Rummenigge takes on players' agents

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21 July 2012-AFP

Germany legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has called on clubs to resist paying agents when players are transferred, calling the practice "stupid".

"It should be up to the player to pay because the agent brings a service to the player and not the club," the Bayern Munich chairman was quoted as saying in an interview with the Bild newspaper.

Rummenigge's stance was backed by Hans-Joachim Watzke, owner of Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund, who said: "Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is completely right. But to succeed (in ending the practice), all the clubs have to agree."

According to experts, Bundesliga clubs are thought to have paid more than 80 million euros ($95 million) to agents after transfers last season.

The manager of Schalke 04, Horst Held, said: "It would be useful to come up with a tariff of fees."

The sporting director of Werder Bremen, Klaus Allofs, said: "It is important for clubs to agree on a fixed percentage of the total charges."

An agent now earns between 10 and 15 per cent of the total transfer fee.

"If a club really wants a player, they'll do everything to get him. The agent fixes his commission and gets paid," said Gerd vom Bruch, a former coach who is now an agent.