daniel chigunwe
Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
THE lawyers of Bill Antonio’s agent, Placcedes Jefferson, have dismissed the claims made by the teenager’s father, Nowell Antonio, regarding the player’s impending trials at Belgian top-flight football side KV Mechelen.
It has also since come to the attention of The Herald after a meeting with the agent’s representatives that some of the statements and allegations made by Nowell during his interview with the publication were not factual.
The Herald would like to unreservedly apologise to Jefferson for the misrepresentations and the prejudice that could have resulted from the publication of the interview on March 29, 2022 under the headline: “Antonio’s Belgium trials hang in the balance.”
Nowell claimed that the agent was not acting in good faith and that she (Jefferson) had manipulated the teenage player and his mother into signing contracts which could be prejudicial to the player.
Nowell also revealed he was not happy that contracts were being negotiated and signed behind his back despite his input in the Dynamos winger’s fledgling football career.
The Herald story was based on a letter from KV Mechelen addressed to the Belgian Embassy in South Africa signed by the team’s Head of Sports Administration, Simas Calcoen, asking the Embassy to issue a visa for the Zimbabwean player to travel to the European country.
The letter indicated that KV Mechelen were expecting the young winger from April 1 to April 30, 2022, for the trials.
However, Jefferson’s lawyer, Obey Shava of Shava Law Chambers, said their client never received such an invitation from Belgium, although there were arrangements being made for Antonio to go for trials before the end of the year.
Shava gave the side of his client’s story in a statement below:
“Firstly, the player we are talking about is not a minor and is capable of entering into contracts on his own, without the assistance from the father or anyone.
“In this particular case, the interview was done with Mr Nowell Antonio; let me say we know nothing about him, we have never had any discussions with the father.
“At all material times we have been dealing with the player, the mother and Dynamos Football Club. All those parties are happy with how things have progressed.
“And, coming to the issue of his move to Belgium, we haven’t received that invitation which we read about in the newspaper but I can confirm that late this year he is supposed to be going for trials but not in terms of the alleged invitation, which Mr Nowell spoke about.
“So it came as a surprise that Mr Nowell was talking about another invitation, which is contrary to the position which is known by the agent, by Dynamos Football Club, the player and the Belgian club itself.
“As far as we are concerned, we are all happy with how Bill is progressing in terms of his football development and we are working towards the realisation of his move to Europe.
“Bill will be going for trials, yes. There are so many interests for Bill’s services from various clubs and we are doing everything possible to protect the best interests of the player.
“So I understand why some people would want to be associated with his fame and his brand because he has attracted interests from various clubs.
“But we will make sure that his interests are put first before those of anyone else. So definitely this year he will be going for trials.
“It has to be known that whatever move is going to happen, whichever club is going to sign Bill, the decision will not be solely of the agent. It will involve the player; it will involve Dynamos Football Club. The consent of all those parties involved will be very critical before any move.
“Bill, we must understand, is staying with his mother. Even now, it doesn’t matter he turns 20, 21 or 22 years-old. That relationship will always be there between Bill’s mother and the agent. It’s a long existing relationship which can’t be taken away because there is this issue of Bill’s contracts involved.
“But like I said earlier on, we are not aware of where Mr Nowell is coming from. Probably, I have no doubt that he doesn’t appreciate the nature of the relationship between Bill’s mother and the agent, he doesn’t appreciate the nature of the relationship between the agent and Dynamos Football Club because if he did, he would not have made those utterances which are devoid of any merit.”
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