In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses Chelsea being a fascinating work in progress, why nothing has changed at West Ham despite all their new signings, why he can’t look beyond Man City for the Premier League title – and more!
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Chelsea are a fascinating work in progress, aren’t they?
The Sancho/Sterling thing for instance… Sancho is probably on the same kind of money as Sterling, and I guess he’s younger…
I’m not sure what’s happened with Sterling but obviously something’s gone wrong internally I would have thought.
You don’t just treat a player with that talent and history the way that he was treated. So I think the move to Arsenal is good for him and it’s almost like an internal swap with Sancho.
But what about the likes of Ben Chilwell? He’s on the best part of 200 grand, and he’s now stuck with the kids, which I find that a little bit strange. What happens if Cucurella gets injured?
Putting my agents hat on for a second, you’ve got a player that has to deal with the situation that he finds himself in, and one he clearly won’t like, but in my humble opinion he has to be a professional.
He’s being very well paid, and it’s what he does for a living.
If you’re a professional roofer and you don’t get on with your boss for some reason, and you throw a tantrum because the guy asks you to go up on someone’s roof, then you either do it or you walk out.
So if Chilwell’s that unhappy, walk out. Speak to the PFA for breach a contract.
It doesn’t work that way though as we know, however, so for the short time the player is on Planet Football, the rewards are big and he must behave, in my opinion, like a professional, even if maybe his employers aren’t.
Not that I’m not suggesting Chelsea aren’t of course, because there’s obviously stuff that’s going on that I’m not aware of there.
I find myself praising Paul Barber and the team at Brighton again.
I mean, they just keep coming up with these names out of nowhere. Fabian Hurzeler, just 31 years of age from the German second division and he seems to have got it straightaway.
The players seem to respect him, though I’m only observing, and from what I’ve seen tactically they’re very adept.
I thought Arsenal looked good at the weekend but Brighton were fantastic.
Admittedly, Arsenal were down to 10 and gave the Seagulls huge respect, and they were certainly happy with that 1-1 draw at the end.
I can definitely see Brighton qualifying for Europe this year.
I quite like one of the buys Arsenal made this summer; Calafiori.
I’m not sure about Merino because I don’t know an awful lot about him, to be honest. Calafiori and Sterling are two good buys for Arteta.
The pressure is always on when you’re Manchester United, and it’s more on the manager than it is on the ownership at this moment in time.
That’s because the ownership were perceived to have done the right thing by keeping him in place.
What I don’t understand is players, for example Casemiro… he was amazing when he first joined the club but what’s happened to him? Why has everything gone so far south?
I just don’t understand what’s going on United.
They’ve got a team of really good players, and it’s just not happening for them. Even Rashford, the eternal servant, just doesn’t look the part anymore.
So I’m kind of sticking my neck out really, but unless things turn around fairly quickly, there must be a Plan B – and the Plan B would would be to replace ten Hag.
It’s kind of more of the same at the moment.
Interestingly enough, sort of across the road is Liverpool, and I have to say that the new regime looks very relaxed.
Arne Slot is calmly getting on with doing the same thing that his predecessor did, and without really adding to the squad as well.
They brought in Federico Chiesa at the end of the window but that really was the extent of their business (Giorgi Mamardashvili doesn’t join for another year).
So far, so good.
Down at the bottom of the Premier League, Everton have lost their first three games of the season, just as they lost their first three last season – so at least they’re consistent.
Things look a bit worse in 24/25, but I know Sean Dyche and he’s a great personal motivator so I’m banking on him to somehow turn it around.
There does come a point when you can only turn it around so often, however. A moment when you have to say, ‘right, got to do something else.’
It’s such a mess off the pitch at the moment that I don’t see them getting rid of Dyche because everything else is against them.
I wouldn’t know who’s going to go in there, and whoever it is – if Everton were inclined to go down that route – would want a budget.
Nobody knows what the budget is, because nobody knows whether the club can afford to finish their new stadium.
I don’t think bringing back David Moyes – as has been mooted – is overly relevant at the moment. Moyes is a good coach, but everyone has their day and some of his best are behind him now.
I’ve huge regard for David Moyes and maybe the whole emotional thing plays well. But I think it’s bit of an elastoplast rather than an operational fix.
Juventus under Thiago Motta are trying to change everything.
They bought a young lad from Atalanta called Koopmeiners, and I’ve watched some videos of him – he’s technically a really good player.
What’s more, he’s gone there in the hope of playing rather than just going straight into the team – that takes guts. Bravo young man.
I’m delighted for Roma fans too, after Paulo Dybala turned down the €75m on offer from Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League.
I hear a number of Roma fans all went to his house to thank him – a lovely little story.
With Man City you can’t look further than Haaland can you. I mean, which planet is this man from?! Just astonishing, unbelievable.
That third goal was quite incredible.
It’s early days but already I can’t see much beyond City for the title again – unless they get a ‘hangover’ after Christmas.
I just wonder whether all of the new summer signings are going to make a difference at West Ham.
Yes, they had to do it and I think they’ve done well, they’ve bought a couple of decent players.
Wan-Bissaka I like and there are a number of others that were brought in with him.
I just don’t know what it is, maybe a gut feeling, that it’s not going to make a great deal of difference.
I love West Ham so I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for them, and I just hope it’s hope it’s going to be a good, fun year for them.
The last word this week is on Spurs because I’ve not mentioned them yet.
I think it looks like they’re concentrating on youth now under Ange, doesn’t it? The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall et al.
It’s an interesting experiment and one which, at the moment, I think is probably the right way to go for them.
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