A newly licensed agent has the right to practise, but little else. Turning a licence into a career depends on an asset that cannot be bought and takes years to develop.

Six circles to develop

  • Training clubs and academies. This is where opportunities begin. A trusted relationship with an academy is worth more than a hundred cold contacts.
  • Scouts and sporting directors. They make the decisions and remember agents whose information proved accurate.
  • Sports lawyers. You are not necessarily a lawyer. Knowing whom to ask about a questionable clause is part of the profession.
  • Other agents. Including agents in other markets. A transaction often involves two agents.
  • Specialist media. For your players' visibility, not your own.
  • Families. In Africa especially, decisions are rarely made alone. Ignoring a player's circle can cost you the opportunity.

Build a network by being useful before you need anything, not simply by making requests.

Three principles

Reliability before volume. A sporting director remembers an agent who recommended a player last year whose evaluation proved accurate, even if the director did not sign him.

Consistency before intensity. Football operates over long cycles. A relationship maintained for three years is worth more than three weeks of pressure.

Compliance as a selling point. A club takes fewer risks when your files are in order: written agreements, compliant fees and complete documentation. That is a real commercial advantage.

What the regulations require

Building a network does not remove your obligations. Approaching a client is regulated, and soliciting a player already under a representation agreement can put your licence at risk. Our section Learn the profession explains these limits.