Agent doesn't want to talk. Any suggestions?

Long story short, I signed Jack Butland on loan from Birmingham in my first season as St. Johnstone. He was brilliant and played every game for me. His attributes really went up. I praised him throughout the season and I am his one and only favoured person.

So the loan finishes and I put in an offer which Birmingham accept. When I get to contract negotioations, however, I get nothing. The agent says his client does not wish to join St. Johnstone and I have to exit the talks. After this I do a scout report on Butland and sure enough he is extremely interested in joining St. Johnstone and the wages he would be asking for are well within my limit. A quick look at the agent's profile and I am on his dislike list. In addition I tried declaring interest in Butland publically after the loan had finished and he came out saying no chance basically, despite being extremely interested in his scout reports.

So is there anything I can do to solve the situation and actually negotiate a deal or is that it? Have any of you guys and girls had the same problem?

I 've never bothered with tools such as FMRTE but am considering doing so because I really don't know how to solve this and to be honest its completely unrealistic.

I 've never bothered with tools such as FMRTE but am considering doing so because I really don't know how to solve this and to be honest its completely unrealistic.

Why? His agent doesn't like you so he doesn't want to speak to you, wouldn't say that was unrealistic

Do you know why? Have you done anything to annoy him? That seems the odd part as he should like you seeing as you've praised his client & looking to sign him ie moneys for the agent

Why? His agent doesn't like you so he doesn't want to speak to you, wouldn't say that was unrealistic

Do you know why? Have you done anything to annoy him? That seems the odd part as he should like you seeing as you've praised his client & looking to sign him ie moneys for the agent

Thats exactly why its unrealistic. Birmingham want to sell him and he wants to sign for me. It shouldn't be up to the agent, he's just a middle man and shouldn't have an opinion. Fair enough if he was offered a better deal but I'm the only interested club. It would also be understandable if I had slated Butland but I'm his only favoured peronel for goodness sake!

I also dont like having agents that are so quick to dislike managers. I suspect that all it takes for an agent to dislike you is if you open talks with them and due to their way over the top wage demands have to back out without making an offer. I dont feel its realistic for an agent to dislike me for that . . . i have no idea what the player is going to demand until i ask the question and if its way out of my league then all i can do is back out gracefully right ? I could maybe understand if i kept offering really low contracts to his players until he got annoyed and stormed out, but i dont think that has been the case with me as i have usually accepted that i cant afford the player before that happens.

Why? His agent doesn't like you so he doesn't want to speak to you, wouldn't say that was unrealistic

Do you know why? Have you done anything to annoy him? That seems the odd part as he should like you seeing as you've praised his client & looking to sign him ie moneys for the agent

This doesnt make sence. Agents represent clients interest and wishes, not their own. In other words, they do, what players wants them to do. So their own preferences shouldnt matter at all.

This doesnt make sence. Agents represent clients interest and wishes, not their own. In other words, they do, what players wants them to do. So their own preferences shouldnt matter at all.

Excatly what I mean, they're a middle man, an agent.

This doesnt make sence. Agents represent clients interest and wishes, not their own. In other words, they do, what players wants them to do. So their own preferences shouldnt matter at all.

Indeed, agents shouldn't even have a right to dislike the manager when it comes to contract discussions. The whole like/dislike feature is wrong and utterly useless and in some cases it leads to the point of no return.

Thats exactly why its unrealistic. Birmingham want to sell him and he wants to sign for me. It shouldn't be up to the agent, he's just a middle man and shouldn't have an opinion. Fair enough if he was offered a better deal but I'm the only interested club. It would also be understandable if I had slated Butland but I'm his only favoured peronel for goodness sake!

but does he want to sign for you? just because your scout says he does doesn't mean he really wants to join your club. Like you said he publicly came out and said that he didn't want to and i would trust that mor than any scout report.

but does he want to sign for you? just because your scout says he does doesn't mean he really wants to join your club. Like you said he publicly came out and said that he didn't want to and i would trust that mor than any scout report.

As far as I'm aware, the scout reports are fully based on whether the player wants to join or not. I've never seen otherwise. I was confused at the public statement and it got me thinking is it because of the agent? I've never ever praised a player who is extremely interested and had this response.

As far as I'm aware, the scout reports are fully based on whether the player wants to join or not. I've never seen otherwise. I was confused at the public statement and it got me thinking is it because of the agent? I've never ever praised a player who is extremely interested and had this response.

i have, it is largely annoying but scout reports aren't always entirely accurate just like real life. I'd trust what the player is publicly saying over what your scout says, after all only the player would really know the truth.

