Football Player /Agent relationships

*** Football Player / Agent relationships ***

In my last post I specified the need for football players to use a licensed agent, but I also hinted at the fact that using a licensed agent doesn’t guarantee success.

A player-agent relationship can be a beautiful thing once there is trust and understanding. This is something that usually develops over time. If you find the right agent, they could be a companion for the duration of your career or even your life. When you first start working with an agent, maybe consider signing a short contract until you’ve worked together for a while.

What else should a player be looking for in an agent? A non-exhaustive list below 👇🏾

A good network – Beware of licensed agents (especially the new ones – don’t all stone me at once 😂) who are extremely excited and think this industry is “easy”. They could tie you down for the maximum two years without being able to find you any opportunities 😢. Players have complained in the past about agents who have signed two year exclusive contracts with them and struggled to find them clubs.

➡️ That said, remember that an agent is only as good as the player they are representing. You have to put in a good performance on the pitch otherwise no matter how good the agent is, they will struggle to help you.

Dependable – Work with an agent that has your best interest at heart. They may not get everything right, but having that dependable person by your side that will fight your corner, is so important. You don’t want an agent that will neglect you or just “dump” you when times get tough, for instance, when you get an injury.

➡️ This goes both ways though because I’ve also heard from some very distraught agents whose players have “dumped” them and started working with other agents without any notice or explanation.

A good negotiator – Having an agent that is knowledgeable and able to negotiate good employment packages for you is important; a good salary, a decent apartment, return flight tickets back home or to a destination of choice, a car, a buy out clause, a sell on fee, etc. If you are excelling and attractive to brands, they may even be able to work on commercial deals for you 😍.

➡️ However, the agent needs to understand the industry which includes knowing when to stop pushing. An overzealous agent could lose you a good opportunity by making unreasonable demands 🙈.

A good listener – Remember that the agent is working for you so you should be allowed to have a say in what direction your career is going in. Choose an agent that listens to you and that you can have dialogues with, as opposed to monologues 🗣️.

➡️ Make sure you are also ready to listen to advise and suggestions that may benefit you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions 🩵

PS – Everything I post is based on personal experience, but I am always excited and keen to hear other peoples’ experiences 👍🏽


To enjoy the full benefit of this post and some interesting comments, you can also view it on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eby-emenike-0726195_africanfootball-footballplayers-fifalicensedagents-activity-7181061637569675264-zwY3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

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