments openly like this. However City have just employed a new CEO, which I think it’s obviously aimed at. 
 

If I was the new bloke I would already by and large know what I was walking into, but you don’t know some stuff until you are in amongst it. As such to what extent does the new guy know what the half wits did leading up to this and what else is there that is not public. 
 

Watch this space. However I would be amazed if Pearson and Goulds replacement have not met and discussed what is going on. 
 

If Palace are interested in a couple of ours as has been reported I would expect some movement, also Alexander is a football man as opposed to Gould and hopefully has better contacts as a couple of loans are pretty much nailed on! 

[WarksRobin]

IMO it just demonstrates that the pressure is on, and that NP has been told results must improve quickly.

[Bris Red]

34 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Scott, Semenyo, Conway have considerably more value than they had before Nigel joined.

Under Ashton and LJ they'd probably be on loan somewhere!

Possibly, or is it because Nige has been in reality left with little choice but to play those 3 - the critic in me would probably lean more towards that way of thinking.
I’ve always said however it would have been intriguing to see what Pearson would have done with the war chest that was presented to LJ between 2017 and 2019. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Bris Red

[REDOXO]

2 minutes ago, WarksRobin said:

IMO it just demonstrates that the pressure is on, and that NP has been told results must improve quickly.

And there is a new CEO!

[Lew-T]

You’d think Nige has given him permission to tweet that?

Bit odd.

[Merrick's Marvels]

Given what Pearson thinks of agents, I'm surprised he's got one! 

Anyway, perhaps Mr Eldredge could change his twitter handle to @CorporalJones because his tweets read like a man telling everyone not to panic while doing precisely that.

A piece of advice, mate - stop over-reacting to know nothing gobshites on social media. They're a minority, loud but a minority. The silent majority are well aware of the problems your man is wrestling with.

[REDOXO]

2 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Given what Pearson thinks of agents, I'm surprised he's got one! 

Anyway, perhaps Mr Eldredge could change his twitter handle to @CorporalJones because his tweets read like a man telling everyone not to panic while doing precisely that.

A piece of advice, mate - stop over-reacting to know nothing gobshites on social media. They're a minority, loud but a minority. The silent majority are well aware of the problems your man is wrestling with.

Do you include Alexander in that silent majority? 
 

Agents don’t tend to give funk what supporters think. 

[Betty Swallocks]

I’ve got a feeling this is all going to get very messy, very quickly.

The beginning of the end of Pearson has already started. 

[chinapig]

2 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Surely the credit for developing yoof at BCFC belongs elsewhere? The role Brian Tinnion has played has been invaluable. Ultimately, Nige has to agree to play them but their development/value didn't start the day they pulled on a first team shirt.

There are dozens,or more, young players whose value is enormous but have never played a League game- just look at the Prem academies. Look at some of the loans that are made for players who havent started a game for the parent club. As for loaning out our development players- surely this is a critical pathway for them?

Of course but you have to have a manager who is prepared to play them as opposed to shifting them out on loan. It's only by playing them that their value increases. Though he doesn't pick them for the sake of it but because he thinks they are up to it.

As to loans Nigel has made it clear that players will only go out if it genuinely benefits their development. Under the previous regime it was routine regardless of whether it was beneficial.

The worst example for me was Pring who was shipped out again, ignoring Tinnion's view that he was ready for the first team squad.

Conway for instance benefited from training with the first team rather than being loaned out. We now seem to have got the balance right.

[Mr Popodopolous]

16 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Surely the credit for developing yoof at BCFC belongs elsewhere? The role Brian Tinnion has played has been invaluable. Ultimately, Nige has to agree to play them but their development/value didn't start the day they pulled on a first team shirt.

There are dozens,or more, young players whose value is enormous but have never played a League game- just look at the Prem academies. Look at some of the loans that are made for players who havent started a game for the parent club. As for loaning out our development players- surely this is a critical pathway for them?

Both. Tinnion and the academy have done great work, but you still need that manager to give them a chance, to take thst risk.