Birmingham want to sell him

Do they really? I manage the Blues & he's tipped for big things, I put him on the loan list & was immediately told to take him off as he was important to the first team, this was the summer of 2010 so things may be different in your save

This doesnt make sence. Agents represent clients interest and wishes, not their own. In other words, they do, what players wants them to do. So their own preferences shouldnt matter at all.

Hence I said it was odd as it's in the agent's best interests for the player to be sold

Have you any idea why the agent doesn't like you? Past dealings etc?

Do they really? I manage the Blues & he's tipped for big things, I put him on the loan list & was immediately told to take him off as he was important to the first team, this was the summer of 2010 so things may be different in your save

Well yes, they did accept my offer, I think thats a pretty good sign. Its not like they need the 600k...

Hence I said it was odd as it's in the agent's best interests for the player to be sold

Have you any idea why the agent doesn't like you? Past dealings etc?

Nope, this is my first time dealing with one of his client's and have never put in a bad word. I'm not sure if I was on his dislike list before, but all I know is once I tried to begin contract negotiations for the first time, I may add, I was told to beat it.

Nope, this is my first time dealing with one of his client's and have never put in a bad word. I'm not sure if I was on his dislike list before, but all I know is once I tried to begin contract negotiations for the first time, I may add, I was told to beat it.

Not sure how to get round this one then, can you praise agents in the press? Maybe Butland will sack him (I've seen that happen with a few of my youngsters)

Not sure how to get round this one then, can you praise agents in the press? Maybe Butland will sack him (I've seen that happen with a few of my youngsters)

Me too, I'm stumped. I was thinking he could get sacked as I've seen it happen. However, I don't know if this is random or if its linked to something like this situation. If an agent is stopping a player from leaving then the player should be inclined to sack their agent.

It's worth pointing out that Butland's agent is "unfriendly" and "want's his players to stay at their current clubs" does this mean he's not willing to start negotiations with anyone?

I'm at work at the moment but think I'm going to experiment a little when I get back.

It's worth pointing out that Butland's agent is "unfriendly" and "want's his players to stay at their current clubs" does this mean he's not willing to start negotiations with anyone?

I'm at work at the moment but think I'm going to experiment a little when I get back.

Could well be the case, what a miserable git !

Try loaning him again for the season & hope he gets the boot in the mean time

well, i understand there is discussion, if a player is scouted and the scout says, he would like to sign, but in the case i want to state, it's absolutely ridiculous.

two of my players have the same agent, they definitely want to sign, because they don't want to leave the club. it's their favorite club, and i am their favorite personnel. however, their agent hates me and even giving the players absolutely ridiculous conditions that would make any real or virtual player happy (match highest earner, appearance fee, goal bonus, every possible bonus maxed out to the fullest), he just refuses by saying that the client feels we're too far apart. which i seriously doubt, especially, because they still have three years on their contract and i just want to update it to give them what they deserve, as they play really well and ask for a better contract... but they don't want to leave. how about an option, suggesting to them to leave their agent, or telling them that the contract cannot be offered because of their agent.

if it was me and my agent would do that, i'd rip him a second one.

I also dont like having agents that are so quick to dislike managers. I suspect that all it takes for an agent to dislike you is if you open talks with them and due to their way over the top wage demands have to back out without making an offer. I dont feel its realistic for an agent to dislike me for that . . . i have no idea what the player is going to demand until i ask the question and if its way out of my league then all i can do is back out gracefully right ? I could maybe understand if i kept offering really low contracts to his players until he got annoyed and stormed out, but i dont think that has been the case with me as i have usually accepted that i cant afford the player before that happens.

I'm not 100% sure but I think that I got one of my players agents to hate me by constantly trying to offer him a new contract too soon after the initial negotiations had failed. It was January and I was desperate to get another offer to stop the player from leaving on a free transfer to Liverpool or Arsenal. So just talking to the agent and him telling me it's been too soon seemed to annoy him. I managed to get an offer in eventually but the player still left.

Is he on the search screen when you filter out unrealistic targets? It could be that your scout is wrong.

two of my players have the same agent, they definitely want to sign, because they don't want to leave the club. it's their favorite club, and i am their favorite personnel. however, their agent hates me and even giving the players absolutely ridiculous conditions that would make any real or virtual player happy (match highest earner, appearance fee, goal bonus, every possible bonus maxed out to the fullest), he just refuses by saying that the client feels we're too far apart. which i seriously doubt, especially, because they still have three years on their contract and i just want to update it to give them what they deserve, as they play really well and ask for a better contract... but they don't want to leave. how about an option, suggesting to them to leave their agent, or telling them that the contract cannot be offered because of their agent.

if it was me and my agent would do that, i'd rip him a second one.

anyone an idea how to get players that 100% and definitely want to sign past their agent?

please help?

Is he on the search screen when you filter out unrealistic targets? It could be that your scout is wrong.

