Thursday, 31 January 2013

Players: Don't break your contract with another agent through desperation

During the transfer window, particular as it nears closure, I get calls from players or contacts close to players  who claim they are desperate to get away from their agent, break that contract and be represented by you or someone else as they are doing nothing for them.

Most of the time, all this does is put me off the player entirely.

Unless there is a genuine reason, most of the time the player has not taken the time to consider the right agent before signing for them. Additionally, they've just got desperate and are ready to cut off loyalties.

What does this tell me? How could I trust such a player myself?

Likewise there are agents who pursue players to try and get them to break out their contracts with their current agents. If I was player, how could I trust that agent to represent me ethically and within the rules of the game? When clearly it's an illegal approach or they've found a way around the FA ruling. You couldn't.

I'd rather a player if he is under contract and does want to seek help be honest with his agent and ask that agent to contact me to work together on a deal. Likewise, I'd want a player represented by me, who got desperate (and I hope it never happens but I'm not ignorant that it never will) to ask me to do the same.

All I can say is, the agent a player decides to go with is a reflection of themselves, I want players to realise this. If you are a player, make sure you take the time to consider the right agent for you before you commit. Look yourself in the mirror and believe that you are signing with the right person and that you find someone who is as loyal to you as you will be to them. There will always be someone out there telling you they can do better. Whether I could benefit from you as a player doing that or not financially, or if one of my player's was to incite such a possibility for another agent, this is not why I'm doing this. I expect loyalty and respect from players I represent. I want clubs to know when I call they are dealing with an agent of these types of players and this is an exceptional thing for players themselves as you can negotiate better deals from this stand point when Chief Executive's and Owner's think they are getting that type of player.

For players, before you sign with any old agent who fulfills your ego, ask yourself what they can do for you and can you commit to them and can you commit to you in a way that feels right in your heart and your gut. Don't just sign and feel on transfer deadline day that you can call 10 agents to try and break a contract and that goes to other agents too.

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