Talented or not with a lot of clubs wanting progress and results instantly if not sooner, it is easier to chase midtable with experienced pros, to buy time.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[weepywall]

Nothing new there but definitely think Pearson is under pressure, I would imagine he needs points from the next 2 games or he will be gone.

[Dolman_Stand]

4 minutes ago, Betty Swallocks said:

I’ve got a feeling this is all going to get very messy, very quickly.

The beginning of the end of Pearson has already started. 

Yes I agree, the tweet feels like damage limitation from the agents end pointing out the constraints Nige has had to work with ( all fair points btw). A heavy defeat tonight would seal the deal I imagine

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, chinapig said:

It's only by playing them that their value increases.

Although not always. Spence at Middlesbrough got loaned out and they have benefited to the tune of 8 figures for a player who wasn't in their plans!

That's not the kind of luck that I would expect to fall our way though and certainly cannot be taken as a general rule or theme.

He got loaned out to a side, Spence who finished bottom half in 2020-21 and first 7 or 8 games of last season sacked manager and one point.

Then somehow that side beat a number of PL sides in the Cup AND got promoted and he was integral to it. Technically he was not getting any game time at Middlesbrough, £10-15m in the bank for them!

Edited December 29, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Phileas Fogg]

1 hour ago, petehinton said:

Pearson will be fuming with that. No chance in hell he’s the sort of guy to ask a representative to tweet support for him

On the contrary I'd say he is. He is, understandably, quite keen to preserve his reputation. 

Unusually he has a website (which is effectively a CV), a LinkedIn and is reasonably active on Twitter for an older manager.

I absolutely believe he'd be happy to go along with something like this. 

[chinapig]

15 minutes ago, Bris Red said:

Possibly, or is it because Nige has been in reality left with little choice but to play those 3 - the critic in me would probably lean more towards that way of thinking.
I’ve always said however it would have been intriguing to see what Pearson would have done with the war chest that was presented to LJ between 2017 and 2019. 

He could have sent Conway on loan and carried on starting Martin. He could have persisted with Palmer but saw that Scott was better. With 3 experienced strikers he wasn't obliged to pick Semenyo either.

[CliftonCliff]

Whether he’s pissed off or indifferent, I wouldn’t know, but he has pretty broad shoulders and said on Monday that he’d rather the fans had a pop at him and not the players, so I’d be very surprised if he felt the need for his agent to speak in his defence. He’s more than capable of taking care of himself.

In any event, it’s not a particularly appropriate or well-judged intervention: its main effect, as we can see, has been to prompt people with nothing better to do to engage in yet more wearying and pointless speculation that it signifies more than it actually does. A bit unusual, yes. Interesting, not especially. Largely irrelevant, definitely. It’s a non-story.

[Major Isewater]

34 minutes ago, BasSavage88 said:

What a shit agent 

Nonsense, he got his client the job here …

[chinapig]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Although not always. Spence at Middlesbrough got loaned out and they have benefited to the tune of 8 figures for a player who wasn't in their plans!

That's not the kind of luck that I would expect to fall our way though and certainly cannot be taken as a general rule or theme.

He got loaned out to a side, Spence who finished bottom half in 2020-21 and first 7 or 8 games of last season sacked manager and one point.

Then somehow that side beat a number of PL sides in the Cup AND got promoted and he was integral to it. Technically he was not getting any game time at Middlesbrough, £10-15m in the bank for them!

Spence was loaned out because Colin didn't like his attitude and they had Jones already.

Conte made it clear he wasn't his signing hence he doesn't get a look in at Spurs.

[REDOXO]

1 minute ago, CliftonCliff said:

Whether he’s pissed off or indifferent, I wouldn’t know, but he has pretty broad shoulders and said on Monday that he’d rather the fans had a pop at him and not the players, so I’d be very surprised if he felt the need for his agent to speak in his defence. He’s more than capable of taking care of himself.

