EARLY DOORS EDITORIAL Spain coach Vicente del Bosque says that the intense Real-Barca rivalry has left wounds within the national team.
SEVEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW: 1
It’s not just about negotiating playing contracts - our services can be as diverse as assisting with home purchases to sourcing movie premiere tickets. You can be a relationship counselor, career adviser, coach, buyer’s advocate, and many more things to a client.
2
I am literally sent hundreds of DVD’s and CV’s each month – my favourites are from the 34 year olds that “just haven’t been discovered yet” and need their "big chance”. Or those that contain a photo of said wannabe player with an arm around Ronaldinho in a café as proof of their talents!
3
I am not a magician. If you are injured, out of form or just crap, there is nothing that even David Copperfield can do for you. It’s amazing how many players (or their parents) blame their agents for their lack of career progression, when the real answer is staring at them in the mirror.
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ITYS MAGAZINE
ABOUT BEING A PLAYER AGENT RITCHIE HINTON
4
You can’t study for this as a career. I often get asked by people how they can get into the industry. There is no real answer, there are certainly no courses – you have to find your own way in. You make your own luck. It's a very ruthless business and bullshi*ters quickly get found out and don’t last long. It’s not as glamorous as it looks, and it’s bloody hard work.
5
It is one of the biggest misnomers in the game that agents drain money from the sport. On the contrary, (good) agents make the game rich. Not just in terms of money (though the sport would suffer terribly if it wasn’t for the transfer fees generated by agents for clubs by selling their players), but also by sourcing and introducing the next generation of talent. Agents often have a dual role as scouts.
6
We are licensed by our national associations (not FIFA). We are required to maintain our own professional
indemnity insurance and re-take the examination for the license every five years. Contrary to public belief, it is actually a much-regulated profession. Whether or not the regulations are adequately policed is another matter… and a constant bone of contention for licensed agents.
7
Agents need to be flexible and stay focused in the face of minor obstacles. Such as running out of space for a 7th point!