Mr Agent- The futures bright with the NextGen Series

Last updated : 18 August 2011 By Daily Mail

Read his views throughout the summer.

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So Mark Warbutons brainchild, the NextGen Series, started on Wednesday night.

The Under 19 equivalent of the Champions League, involving many teams from top clubs around the world, is a fantastic idea and gives the youngsters a real opportunity to play against their counterparts at some of the best clubs in the world.

I'm looking forward to the competition maturing and seeing some of the prospects that develop from it.

Plenty of promise: Conor Coady (R) will get a chance to showcase his skills in the NextGen Series for Liverpool

I hope sponsors continue to get behind it and help funding to enable clubs to be able take part every year.

Celtic lost to Marseille 1-0, Liverpool were soundly beaten at Anfield by Sporting Lisbon 3-0, Aston Villa were also beaten by Ajax 2-0 and Tottenham drew 2-2 with Basel.

If you want more information on the tournament have a look at www.nextgenseries.com.

National service can be tricky for transfersThere are international games this year from September 2-6.

Will this not make things difficult at the end of the transfer window?

Players will most likely travel to their respective countries on Sunday 28 or Monday 29 August.

The transfer window closes at midnight on the last day of the month.

If a deal is done at the last minute that isn't perhaps anticipated, then logistically it could be a nightmare with regards to paperwork and more importantly a medical.

London calling: Brazil played Scotland at the Emirates Stadium in March and they will be back in the capital to face Ghana at Craven Cottage next month

I remember we had a player who once signed with a club while he was away on international duty.

I had to send everything through a fax machine from the European hotel that we were staying in and the club actually sent a representative out with the paperwork to ensure that the deal was done.

No medical took place and perhaps this is a gamble that some clubs will have to take.

If the player has been a regular over the last few seasons then you would have thought his medical history would be fine but you never know.

I think I'll be going to watch Brazil against Ghana on the September 5 at Craven Cottage. It should be a great game.

Playing the long gameAn interesting thing that I found out the other day is that one of our clients in the Conference was told that he has to play the long ball.

Perhaps that in itself isn't a surprise in that league but when a player is told that he will be fined if he brings the ball out or plays a short pass then I don't think it's right.

The player is technically good and still young so it's a shame that he won't be able to develop those skills.

Managers are under a lot of pressure to get results and some play the way that brings the results rather than attractive football.

They aren't interested in developing players but I guess that's understandable and the way the game is nowadays.

We have another player who is at Stockport, under Dietmar Hamann, and they like to try and play.

I think once they settle, as they have a lot of new players, then they will be a good team and hard to play against.

Josh on the up at Oldham Josh Parker at Oldham is doing well. He made his first start this week and made an impact.

He's enjoying first-team football now and playing for a cause.

Top boss: Paul Dickov

It's important for young players to take responsibility for their actions and playing in a first team in League One, playing week in week out, is far better than staying at QPR in the Premier League.

He is improving every week and, with Paul Dickov, I think he is being managed by a very good, young, up-and-coming manager, who used to of course play the same position as Josh and will therefore really help him push on.

In the game this week, an away win at Scunthorpe, a nine-year-old girl was hit after a misplaced shot by another member of his team.

After the game Josh gave his shirt to the young girl. She and her dad were so happy and were very grateful.

It's little things like that which show that he is maturing as a man as well as a player and I hope that he will become the player that we feel he can be.

Programmed for successI am looking forward to the day that one of our clients actually accepts an invitation to go on Soccer AM.

All of our clients are nice guys and I know they would come across well on the programme.

Enlarge?However, they always decline the chance to go on. A lot of our clients are not from the UK and are perhaps not so confident in their English.

They may be worried about how they are perceived.

I think it is a good way for the fans to understand more about the player.

As some of our young English clients break through then I will look forward to seeing them on there.

?Mr Agent: Why Stoke could emerge as dark horses this season Mr Agent: Barton won't hang around at Newcastle... who now struggle to attract top players Mr Agent: Glamour games and backheels are fine... but is summer the time for talks?

Source: Daily Mail

Source: Daily Mail