Monday Buzz: Phil Gould applies to be a player agent in career change
Phil Gould’s main employer, Channel Nine, has responded to concerns his desire to become a player agent is a conflict of interest with his many media commitments.
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Phil Gould is in Samoa on a fact finding mission as he prepares to set up his own NRL player-manager business despite an obvious conflict of interests with his media commitments at Channel 9.
Previously while Gould was Head of Football at Penrith, the network stopped him from commentating on Panthers matches. Now they are backing his move to be an agent.
“Gus has managed his many roles within rugby league with absolute professionalism and integrity for a long time,” a Nine spokesperson said.
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“This approach has given him unrivalled success as a player, coach, administrator and commentator. We are proud to have someone as committed and intelligent as him as part of our commentary team on Nine.”
Punters on social media are questioning how Gould can have a role on TV match broadcasts, podcasts and newspapers while managing the careers of players and commenting on their weekly performances.
He has until April 1 to register an application with the NRL for an agent’s accreditation.
“Phil’s had a long involvement in the game so we would probably welcome it,” said the NRL’s agent accreditation operations manager Paul Massey.
“There’s no rules to stop media people being involved.”
Your columnist exchanged text messages with Gould about his new venture.
Buzz: Hey Gus will you quit your media roles if you become a player manager to prevent a conflict of interests. Thx
Gus: Happy New Year to you too. I am in Samoa at the moment. Fact finding mission. Back Thursday or Friday.
Buzz: Happy NY. It’s a good story Gus on how you can juggle both jobs. We’re not getting any younger.
Gus: I have juggled roles all my life. I like being busy. My primary interest in rugby league has always been the improvement of our game, especially through the development of our future rugby league players. This is a good way to help make a difference.
Buzz: Might get you to do me a new deal at Fox!!!
Gus: No problem. I know the boss.
Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another big weekend in sport.
HIGHLIGHT
The men who risked their own public embarrassment and humiliation to come forward and go public to support Josh Reynolds with their own accounts of being duped and misled by the woman at the centre of the domestic violence scandal.
LOWLIGHT
So Phil Gould now wants to become a player agent. He is already a television commentator, a newspaper columnist (allegedly independent always) and has a podcast. Can you imagine the reaction if the players he manages keep getting a glowing/positive coverage? This is such an obvious conflict of interests.
SHOOSH
Which colourful racing identity recently backed an $80,000 winner and spent it all at the dentist on a new set of Barry Beath?
SHOOSH
There’s talk that boxing promoter Matt Rose is lining up Paul Gallen’s next fight against old UFC warrior Mark Hunt. Hunt is now 45 and weighs 120kg. He last fought a year ago. Gallen has not heard from the Barry Hall camp about a possible rematch.
SHOOSH
Which NRL head of football and key recruitment figure at the same club are close to fisty cuffs after a number of off-season disagreements?
BIG US INTEREST IN AUSSIE FIGHT
There is so much interest in the April Jeff Horn – Tim Tszyu showdown that Top Rank boss Bob Arum is trying to buy the American TV rights on behalf of ESPN.
“Jeff is well known in America and we all know of Tim’s father Kostya and how good he was,” Arum said.
“Over here there’s much interest in the fight.”
SUPERSTAR DROPS IN FOR A VISIT
When current WBA middleweight champion Danny Jacobs make a promise, he sticks to it.
Jacobs, the American champ who was once a sparring partner of Garth Wood, promised St Mary’s trainer Lincoln Hudson he would visit the kids at his gym the next time he was in Australia.
Last week Jacobs was at a training camp in New Zealand when Hudson got a call, saying he was flying back to America soon but would stop over a night in Australia to make good on his visit.
So on Friday Jacobs dropped in to the Ultimate Training Centre at St Mary’s to work with kids who had travelled from as far as Queensland and South Australia. He spent more than three hours talking to them about life’s values.