I Don't Think O'Neill Likes Agents!

Martin O'Neill has again spoken of his wishes to bolster the squad saying:

'You would hope that in 12 months time you are still asking for the same. What you might think is that you might have a squad capable of being able to withstand it. That's what you are looking at. I know I keep saying it, and people must be bored to death of it, but I have really been very pleased and we could ask for no more. There will always be something that you might criticise them for, but other than not finishing off chances... we have been beaten in games that we should have won.'

He also says that he is being inundated with calls from player agents and management companies and with just a few days left until the transfer window opens, things are only going to get worse!

He told the official site it is a job just 'sorting the wheat from the chaff' adding:

'It is endless, and it is not just endless for me. It is endless for players. I was linked to a player the other day who is playing mid-eastern football. I had never heard of him, and I thought: 'Should I have heard of this player?' You know what I am saying? The point was: 'every other manager would know of this player', I just didn't know. Somebody could have made the name up. I had no idea.'

'But the agent comes in and tries to bustle through on a phonecall, or a letter, to say: 'This boy should be top of your list!' Then you find out he is playing Serie 19! Honestly. It is really endless. What's more, if they think you are interested in someone the number of people who parachute in to try to get in the deal. It is like me saying to you: 'listen, Antonioni or something, from Bologna is available.' Now, let's say, by some fluke or other, that he is actually somebody you are interested in and that you eventually sign him. These boys then put in their invoices it is unbelievable!'

'If I was an agent all I would be doing is just faxing clubs every single day! They say: 'I told you about him!' Even now after all the regulating, after all the rigmarole, it is still happening. It is endless and by the time I speak at the end of the week, I will be linked, I would say, with another eight players, or maybe 12 or 14.'

Do you get the feeling that Martin O'Neill loves agents??!!

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