What is the role of agents in modern football?

euronews (in English)

A footballer's worth off the pitch is just as important as on the pitch. From securing dream transfers to big brand endorsements, agents shape many footballer's careers.

Transcript

00:00Transfers and contracts in football can be complicated business.

00:04Fortunately, most players don't navigate these things by themselves.

00:07A lot of players hire agents, who help them with negotiations.

00:12So, what is it like to be a football agent?

00:14And how do they play a big part in the game?

00:21Hello and welcome to Football Now from the Albeit Stadium in Qatar.

00:26On this week's episode of the show,

00:27we're taking a look at the life of a football agent.

00:31While their clients make the headlines on the pitch,

00:33they're working hard behind the scenes to secure the best deals for players,

00:37not just in contract negotiations and transfers,

00:40but also with commercial opportunities as well.

00:43They're not without their controversy,

00:44but their role in the business side of the game is more prominent than ever.

00:49I think, first of all, it's also important to clarify the role of a football agent.

00:52So, you have the on-field agent and you have the off-field agent.

00:56The focus is always on the on-field, obviously,

00:58because that's their main job of footballers,

01:00to be a football player and to be the best you can.

01:03So, the on-field part always takes the priority.

01:05However, the off-field has took such a big priority over the last,

01:09I would say, 15, 20 years.

01:10Most of the time, both of them work together in the same company,

01:13on the same agency.

01:14And I think it's important that they align on the strategy of the player.

01:18As you can imagine, there is no one typical day.

01:21It's always changing, but I would say there are certain pillars

01:24that we try to achieve every week or every day.

01:28One of them is to develop the new business.

01:30So, always reaching out to brands,

01:32getting in touch with new brands that we are interested in.

01:34So, that part is very important to keep growing our network.

01:37The second pillar is to maintain the existing network.

01:40We want to make sure we are not missing on any existing opportunities for our clients.

01:43The third pillar, I would say, is to deliver the assets that we have

01:48with some partnerships that we have in place.

01:50For example, if a player has a deal with, let's say, a brand like EAFC,

01:54we need to make sure that the shoots are completed,

01:57or to organise the next shoot,

01:58or to post the various social media posts the players need to post.

02:02So, delivering the assets.

02:03We all know that the career of a footballer is very short.

02:07Of course, most players play because of the passion for the game,

02:10but there's no hiding from the fact that there is also a loss of money in elite football.

02:14And when your career doesn't last forever,

02:16it's natural to try and maximise your earning potential before retirement.

02:21Well, I caught up with German international and Al-Ali winger,

02:24Julian Draxler, right here in Doha.

02:26He gave us the players' perspective

02:28and told us just how important it is to have a trustworthy agent by your side

02:32when deciding your future.

02:34I think it depends on the character, you know.

02:36For sure, there are players that don't need it at all

02:38because they are capable of performing on the pitch,

02:41and at the same time, they can, one day later, two days later,

02:43they can have contract talks with the best clubs in the world.

02:46So, it depends on your own character.

02:47Me, I was someone who really wanted to focus on the game first,

02:50and especially when I was young, you know, everything is new.

02:53You are afraid that someone is going to play games with you, let's say, like this.

02:58And, you know, my agent has been with me since I was 15,

03:00before I became someone, let's say, and I still have the same today.

03:04So, I'm quite confident that I can trust him.

03:07I mean, he helped me a lot in my career,

03:09but agents in general, it depends on the character.

03:13In the cutthroat world of football business,

03:15reputation is everything.

03:17Top players only want to work with agents

03:18who are well-renowned for being tough negotiators

03:21and able to get those big contracts over the line.

03:24The question is, when you first start out in the industry,

03:26how do you build up that esteem for being both reliable

03:30and able to land the big deals?

03:32Building network is not that easy,

03:35but you have to have a clear, also, target,

03:37which network you are targeting,

03:39and then go present yourself and provide value.

03:42Nobody will call you, nobody will look for you.

03:44When you start, and you start building an agency,

03:47you have to look for people, you have to present yourself,

03:49you have to create this awareness for you, for your agency,

03:53and then, step by step, people will recommend you.

03:55Right now, we have a huge network all around the world.

03:59We always meet positive people, good people in this industry,

04:02providing solutions to clubs and players.

04:05But as I said, everyone has his own reputation.

04:07We are building this reputation for many years,

04:10and we are defending this reputation

04:12because of our transparency and our trust

04:14towards both sides, clubs and also players.

04:18As well as the salaries they receive from their clubs,

04:20the modern-day footballer also has other streams of revenue,

04:24from commercial opportunities.

04:25If you're a player at the top of your game and with a big profile,

04:29the chances are that brands and companies

04:30will want to work with you.

04:32And so, there are agents who specialise

04:34in just that aspect of a player's image,

04:36helping to grow their brand off the pitch,

04:38as well as knowing what they're worth on it.

04:41What we do first is that we always align

04:44with the on-field agent on a strategy for the player,

04:47with the player as well.

04:48Now, the way we build a strategy is by, first of all,

04:50knowing the players, knowing who they are,

04:52knowing their stories, knowing their values,

04:54what are they passionate about outside of the pitch.

04:56And then, from there, my goal is to tell the story to the brands

05:00and try to align them with brands that make sense.

05:03Now, I think we'll start to see more and more players

05:05building their own brands,

05:06building their own drinks company or whatever,

05:09and they see their favourite, maybe, NBA player

05:12building their own business.

05:13So, it has increased a lot in terms of interest.

05:15We see a lot of players interested in fashion.

05:17I've worked recently on the campaign

05:19between Cole Palmer and Burberry.

05:21So, I think this was an interesting one

05:22because Burberry is a British brand,

05:24so they focus on British heritage,

05:25and I think Cole Palmer really represents England

05:28in a very good way at the moment.

05:29He's playing fantastically well,

05:31so I was pretty happy to connect those two brands together.

05:34Football is big business,

05:36and the role of an agent is crucial.

05:38They act as the bridge between the players, clubs,

05:41and those big contracts that could change the future

05:43of a footballer's career.

05:45Let us know if you think agents are good for the game

05:47using the hashtag footballnowfootballagents.

05:50That's all we've got time for here

05:52from the Albeit Stadium in Qatar.

05:54We'll see you next time.

05:55Bye for now.

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