[Archived] Blackburn Rovers' dealings with influential agent Jerome Anderson comes under scrutiny

[Gav]

Absolutely agree.

It's quite depressing to think that a lot of people struggle to grasp the concept of buying potential, it's the cornerstone of most successful teams.

The huge mistake in January was Santa Cruz. He was the big signing that should have made an immediate impact. The likes of Bolton and West Ham got it spot on with their loan signings, we made a complete mess of it.

We also got Jones in as an immediate first teamer, he's done ok. No other PL team bought three or more players intended to go straight in the first team in January, so our 2 + 2 was well balanced in theory.

Agree fully with that.

Sturridge especially was a no brainer as far as I'm concerned, and only Coyle seemed interested

[Gav]

JA - seems to have been a central figure in things since our new owners took over and they are quoted as saying that they regarded him as family in addition to being an advisor to them. Well what's happened since:

Kean and Jensen (clients of his organisation) have replaced Sam & Macca in some would say dubious circumstances.

The highly respected JW has gone with Mrs D saying words to the effect that JW & JA didn't get on.

His son. Myles, has a 2 year contract with Rovers and dubbed by Kean as, possibly, the next Chris Smalling despite not cutting it @ Leyton Orient and managing just 3 minutes as a sub for Aberdeen in 3 months.

It is speculated that JA was a major player behind our transfer window. Supposedly, £90k pw on RSC struggling to play and struggling even more to get a goal, £80k pw on Jones who has only flickered occasionally and looks hit and miss at best, £500k on Rochina - jury will be out for a while and finally, £3.5m on Formica - enough has been written about him already. So, 4 players signed, 2 aren't ready with question marks against one of them who might never be ready and 2 who have made little or no impact. Add to these wages and transfer fees, agents fees rumoured to be in the millions.

Philipl has also mentioned in a thread a rumoured £3 million pay off to JA for what we don't know.

In conclusion, many not a few, have been less than impressed with JA's contribution and legacy.

Still nothing in any of that to convince me that Anderson is the devil, and he’s not left the club has he? Not read that anywhere?

Most of the points raised are in reference to decisions the manager should be making, transfers etc. If he wants a player the club tries to buy that player regardless of the cost, if they can afford him all well and good, if they can’t they looks elsewhere.

The replacement of the manager and assistant has nothing to do with Anderson, that’s the owners decision.

Maybe I’m being naïve, but I don’t see what the problem is, if we sat in 10th on 45 points nobody would be raising such issues I’m sure, but we don’t so......

[LeChuck]

He's 22 not 18, Rochina (20) was the one for the future buy and even he's made the bench.

By 'future' I only mean next season. A few months to bulk up and adjust to the pace should see him right.

Let's not forget our hand was forced by Monaco trying to buy him in January. Had they not done that we probably wouldn't have moved for him at that point.

[Mercer]

Still nothing in any of that to convince me that Anderson is the devil, and he’s not left the club has he? Not read that anywhere? Didn't say he was the devil ! However, the decision making that's prevailed whilst he's been acting as an advisor is, IMO, at best, indifferent. Neither have you read anywhere that he had an 'official' position, however, his influence doesn't seem too questionable.

Most of the points raised are in reference to decisions the manager should be making, transfers etc. If he wants a player the club tries to buy that player regardless of the cost, if they can afford him all well and good, if they can’t they looks elsewhere. The manager SHOULD be making but do you really think Formica, Rochina, Jones and Myles Anderson are his picks ? If they are, Kean is worse than I thought, if that's possible.

The replacement of the manager and assistant has nothing to do with Anderson, that’s the owners decision. Who do you think offered the advice ?Maybe I’m being naïve, but I don’t see what the problem is, if we sat in 10th on 45 points nobody would be raising such issues I’m sure, but we don’t so......

Just glad that JA is not managing my pension fund and that you are not a trustee !

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Formica won't be the first South American footballer to do well in his own country and come to grief in English football. Watching him at Leigh last week, I would say that he needs a pre-season and time to build up his physical strength and speed. If the game passes you by at Reserve level, which it did, it's not a good sign. I hope he can establish himself but I fear it's going to take time. Not speaking a word of English is not helping the lad and clearly he is going to take time to adjust to a different culture and climate, not to mention a totally different style of football. Hopefully, by the start of next season he will have found his feet and make an impact at the club.