I would say try this, also make sure you get an upto date scout report. i've seen people saying they were interested but was the original scout report they were looking at, that could also be why he seems interested in report but in actuality he isn't.

Is he on the search screen when you filter out unrealistic targets? It could be that your scout is wrong.

Both posters are pretty clearly talking about their own players, are they not?

Both posters are pretty clearly talking about their own players, are they not?

The OP clearly says "So the loan finishes and I put in an offer which Birmingham accept."

The OP clearly says "So the loan finishes and I put in an offer which Birmingham accept."

Ok.

Seeing as that was from 2010 I assumed you were speaking to the 2 posters asking for help from within the last 3 years. How ridiculously assumptive of me.

FM 2010 might not even work in the same way...

Ok.

Seeing as that was from 2010 I assumed you were speaking to the 2 posters asking for help from within the last 3 years. How ridiculously assumptive of me.

FM 2010 might not even work in the same way...

Haha, never even saw the date on my phone!

well, i understand there is discussion, if a player is scouted and the scout says, he would like to sign, but in the case i want to state, it's absolutely ridiculous.

two of my players have the same agent, they definitely want to sign, because they don't want to leave the club. it's their favorite club, and i am their favorite personnel. however, their agent hates me and even giving the players absolutely ridiculous conditions that would make any real or virtual player happy (match highest earner, appearance fee, goal bonus, every possible bonus maxed out to the fullest), he just refuses by saying that the client feels we're too far apart. which i seriously doubt, especially, because they still have three years on their contract and i just want to update it to give them what they deserve, as they play really well and ask for a better contract... but they don't want to leave. how about an option, suggesting to them to leave their agent, or telling them that the contract cannot be offered because of their agent.

if it was me and my agent would do that, i'd rip him a second one.

What side are you managing? I'm wondering if the agent and player feel they are too big for your club now.

Answering a thread from 3 years ago, classic. who's the necromancer

Answering a thread from 3 years ago, classic. who's the necromancer

I'm glad it wasn't just me that answered lol.

Man I hate it when people do that, didn't even notice the date unril mentioned. Typical single figure poster :/

Man I hate it when people do that, didn't even notice the date unril mentioned. Typical single figure poster :/

I didn't have a problem with the guys reviving the thread. Was just directing those offering advice to the OP to offer it to the more recent posters instead

What side are you managing? I'm wondering if the agent and player feel they are too big for your club now.

i have a custom team, that i play in the third division in germany. just went up to second. the players are happy and want to singn... at least that's what they say in the talks. i even threatened them to transfer list them and they wanted to stay and said they will sign. the agent has only players from the third league. his relation to me is hatred. his fee is 17, willingness to negotiate is 2, and patience is 1.

it is absolutely clear, that only the agent is blocking the signing, as club and players like each other an want a new contract. and as i mentioned, they still have three years to serve on their old contract. i just wanted to give them a bonus for playing well.

i just think this is not thought through well by SI. this shouldn't happen under such circumstances.

Thing is (addressing the current issue and going back to the 'Agent is just a middle man' stuff from years ago), it's the agents with a lot of the power, these days. Players have moved and will move regardless of their wishes and those of the clubs. Just last week, Lewandowski scores 4, says he wants to stay put, and the very next day his agent's there saying he's definitely moving on. Is that the player, or the agent deciding his client needs to move to keep the coin rolling in?

Yes, they earn a commission on earnings, etc, but there's a chunk of change to be made from forcing a move.

It's not always (or even, isn't usually) players that are the problem. It's agents and, sometimes, clubs. (Also, at least one RL manager - iirc it was Harry Redknapp, possibly during his court case - has mentioned the need to get on with players' representatives. And I think SAF and Arsene Wenger have had things to say about them in the past, too.)

but how can it be that they accept the agent refusing a better offer for the same time (3 years contract) for the same club? point is that they make 2,5k a month now with their current contract. it's 10% of what the other players do. they still have 3 years on their contract. so the agent chooses them to stay the three years on 2,5k instead accepting three years 30k and bonuses.

even in real life i would kick his butt out, if my agent did that... and so would lewandowski...

who by the way only moves because of a release fee clause in his contract... should he move

this is what i don't understand. three years 2,5k or 45k on the average. and the agent chooses 2,5k and the player is upset, that i don't offer him a contract.

Also, at least one RL manager - iirc it was Harry Redknapp, possibly during his court case - has mentioned the need to get on with players' representatives.

That would be fine except the way agents are in game it is far too easy to fall out with every agent for every player at your club, and stupidly difficult to get one to like you. Forcing an agent to do his job, negotiating a good deal for his client, by doing yours, negotiating a good deal for the club, leads to them reducing their opinion of you after one round of failed talks is ridiculous.