AGENT WORK IS LIKE BEING IN THE MAFIA; Bert wants job away from mob rule and shady deals: EXCLUSIVE.

Byline: MARK GUIDI

BERT KONTERMAN has turned his back on a career as an agent after admitting all the corruption and dishonesty he witnessed reminded him of the Mafia.

But the former Rangers defender is hoping a new job in management can help him fall back in love with football after witnessing the ugly side of the beautiful game.

Konterman couldn't stomach working as an agent any more after almost three years of trying to broker deals for players in a variety of countries.

A shady world of dodgy dealings rocked him to the core and the Dutchman knew he just couldn't continue working with people who acted like mafiosos.

The 38-year-old is now doing his coaching badges and recently spent a week at Red Bull Salzburg with his mentor Co Adriaanse.

And Bert hopes to carve out a career as a gaffer to help banish the memories of those dark days in the agent world.

In an exclusive interview with MailSport, Konterman revealed: "I became an agent because I thought I could help young players. I recruited talent but never had a contract. I preferred trust.

"Unfortunately underhand tactics are used and many things left me disappointed.

"Too many agents only think about their wallets. It's a shocking business, full of pound signs and smooth-talkers. It's like a mafia.

"I was angry with the football authorities for allowing illegal things to take place, allowing unlicensed agents.

"You see the connections between agents and clubs. Make your own conclusions.

"I was sick of it. The good guys will never beat the bad guys.

"I'm now going through the exams to become a coach. I have it in me to become a good manager but have to prove it.

"Apart from the tactics and training I know about the human body and psychology. All of this is needed.

"I've been networking and hope an opportunity arises soon.

"I'd like to work in Scotland and my wife Henrietta and kids Merit, Jonah and Quinten would love it. Merit was born in Glasgow and I call her My Wee Lassie.

"Murray Park is a lovely facility and it would be nice to be there again."

Dick Advocaat (below) brought Konterman and fellow Dutchman Fernando Ricksen to Ibrox nine years ago.

But questions were raised about both early on after a disastrous 6-2 Old Firm defeat by Martin O'Neill's new-look Celtic.

Konterman and Lorenzo Amoruso were ripped apart by Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton while Ricksen (right with Konterman) was terrorised by Bobby Petta and was hooked. That was the beginning of the end for the Advocaat reign.

Konterman explained: "When I signed the plan was to play me with Craig Moore. Dick thought that would be a nice combination but Oz got injured and I had to play with Amoruso.

"I'm a team player and need good colleagues. However, Lorenzo wasn't open for communication on and off the pitch. He wasn't an understanding person.

"Fernando often said to me we joined Rangers at the wrong time." O'Neill's men romped to the title that season and in the summer Advocaat took his squad to Holland for pre-season..

Warmth

They were based in a luxurious hotel complex in Ermelo - and that was where MailSport caught up with Konterman eight years later.

Less than 10 yards from our table he pointed to an area where he recalled Barry Ferguson, Neil McCann and Moore sitting during that summer.

One day into their stay the trio complained they were desperate to get home to get stuck in to a curry. A few of the Dutch players shook their heads and words were exchanged.

Konterman said: " I love Scots although the attitude of the Scottish players sometimes left me wondering.

" But what I learned as a human being in Scotland is what I remember best.

" The football wasn't always the best and being at Ibrox cost me caps for Holland.

" But the warmth of the people made it worthwhile. It was good to have an escape from football with friends. You need it when you play for the Old Firm.

"Ronald de Boer played for Barcelona against Real Madrid but couldn't believe the abuse and criticism in the media if we lost to Celtic.

"A lot of players couldn't handle it. They were overwhelmed." Alex McLeish took over from Advocaat in November 2001 and found out about life in the Glasgow goldfish bowl.

He handled it well enough and won two domestic cups that season - followed by the Treble in 2003. But Konterman didn't see eye to eye with big Eck or Advocaat.

He said: "I had differences of opinion with Dick. Managers like Leo Beenhakker and Adriaanse were happy to discuss tactics and encourage debate.

"But Dick was old fashioned. He would not listen so we collided.

"McLeish allowed discussion and I wanted to prove myself. But he had a bad feeling about me after a few months.

Hunger "It just didn't work out. At the time I blamed the manager. Now, when I look back, it was partly my fault.

"However, McLeish is the only manager I played under who didn't believe I had a worth. I talked with him before I left. He was disappointed with me and I was disappointed with him." Konterman returned to Holland in 2003 and signed a three-year contract with

Vitesse Arnhem. However, he quit after just a year because he detested the attitude of some of the players.

Bert said: "My last club in Holland had been Feyenoord. We won the title and made the second phase of the Champions League.

"It was not the same at Vitesse and the reason was the attitude of the younger professionals. They didn't try to understand the training sessions. I confronted them every day.

"They were on the training pitch in body but the mind was on the city centre and the Playstation. I could not see dedication.

"Normally after the summer holiday I'm ready to go back. But not that time. I didn't have the hunger." And Konterman admits instilling that hunger in pampered kids will be one of his hardest tasks as a coach.

He said: "If you swear or shout there's a chance they will end up in tears. They are pampered.

"If you ask them to do something they ask why and this leads to an hour of discussion. You now need to also be a psychologist. I hope to be ready for it all."

CAPTION(S):

Happy days: Konterman is all smiles at a title party in 2003 but the agent world was far darker