I’ve seen my fair share of agents in the football industry. While many of them are great at their jobs, there are some bigger agencies that seem to care more about their own financial gain than the well-being of their players.
It’s a sad reality that too often, players are fobbed off with inexperienced agents or interns who have no real experience fighting for their clients. This means that players are not being given the representation they deserve, and are often left to navigate complicated contracts and negotiations on their own.
This is a problem that needs to be addressed, and FIFA’s new agent exam is not the solution. Instead, it will only benefit the few and give more control to these bigger agencies. The exam, which focuses on memorizing legal jargon and paraphrases, is designed to wipe out smaller agents with less financial muscle, while allowing the bigger agencies to dominate the industry.
The secret to being a great agent is not passing an exam, but rather, fighting for your client. This means being willing to put in the hard work and effort to ensure that your client’s needs are being met. It means being their advocate and fighting for their best interests, even when it means going up against powerful organizations or individuals.
As someone who has been in the industry for years, I can tell you that the best agents are those who are willing to go to bat for their clients. They are the ones who are not afraid to negotiate hard and push back against unfair or unreasonable demands. They are the ones who understand that their clients are people, not just commodities to be bought and sold.
Unfortunately, many of the bigger agencies seem to have lost sight of this. They are more concerned with their own bottom line than the well-being of their players. They are happy to sign as many clients as possible, even if it means that they cannot provide each one with the individual attention and care they need.
This is not the way things should be. We need agents who are passionate about their clients and are willing to fight for them, no matter what. We need agents who are focused on building long-term relationships with their clients, rather than just making a quick buck.
As FIFA moves forward with its new agent exam, it is important that we do not lose sight of what really matters in this industry. We need to ensure that players are being represented by agents who are truly committed to their well-being, not just their financial gain.
So, to all the agents out there, big and small, I urge you to remember why you got into this industry in the first place. Remember that you are there to represent your clients and to fight for their best interests. And remember that the true secret to being a great agent is not passing an exam, but rather, having the passion and dedication to fight for your clients every step of the way.
