Interest conflicts in trade with football players
One of Europe's largest football management agencies, Proactive, has created a network of players, coaches and agents buying and selling players from each other.
The Danish stargoalies Thomas Sørensen and Peter Schmeichel play a leading role in this game of money and power.
Manchester City is often regarded as the most likely new club for Thomas Sørensen. For obvious reasons as it turns out.The Danish international cooperates with footballagent Paul Stretford - owner of 8,1 per cent of the shares in Proactive. Stretford also handles any business concerning Peter Schmeichel's contracts.
Thomas Sørensen holds 300.000 pounds worth of shares in his agent's firm. Thus he is the co-owner of the firm in charge of securing him a new and profitable contract.Thomas Srensen is clearly suprised when Ekstra Bladet confronts him with the list of shareholders but he confirms his investment in Proactive with a: "Yes, that's correct."
Is this an investment you decided to make? Or is this an investment that Paul Stretford has recommended?
"I believe in the firm. And I believe in the people involved in it. Of course they have an interest in me and I have an interest in the firm," says the Sunderland-goalie, who made his investment in Proactive some eighteen months ago.
If Manchester City is Thomas Sørensens club to be he'll be negotiating with another of Proactives owners - Kevin Keegan. The City-manager is also involved with the firm. He's invested 200.000 pounds in Proactive Sports Group.
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How do you regard the fact that both managers, players and agents own Proactive?
"Here it works like this. The clubs have agents. When I transfered to Sunderland, the club used Paul Stretford a lot. That how it works in England. Otherwise I don't know much about that aspect," says Thomas Sørensen.
But the higher fee for your transfer, the bigger the profit is going to be for your firm. Is that fair to the club?
"I don't look at it that way. I don't have that big an interest inthe firm. Under no circumstances is it going to affect my decision," states Thomas Sørensen.
But the Dane's former manager in Sunderland, Peter Reid, has taken the consequence of his multiple roles. After his transfer to Leeds United, he's sold his part of Proactive (125.000 pounds) because he wanted straight lines with the club.