You could offer a very fair and balanced appraisal of Formica like this or, alternatively you could write him off like Miseryman and the Ridiculous JAL.

[broadsword]

Wasn't there some legal case about Anderson taking African kids away from their homes and into European academies or something?

[RovertheHill]

We have a long and distinguished history of signing players who have turned out to be not all that - for all our managers

Grabbi

Davies

Jeffers

Berner

Julio Santa Cruz

Vilaneuva

van Heerden

Basturk

Linganzi

Goulon

Kalinic (arguably)

Formica may well turn out to be another - although I have to say I can't recall any mention of "ulterior non-footballing" motives being mentioned as a reason for any of the above?

[JAL]

Without wanting to read through 35 pages of drivel, why is Jerome Anderson such a hate figure for a few on this thread?

It’s a genuine question, I know nothing about the guy to hold such a view.

As for Formica, he was bought with a view to the future, and shouldn't be judged yet surely.

Anderson is lining is own pockets with Millions of pounds, thats millions not thousands, whilst at the same time failing dramatically to improve the overall first team footballing standards at Rovers.

At this rate Rovers wont even be good enough for the championship come twelve months from now if we carry on like the past four months. Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp spelt it out for us right at the beginning, 'Anderson couldnt pick his own nose never mind a team' and 'Blackburn are bang in trouble'.

How can any true Rovers fan accept that.

The Rao family should be totally ashamed of themselves with the way they've conducted themselves over Rovers matters so far.

[67splitscreen]

Wasn't there some legal case about Anderson taking African kids away from their homes and into European academies or something?

Not sure it ever went legal but with many of his clients were being used to invest in the project,Wright, Warnock and Poom were mentioned.

Not forgetting the Mikel scandal.

My link

[LWX]

Anderson is lining is own pockets with Millions of pounds, thats millions not thousands, whilst at the same time failing dramatically to improve the overall first team footballing standards at Rovers.

At this rate Rovers wont even be good enough for the championship come twelve months from now if we carry on like the past four months. Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp spelt it out for us right at the beginning, 'Anderson couldnt pick his own nose never mind a team' and 'Blackburn are bang in trouble'.

How can any true Rovers fan accept that.

The Rao family should be totally ashamed of themselves with the way they've conducted themselves over Rovers matters so far.

Yep, pure scum these people profiting from what essentially should be a community club....

[RovertheHill]

Anderson is lining is own pockets with Millions of pounds, thats millions not thousands, whilst at the same time failing dramatically to improve the overall first team footballing standards at Rovers.

At this rate Rovers wont even be good enough for the championship come twelve months from now if we carry on like the past four months. Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp spelt it out for us right at the beginning, 'Anderson couldnt pick his own nose never mind a team' and 'Blackburn are bang in trouble'.

How can any true Rovers fan accept that.

The Rao family should be totally ashamed of themselves with the way they've conducted themselves over Rovers matters so far.

Blimey - I've heard it all now. Harry Redknapp, that well known paragon of virtue and charity...

Maybe it takes one to know one

[Gav]

Anderson is lining is own pockets with Millions of pounds, thats millions not thousands, whilst at the same time failing dramatically to improve the overall first team footballing standards at Rovers.

At this rate Rovers wont even be good enough for the championship come twelve months from now if we carry on like the past four months. Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp spelt it out for us right at the beginning, 'Anderson couldnt pick his own nose never mind a team' and 'Blackburn are bang in trouble'.

How can any true Rovers fan accept that.

The Rao family should be totally ashamed of themselves with the way they've conducted themselves over Rovers matters so far.

He's essentially a football agent from what I can gather, and unfortunately football agents do profit from football deals to the tune of millions in some cases, rightly or wrongly, but that’s the nature of their business, its not against the law.

I struggle to see why you lay any sort of blame at Andersons door for the perceived failings of the first team, surely its not his role to get involved in team selection or identifying players?

As for Redknapp and Ferguson, need I say anymore

[Mattyblue]

We wouldn't have Kean and Jensen as our management duo, that's enough for me to dislike the bloke...

[bastionRover]

Erm..

• Ferguson, probably the most succesfulll manager in the history of English (possibly world) football!
• Redknapp, Lined up to take the reigns of the England job and managed to pull a down and out Hotspur team from relegation fodder to Champions league quater finalists.

