tbt & nr7

its thursday (through-back) and the month of february is coming to an end. For me this means two things:

1. Without being sentimental but more since its #tbt, its exactly one year ago I went to my second hometown to totally isolate myself. It was 8 weeks before my FIFA exam and I had quit my job and really gambled everything on one card. Honestly I had no real back-up plan and looking back at it the pressure I put on myself was massive. On top of that I had not told that many friends/family that I actually had quit and was writing the exam. I told people I was away on business but really went into serious study mode:
- 7 weeks of intense studying
- 8 hours/day including saturdays
- no substances

On exam day I was quite nervous but managed to pull myself together, the nervs kicked in after the exam. More exactly the 48 hours I was waiting for my federation to give me the result, terror.


2. Number two or in fact nr.7. Tomorrow my seventh transfer will 99% be done, its already official on the clubs webpage but 2 big details are missing. We are negotiated and are totally agreed. My contract between the club and agent, and players signed employment contract. The player is from Asia and is young, since it will take him 3-4 days to travel to the club and sign live they prompted on electronically signing the contract. So I have sent him his contract and tomorrow morning the player will print, sign, scan and email it to me. Then I will wait for the club to do the same with the agent/club agreement. I trust the chairman but I will not take any risk in sending the players contract in beforehand, in theory when they have the player-contract there is no incentive of signing our agreement.

Again its a player from the academy I work with, going to a domestic championship club. Unfortunately a club in this league neither has the budget or will to pay any agent commission, nor does the player make the money I would feel comfortable being remunerated my 10%.  My end will come if the player explodes, I have 15% of next sale (including FIFA training compensation).


Looking at the seven transfers I have done in the past 9 months, they were all very different. Different structure, background, commission, country, key factors etc.
This is the whole tickle, contrasts.

 

winter turning to spring

similar to the summer window also january started slow. The stress knowing that the market is active, agents move their players and you not delivering is stressing. In other words the whole January was hard, deals breaking down last second, unluck, high expectations and bad timing made my stomach turn inside out. Now mid Feb everything feels much better, have done 3 so far. Here comes a quick recap on each case:

1. One of the players I tried moving already this summer was sitting on a ending contract and it was now or never for him to make a shot at europe. On top of that I did not have an representation agreement signed with him which means I am also racing against other agents offering him different deals. Everything was lined up in beginning of January for a mid size club in eastern europe, agreed in terms of contract and agent fee and after just setting the last practical details in terms of dates the club suddenly is not convinced. The dont pick up my phone calls or respond to emails, this is never a good sign. I slowly realize they are looking at other options and at the same time the player getting more stressed, this one had the potential to become a nightmare. 

Out of the blue some random dude informs the player that another team in the same league are interested and that he can help. I act with full aggressiveness to secure I own the situation and take 100% charge, call the coach, president, team officials making sure they understand I and nobody else represent the player. We go down together and visit the club, quite quickly agree then fly back to sign. 

For me a big important deal done, for the player a great move both financially in from a sporting perspective. 

Important also that is makes a good statement for other players I want to sign. 

2. An academy player signing his first pro contract. Arranged a 2 week trail for 2 kids from the academy I work with. Both really made a great impression, unfortunately the club could only afford one of them. He signed a 2 year deal with a domestic Championship club. The club is a small budget club so there is not even worth mentioning any agent provision and the player salary is small as well (I would never take mny from a young player like this). My financial benefit is if the kid explodes and moves, I have 30% of future financials such as transfer fee or training compensation. 

3. For me a very underrated player, which club was relegated from the top tier. As many relegated clubs they suffer tremendously financially. My player which I had signed already this fall had a quite high salary and everybody knew he was way too good to stay. I had 2 clubs on the line both willing to make substantial offers (remember that 95% of all transfers these days are free agents). The selling club honored the situation and was realistic in their demanded price and everything went very smooth. Although my player was top 3 most expensive player they have ever bought... 

In these scenarios when 2 clubs want the player the loosing club will always get disappointed and pissed at the agent, so also in this case. My relationship with them is now spoiled, but thats a part of it. 

So even though the winterwindow is not closed yet I have done 6 transfers my first 2 windows. A result I should be very happy with, but as with everything my appetite is just growing. Maybe I can squeeze in 1 more deal this window, that would be fab. 

Exactly 1 year ago I gambled and quit my job, applied to take a license and sat alone for 2 months straight and just studied. Looking back, best decision ever.