Dundee manager blames agent for McDonald move

Published on Tuesday 24 June 2008 23:33

DUNDEE manager Alex Rae last night watched top prospect Kevin McDonald head for Burnley and immediately launched a stinging attack on agent Charles Duddy for selling him short.

The Dark Blues, who will bank 250,000 initially with the fee to rise to over 400,000 based on several clauses, have had a tempestuous relationship with Duddy over the past few years and, amazingly, Rae broke off from wishing McDonald well in his new career to fire a blast at his adviser.

He claimed that Duddy had not considered his client's best interests when negotiating with Owen Coyle's side – even though the player and his family believe a move to Turf Moor is a good move at this stage in his career.

Dundee claim another club, believed to be Norwich City, were interested in taking the Scotland Under-21 midfielder to the Championship and Rae, who spent the majority of his career south of the Border, feels McDonald has made the wrong move.

He said:

"I think he has been badly advised by his agent.

There were people who phoned me from bigger clubs – in my opinion – in England.

I think the guy (Duddy] has got a bit star struck and has not done Kevin any justice."

Duddy, who also acts for ex-Dundee players Scott Robertson, Paul Dixon and Lee Wilkie, did not want to comment on Rae's outburst but McDonald's father, Ally, said: "Kevin is absolutely delighted to be moving to Burnley and he's had sound advice from his agent."