Yes, I think you need say more

He's essentially a football agent from what I can gather, and unfortunately football agents do profit from football deals to the tune of millions in some cases, rightly or wrongly, but that's the nature of their business, its not against the law.

I struggle to see why you lay any sort of blame at Andersons door for the perceived failings of the first team, surely its not his role to get involved in team selection or identifying players?

As for Redknapp and Ferguson, need I say anymore

[booth]

He's essentially a football agent from what I can gather, and unfortunately football agents do profit from football deals to the tune of millions in some cases, rightly or wrongly, but that’s the nature of their business, its not against the law.

Correct me if I'm wrong because I'm only going off what I have read both here and elsewhere.

If Jerome Anderson is working on BRFC's behalf, bringing in players/staff BUT making pots of money from the signings of those same players/staff, isn't that breaking Premier League rules due to a conflict of interests?

Again I may be wrong but this is what I thought members of this board like Philip were worried about, and those not worried have failed to grasp.

Punishment could be a points deduction or fine?

[Gav]

Correct me if I'm wrong because I'm only going off what I have read both here and elsewhere.

If Jerome Anderson is working on BRFC's behalf, bringing in players/staff BUT making pots of money from the signings of those same players/staff, isn't that breaking Premier League rules due to a conflict of interests?

Again I may be wrong but this is what I thought members of this board like Philip were worried about, and those not worried have failed to grasp.

Punishment could be a points deduction or fine?

Which could be the reason why he’s completely free from any blame, when it comes to bringing anyone into the club Booth, because simply he's not performing that role.

Nobody on here knows if he’s talking/being paid millions for anything. I’d imagine he was paid a fee for finding the Trust a buyer, and making the deal happen, nothing wrong with that.

But I'm like you Booth, only going off whats posted on here really.

Erm..

• Ferguson, probably the most succesfulll manager in the history of English (possibly world) football!
• Redknapp, Lined up to take the reigns of the England job and managed to pull a down and out Hotspur team from relegation fodder to Champions league quater finalists.

Yes, I think you need say more

Allardyces mates bastion, even more a conflict of interest than is being thrown at Andersons door wouldn't you say?

[booth]

Which could be the reason why he’s completely free from any blame, when it comes to bringing anyone into the club Booth, because simply he's not performing that role.

Nobody on here knows if he’s talking/being paid millions for anything. I’d imagine he was paid a fee for finding the Trust a buyer, and making the deal happen, nothing wrong with that.

So what role did he play after he found the trust a buyer? After the deed was done he remained in office at Brockhall so he was there.

And if it wasn't bringing in, or assisting the bringing in of players (which should be his forte) does it make any sense for him to he there at all, when we had a chairman in place at the time?

[RovertheHill]

Erm..

• Ferguson, probably the most succesfulll manager in the history of English (possibly world) football!
• Redknapp, Lined up to take the reigns of the England job and managed to pull a down and out Hotspur team from relegation fodder to Champions league quater finalists.

Yes, I think you need say more

Well it's hard to argue with Ferguson's record as a football manager - arguably the best there has ever been. However, he won't ever be remembered as a great man - and there's a long list of reasons for that.

But Redknapp? I'll try to pick my words carefully here but Bournemouth, West Ham, Southampton and Portsmouth all had their financial problems after he had been manager. He's a cheque book manager and though Spurs did well last season and this season you'll find they aren't far behind Man City in the spending league. If you were looking for expert testimony in a court of law against a football agent I doubt you'd pick Redknapp...

[modes98]

We have a long and distinguished history of signing players who have turned out to be not all that - for all our managers

Kalinic (arguably)

Formica may well turn out to be another

I think you could do that for any club in the country and probably the world.

and no Kalinic is not a failure. Still our best performing striker this season with a 1 goal in 3 games record and in a system that doesn't suit him. Imagine if the brain boxes got to together and decided to build a team around him, we might actually get somewhere. Either that or we can play benjani and roberts who can't score.

Formica hasn't played yet and we always knew he was lightweight and would have to adjust.

[RovertheHill]

I think you could do that for any club in the country and probably the world.

and no Kalinic is not a failure. Still our best performing striker this season with a 1 goal in 3 games record and in a system that doesn't suit him. Imagine if the brain boxes got to together and decided to build a team around him, we might actually get somewhere. Either that or we can play benjani and roberts who can't score.