In any event, it’s not a particularly appropriate or well-judged intervention: its main effect, as we can see, has been to prompt people with nothing better to do to engage in yet more wearying and pointless speculation that it signifies more than it actually does. A bit unusual, yes. Interesting, not especially. Largely irrelevant, definitely. It’s a non-story.

Wearying pointless speculation. Come here often?

[LondonBristolian]

1 hour ago, Bat Fastard said:

This was always going to be a long term project to rebuild our club.  If you can liken it to the captain of a trans-Atlantic ship - would you sack him in mid voyage if the ship was caught in a storm?  I doubt if his job is as easy as the keyboard warriors on this forum seem to think. We are still afloat and I reckon that Nige will bring the ship safely into port if given the chance.

I'm torn but I think there is a valid point here. I think on balance I want Pearson to stay. I'd certainly understand if he did get sacked but, either way, the most important thing to me is that we complete the journey we're on.

The absolute last thing I want is a new manager to come in, decide he doesn't fancy any of the players NP has signed or the way that the club have been instructed to play from first team through the youth teams, rip up the foundations of the last two years and we find ourselves starting again from scratch. 

If there is a change, I think it has to be someone who can do the job NP is doing more effectively rather than someone who disagrees on the nature of the job is that needs to be done. 

[AshtonRobin21]

Is it possible that Nige has been given the vote of confidence by the board, to get through January at least, and the agents tweets are to encourage the fans to stay on-side?

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Spence was loaned out because Colin didn't like his attitude and they had Jones already.

Conte made it clear he wasn't his signing hence he doesn't get a look in at Spurs.

Still though that is some benefit from a player who wasn't in the plans! £10-15m profit, luck too. Could you imagine us getting that fortunate with a player we loaned out??

There was a strong element of luck to how his value increased as well as his obvious ability.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

Player loans aside, wouldn't have minded if he had mentioned some of the officiating calls this season but I guess that's not really the done thing for an agent.

1) Dodgy penalty at Hull against us- arguably we should habe had 2 of our own but I'm not so sure.

2) Failure to penalise Bennett correctly at Wigan when we were a goal up and playing alright.

3) No issue with the Sykes red but the failure to penalise Freeman or failing that call a foul committed on Sykes in build-up.

4) One if not two penalties denied v Sheffield United at home. Unless I'm getting my games mixed up. Bare minimum one iirc.

5) Failure to call a red card on Norwood in same game.

6) Failure to call one and maybe two penalties vs Watford at home.

These calls can and do cost teams. Not as if we have received many major big calls or letoffs in our favour?

Edited December 29, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[chinapig]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Still though that is some benefit from a player who wasn't in the plans! £10-15m profit, luck too. Could you imagine us getting that fortunate with a player we loaned out??

There was a strong element of luck to how his value increased as well as his obvious ability.

Sure but it wasn't part of a strategy of sending players on loan to develop them or they would not have sent him to a rival. They just wanted shot of him.

[AppyDAZE]

Imagine this bloke turns out not to be his agent.

[The Bard]

1 hour ago, maxjak said:

Increased Squad value?   If he is talking the monetary aspect?    Sorry, but that is most defeinitely NOT the case.

The squad is worth way more than when he joined. 

Virtually all our players were worthless when he joined as they were on contracts that were too generous, meaning they had little or zero transfer value. Famara may have cost £5 million but in February 21 he was worth zilch as was Paterson etc.  Likes of Wells and Kalas were more of a liability than anything of value.  

We now have a number of younger players who now have considerable value.  Semenyo, Scott and Conway.  Amazed you can't see that.

[Unan]

It's not unusual for agents to defend their clients online. It's actually pretty common for agents to speak up for their clients and present their perspective in public forums, whether online or in person. This could include responding to criticism or negative comments about their client, or just giving more information or context that might be helpful to people following the discussion.

Of course, it's important for agents to be professional and ethical when representing their clients, which means being respectful and polite, not making false or misleading statements, and being transparent about any conflicts of interest.