Last updated at 12:15, Saturday, 30 May 2009

SIGNED ON: Jason Walker penned a new deal with Barrow this week

THINGS are starting to really pull together this week as discussions carry on with a number of new and current players.

We’re starting to agree the deals that will put the team together for next season.

Hopefully we will be announcing a new player either over the weekend or early next week as negotiations are finalised.

The new training set-up has allowed us to enter a different market, players want the full training package at this level.

A lot have seen this as the only chance to go full-time in and play at a higher level of football.

It was always a problem last year only training two evenings a week, but the new training set-up allows us to offer deals to proven players or up-and-coming stars.

One thing we will not do is make deals with agents.

Yes, they are a big part of today’s game, but at this level it’s unfair that money goes into their pockets. We can’t stop players having them but what we say is “if you want them, you pay for them.”

At this level of football, you’d be surprised by the amount of people involved in deals.

The lads we know are great, they’ve been with us a while and they have trust and understanding.

But when you first talk to some of the potential new signings, at times you wonder what you are dealing with.

I think football has created this untrusting world where agents with no legal or contractual background get involved, influencing players, not always with their best interests at heart, merely their own income.

Yes, it’s got to be right for both parties and, yes, a contract needs a legal review, but with all these third parties involved the price to play football just goes up and up while the money goes out of football into third-party pockets.

If all the add-ons were reduced, the effect would be substantial.

The career of a footballer is short and people need to earn while they can, which is fine as long as the money is actually going to the player and not to his ‘fashionable’ backroom people.

Anyway, we deal with the player and that’s the best way in our opinion and we will stay like that until we have to change.

We have always been a club that looks after the players which over the years has been a benefit to the club from a reputation point of view.

Players know we look after them and the message gets around, helping when we negotiate.

We aim to continue our good relations with players and, as I mentioned last week, the newly- formed ‘football group’ within the board will be looking at how we take that to the next level.

We want to give the players the best chance to perform. It’s not about spoiling them, it’s about being professional and doing things right.

When you go to work you expect certain things to be available for you if required, it’s no different at this club.

I think, at times, we forget we are employers and we need to ensure everything is in place to support that.

We’ll be reviewing what we do with regards to signing players, bringing them into the club and what we do for them while they are here.

This is not just about the playing staff, our day-to-day staff will receive the same scrutiny.

More focus will be given to how we are going to develop this club to sustain the long-term success.

The club has grown substantially in the last three-four years and we have to make the change to ensure the growth continues and is sustained.

As we look to build new areas of the club, we have the procedure and policy in place to manage the change. I will hopefully be able to announce more on this in the next couple of weeks.

Keep a look out over the next few days with regards to some imminent announcements.

See you soon.

TONY KEEN

AFC DIRECTOR

First published at 11:38, Saturday, 30 May 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk