Richards representation rift Whisper’s loan to Wimbledon overshadowed by management dispute

Phoenix Sports Management CEO Craig Butler has insisted that Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards is still managed by the group and that they were the ones who facilitated his loan move to League One club AFC Wimbledon on Monday.

Richards recently sent a signed letter to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the English FA, notifying them of the change in his official representation.

The letter stated that ‘effective immediately’ Butler and Phoenix Sports Management and Football Academy will no longer represent him in any capacity, and that his once estranged father Odile Richards and Riches and Royalty Sports Management will now be responsible for managing his career.

“I hereby formally notify the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) of a change in my official representation and contact details.” Richards letter read.

“Effective immediately, Mr Craig Butler and Phoenix Sports Management and Football Academy no longer represent me in any capacity.”

It also requested that the JFF and all affiliated bodies cease all official correspondence, communications, and notifications regarding his player status, national team eligibility, or related matters to Butler and the Phoenix Sports Management and Football Academy, or any associated entity or party.

“I kindly request that this change be reflected in all JFF records, including those shared with FIFA, Concacaf, and other relevant football governing bodies, and please confirm in writing once this update has been processed,” it read.

In closing, it said all future official communications should be directed exclusively to his newly appointed representative, his father, Odile Richards of Riches and Royalty Sports Management.

However, Butler, in responding to the latest development, said the player has a contract with Phoenix and that contract is being upheld by the English FA.

“’Whisper’ is officially contracted to Phoenix Sports Management, and Phoenix Sports Management directors are who put him in the club he is at right now. We found the opportunity for him.

“I am not aware of any letter. I haven’t gotten or received any letter like that, but any letter sent like that would not be legally correct because there is a contract that cannot be broken and the (English) FA have made it clear to him that it cannot be broken,’ he declared.

On Monday, it was announced that Richards, who faced a lot of uncertainty over the offseason, would be joining AFC Wimbledon on a season-long loan, and Butler pointed that after sustaining two serious injuries in the last two years, the player will have to put in the work to get his career up to speed

“He is young and I am always going to support. He is in a club where he needs to go and work and perform and we will see what happens from there,” he said.

Meanwhile’ Odile Richards, explained that his son did write to the English FA and Phoenix Sports Management to register the change in management, but that to this day nobody from the Phoenix Sports Management has responded to his emails.

He said the intention was to effect the change by August 21, but because Phoenix have ignored their communications, they had no choice but to leave things as they are until January, when Richards’ two-year arrangement with Phoenix comes to an end.

“They (Phoenix) didn’t respond. So they asked him (Dujuan) to take legal action because we wanted the change to happen in this transfer window, but he couldn’t change representation in time for the transfer to happen or he would have had to sit down until January.

“So he didn’t ask for it to be officially changed at this window. So you will still see Phoenix Sports Management (as representative) but they have not been doing anything for the last three months,” he stated.

The elder Richards pointed out that even though Butler is taking credit for the transfer to Wimbledon, the transaction was all overseen by Chelsea.

“This (transfer) was done by Chelsea’s hierarchy. Then Chelsea would contact the agent. It doesn’t matter who is on his paper, they would contact them. So if it is Phoenix Management on his paper, they will contact them, but everything is just Chelsea,” he claimed.

Nevertheless, he is confident that by January everything will be in place for ‘Whisper’ to change his management team.

“All of the paperwork has gone in. All of this was done before and he (Butler) was supposed to act before August 21 or reply and he didn’t reply.

“So before August 21 Dujuan sent out all of the documents to the FA, that he (Butler) no longer represented him, but he is just not answering any emails for Dujuan or anything.