The news last week that Kris Ajer is dumping his agent overboard was good for Celtic and it was good for Ajer himself. It was the smart thing to do, and confirms that our central defender is one smart cookie and well capable of seeing things for what they are.
Does it mean Ajer is staying at Celtic? That will depend on who his next agent is.
They all want to see their players move on, after all, because that’s where the big bucks are.
But most of them realise that any such agreement has to benefit all the parties involved … and that’s where Ajer’s previous rep made a big, big mistake.
I checked this guy out at the time; Ajer was far and away his biggest client, and it was blatantly obvious that he was concerned, first and foremost, with getting him moved on so that he could get his own fat fee. In short, he was putting his own interests in front of those of the player.
Celtic were, in fact, little more than an afterthought.
But he might have discussed it with his client first. It was rank stupidity not to do so. Instead he ran to the media and said the player was leaving in the summer … and Ajer knew nothing about that, and Celtic knew nothing about it.
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I doubt we even had to bring the matter up with the player, although Lennon made sure he made a comment at the time. There was nothing really to say.
The agent announced his plans for the player to the press, not to Ajer himself.
That was never going to go down well. It’s also done him no favours with our club, who will almost certainly be sure never to deal with him again.
I couldn’t believe the stupidity of it at the time, and that he’s gone to the press again and demanded that Ajer explain his decision just shows that he’s learned nothing from it. The arrogance to believe it’s the player who owes him an explanation is breath-taking.
Celtic may have to deal with someone more professional, someone who will want the best deal for the footballer, but it’s clear that this guy was hell-bent on having the player move on … so whoever else Ajer gets will certainly be more open-minded than that.
Kris Ajer is a top player, and has been good for our club. It would be good to think he’d stay for ten in a row.
He will be able to move on if that’s what he wants afterwards … or he can stay and become a Celtic captain and be here for years to come.
None of that would be open to him if he’d stuck with his agent.
The agent will have to find himself another blue-chip client … but that’s not going to be easy to do, not after the way he’s behaved here.
This was a one-shot deal for him … and he blew it.
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