Kewell's legacy

If, as has been stated, he should have paid the agent out of his cut, then he seems to have used the fact that the club was on its knees to play hard-ball, with the result that he forced the club to pay the agent instead of him.

That, I would say, would be immoral.

clubs pay agents all the time.

Its why every year how much clubs pay agents gets released

Mattyp, is Kewell your son? Why are you so forthright in defending him?

He only bothered to play once in a blue moon...Too busy sulking most of the time!

Taking 40% of the deal, was an unconscionable act by the agent.

Hard to understand why you can't see that MattyP.

It is events such as these that lead to the increased disclosure of agent fees.

Club pays the agents.

Or do you think a player should pay a million to his agent out of the good of his heart cause I club was run at the time by a bunch if morons, despite the fact that is just not the way agents work in this country

Yeah he took a lot, and yes he is an arsehat for doing it (I also don't doubt that he might be a tool in real life too) However I just don't see the morally wrong part of it.

And I'm yet to see anyone say why it's morally wrong, just repeat that it is.

The agent works for the player, if any club pays an agent it us to bring a player in.

Matty, you and Perth are insistent on maintaining positions that everyone else is in opposition.

Must be fun!

I don't remember the exact circumstances and why Leeds didn't just refuse the deal, other than we were in a complete, nuclear meltdown of our finances.

This is what happened:
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The player's agent, Bernie Mandic, was given the go ahead to negotiate a deal, but relations quickly became strained and there was a war of words in the press. Leeds could have got more money by selling Kewell to Chelsea, Manchester United or Barcelona, but the winger had set his heart on Liverpool. So angered was McKenzie by developments, that the club website was instructed to cover events in vehement detail:

■ McKenzie and Mandic met prior to the Arsenal game on May 3rd. It is made clear to McKenzie that Kewell was willing to extend his contract at the club, but the terms Mandic spoke about caused extreme concern, with Harry having the freedom to move at any time and then also receive 50% of the transfer fee. If a transfer was before the end of the season, Kewell and the agent would expect a similar fee.

■ On June 17 Leeds receive a letter from Mandic. The letter confirms the details discussed in the earlier meeting. It also gave the first formal indication of the terms that Kewell's agents were looking to obtain from any deal.

■ June 25 and McKenzie sends two letters to Mandic. The first gave Mandic the authority to find a buyer for not less than £5m. It was made clear in the letter that any deal would be subject to plc board approval. The purpose was to "flush out" the mystery buyer that Mandic was speaking about.

The second informed Mandic that, subject to plc approval, Max Sport would be paid £2m of any £5m transfer fee in order to ensure United would receive higher than the 50% split Mandic wanted.

■ June 26 and Mandic sends United a letter accepting the terms of the letter.

■ June 30, McKenzie expresses his displeasure in the Yorkshire Evening Post at the way the Kewell negotiations were being handled. He brands the situation a farce after reading about a mystery club chasing Kewell. His comments are passed on to Mandic by the media for a response. Mandic's response to Leeds is to inform Leeds that Harry is no longer for sale.

■ July 2, Mandic comes clean over the mystery club and reveals them to be Liverpool and that negotiations had been ongoing for some months.

■ July 3, McKenzie returns from his trip to Japan and informs Mandic that he will take back control of any transfer negotiations.
July 3, Liverpool ring to say they would be prepared to make a £5m offer for Kewell. McKenzie does not accept and both parties agree to give the offer more time.

■ July 4, Liverpool return with an improved informal offer of £7m. An agreement was made verbally and permission given for Liverpool to start talking to Kewell about his personal terms.

■ July 7, Leeds received a letter from Max Sports and it became clear that they were now back to a £5m deal. The same day United received firm £7m offers from Chelsea and Manchester United but Harry made it clear he had his heart set on Liverpool. It left United with little choice but to accept Liverpool's offer. That evening, Kewell left a message on McKenzie's phone informing him he would walk away for nothing in the summer on a Bosman if Leeds did not accept Liverpool's offer. Leeds were also informed that Australian TV station Channel 9 were preparing to air an exclusive interview with Harry revealing his new club the following morning. They paid Kewell £25,000 for the privilege.

■ July 8, McKenzie calls a meeting of his advisors with the plc board members and Peter Reid. "We didn't see any alternative but to press ahead," said McKenzie. Financial Director Neil Robson concluded talks with legal representatives shortly before midnight, believing there were just loose ends to tie up in the morning.

■ July 9, After the decision to sell Kewell was ratified by the plc board, with United feeling forced to accept the £5m on offer with £2m going to Max Sport, another snag held up the deal - Mandic's solicitor was Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris hoped to revive his career with a move to Elland Roaddemanding payment of £27,000 for an insurance policy on Kewell. The deal was finally completed later that afternoon and announced shortly after 4.30pm.

McKenzie emerged from the episode with a less than glowing reputation, branded naïve in the extreme, while Kewell's name was quickly expunged from the Christmas card lists of Elland Road supporters. Whatever the facts of the matter, Leeds United had seen another prize asset walk away for a fraction of his true worth.

http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/seasons/200304part1.htm
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I think the main grievance at the time was LUFC was willing to give Mandic £2m of a £7m fee. Which seems more than reasonable.

Instead the fee was £5m, with the extra £2m presumably added on to Kewell/Mandic's remuneration from Liverpool.

And this is what it said in the accounts:

http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3e6a/lxttfilgv7jt5jozg.jpg

[Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris hoped to revive his career with a move to Elland Road]

- not sure why that got pasted in.

Thanks Sol, what a guy the Aussie, eh!?!?