Formica hasn't played yet and we always knew he was lightweight and would have to adjust.

Erm, the way you've quoted that and edited it completely changes the intended meaning and the point is lost

[Gav]

So what role did he play after he found the trust a buyer? After the deed was done he remained in office at Brockhall so he was there.

And if it wasn't bringing in, or assisting the bringing in of players (which should be his forte) does it make any sense for him to he there at all, when we had a chairman in place at the time?

I'm not sure Booth to be honest, wasn't his role defined as some sort of consultancy in the local press.

Still I don't really know, only time will tell I guess, but the negativity around the whole episode, which is now being aimed at Formica is over the top, yes we're in a bad position currently, but the situation isn't as bad as some would have us believe.

and no Kalinic is not a failure. Still our best performing striker this season with a 1 goal in 3 games record and in a system that doesn't suit him. Imagine if the brain boxes got to together and decided to build a team around him, we might actually get somewhere.

I just don't see Kalinic being anywhere near good enough for the premiership, so in my opinion it wouldn't take the brain boxes to long to work that out.

[AggyBlue]

I'm not sure Booth to be honest, wasn't his role defined as some sort of consultancy in the local press.

Free consultancy?

[Fife Rover]

Correct me if I'm wrong because I'm only going off what I have read both here and elsewhere.

If Jerome Anderson is working on BRFC's behalf, bringing in players/staff BUT making pots of money from the signings of those same players/staff, isn't that breaking Premier League rules due to a conflict of interests?

Again I may be wrong but this is what I thought members of this board like Philip were worried about, and those not worried have failed to grasp.

Punishment could be a points deduction or fine?

I don't know what anyone else is worried about, but that list of yours covers most of mine. However I in addition am concerned at the way most of our supporters are ready to want rid of our new owners. I don't want rid of them per se; I just want them to realise and admit their own many mistakes, and for them to get rid of their bad advisors (whoever they are) and to rectify the situation ASAP by hiring a new set of fully competent and trustworthy advisora as BRFC employees; and most definitely NOT as agents. OK they had the very man for the job in John Williams , but now he's gone and they have to find an adequate replacement which will be no easy task. The Raos need to act quickly and firmly in everybodies interests; not least their own!

[booth]

I'm not sure Booth to be honest, wasn't his role defined as some sort of consultancy in the local press.

Still I don't really know, only time will tell I guess, but the negativity around the whole episode, which is now being aimed at Formica is over the top, yes we're in a bad position currently, but the situation isn't as bad as some would have us believe.

I think part of it is his work at Manchester City. He did the same with them in sorting out a buyer for the club. He then went on to work behind the scenes at City and signed 8 players. When he was relieved of his position City claimed he made between £5-7mil from those deals. Anderson himself disputes the figures but admits he did take a fee.

It seems like history has repeated itself. It may not have but if not there are many strange coincidences.

As for Formica, it's very unfair to that some people are saying he's a flop. The guy is obviously talented and he hasn't yet played for the club. It seems he's being made a scapegoat for some fans who are frustrated the club didn't strengthen for this season.

I just don't see Kalinic being anywhere near good enough for the premiership, so in my opinion it wouldn't take the brain boxes to long to work that out.

I can't judge Kalinic when playing for Allardyce, he was a total fish out of water playing under Sam. He gave him a few matches last season in the cup, playing alongside another striker and he seemed a different player.

And under Kean, he hasn't been given a fair crack of the whip. He comes on, scores and the next game he doesn't feature at all. Hardly confidence building, especially as the rest of the forward line aren't breaking any records.

[Gav]

Free consultancy?

Why would anyone expect him to work for free?

I think part of it is his work at Manchester City. He did the same with them in sorting out a buyer for the club. He then went on to work behind the scenes at City and signed 8 players. When he was relieved of his position City claimed he made between £5-7mil from those deals. Anderson himself disputes the figures but admits he did take a fee.

It seems like history has repeated itself. It may not have but if not there are many strange coincidences.

Didn't even know he'd worked for City to be honest, I suspect to make such sums of money he was involved in the early transfer revolution? Why didn't City get points deducted/fined etc if that was the case? Maybe because no rules got broken?

The plot thickens.