North-East Sport

Agent hits back at Quakers in Werling row

By Craig Stoddart

8:47am Tuesday 7th September 2010

THE agent representing Dominik Werling last night spoke out in defence of the controversial left-back who departed Darlington for Hereford United last week.

In Saturday’s The Northern Echo Quakers boss Mark Cooper made a series of allegations regarding the defender’s move to Edgar Street.

The main target of Cooper’s ire was Hereford boss Simon Davey, with the Darlington manager labelling the manner in which Werling joined the League Two strugglers as “cloak and dagger”.

Murat Lokurlu, Werling’s Germany-based agent, contacted The Northern Echo to defend his client who bought out his own contract at the Arena last week.

Lokurlu was keen to stress that the player did not say his mother had cancer – which Cooper had claimed.

While Lokurlu also stressed that he did not hold a formal meeting with the Darlington manager, despite what Cooper had said.

“I never met Mark Cooper or the chairman. The only person I had contact with at the club was the secretary,” said Lokurlu.

“I was with Dominik at the football club last week but I was there not as his representative but as his friend. Cooper did not meet me.

“Dominik bought out his contract by himself. His family, friends and me loaned him some money, we give it to Dominik so he could give it to Darlington.”

Before joining Hereford, Werling was on trial at Belgian club Olympic Charleroi.

Lokurlu says a potential deal broke down as Quakers and Charleroi could not agree a fee.

Lokurlu confirmed that Werling’s mother has an illness but he refuted Cooper’s claim that she was suffering from cancer.

Asked why Werling had moved to Hereford despite his mother living in Germany, Lokurlu said: “Because we found another solution.

“His mother is ill but she doesn’t have cancer. Her illness is a personal thing between Dominic and his family and not for the press.”

And when asked why Cooper would have made such allegations, the agent added: “I think he is not angry with Dominik, I think he is angry with Simon Davey. I don’t know why or what has happened in the past.

“I can only tell you my opinion why Dominik left, I think he didn’t feel okay at Darlington.

He went to the club, the manager changed and he did not know Cooper, he didn’t know what to expect or whether he would play or not.

“His mother is ill too. I think there are a couple of issues for Dominik that made him want to leave.”

Lokurlu also moved to end speculation that former Darlington manager David Hodgson was involved in the deal.

He added: “It was Dominik’s decision and not Simon Davey or anyone else. Dominik is responsible for himself.

“It is very important that it is made clear that no other person was involved in Dominik’s decision.

“David Hodgson and Simon Davey, they were not involved at all.

“Dominik bought out his contract himself and made the decision to leave himself.”

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