Academy Players, Scholarships and Football Agents.

Football Agents and Young Players

Academy Players, Scholarships and Football Agents.

This article provides an incite into a young players, football agents, Academy Clubs and don't forget the Parents.  Football agents are given an bad press but you have to consider that Football Clubs do not always treat footballers well or even with respect. Particularly youth players unless they are of an exceptional talent.

"...the complaints I often receive from parents is why do Academy Clubs leave it so late to sign up a young player."

Pool of Football Youth Talent

In my experience, many young footballers, (particular aged between 15 - 18 years old) should be treated better by football clubs.  Their Academy is the pool of young talent.  Young players have been with the Club since the age of 7 or 8 years old.  Yet, quite often when it comes to offering the player a scholarship they leave the decision until the last possible moment. Usually the decision in in February or March every year.  However the complaints I often receive from parents is why do Academy Clubs leave it so late to sign up a young player.

One parent told football agents this:

"My child who is 15 years old has been with the (Premiership Club) since he was 8 years old.  He has not yet been offered a scholarship, there is, I am told, just 3 more weeks before the decision is made.  They said to me, they want to look at him for the next 3 weeks to see how he does.!!

The parent then continued:

"I know about 5 other players who have been signed.  My child has been with the Club now since he was 8 years old, he is now 15, turning 16.  If they don't know if he is good enough now, whey don't they do the right thing and let him go.  If they let him go, then at least I can see if I can get him another club.  At the moment I am stuck between a brick and a hard place.  It is agony this waiting about for a decision.  After all these years of effort and commitment by my child and family, they just don't care."

Parents Need Help But A Player Cannot be Signed Until 16 years of age.

The problem for football agents, like us, is that player under the age of 16 years cannot be signed.  The regulations prohibit this and between the age of 16 and 18 years, can only sign via their parent or responsible guardian.

"Some Clubs do offer support and look to find the player another club through various contacts.  But what if they don't?  What do the parents do?"

That makes sense one would say, but think about the situation about the parent I has spoken to recently.  This is not an isolated query. 

What happens if the player is not signed.  He's been at the football club since he was 8 years old and left until the last possible minute to decide if he is kept on.  It is devastating to the family but of more concern is the young player aged 15 years.  He is still a child.

Some Clubs do offer support and look to find the player another club through various contacts.  But what if they don't?  What do the parents do?  They are left to find another Club but without contacts what can they do? 

• Call clubs only they don't get passed the receptionist?
• Go to football trials (and be ripped off)?
• Attend open trials?
• Give up after all the hard work and commitment?

Nobody is saying everyone will make it.  But at least the Family and child should be given all the information possible at the earliest possible time.  Frankly it is nonsense that a football club will have to wait for a further 3 weeks before they make a decision on a child, who has been with them religiously since the age of 8 years old.

What happened to the 15 year old potential football Scholar?

At the last possible time they could have made a decision, they did not pick him.  He was left looking for a new club.  As he is still under 16 years old we, as football agents, could not sign him up. But we were not going to leave him and his parents without support.  We managed to give him some contacts with other Clubs to see if they would take him up for a trials.  Needless to say he was picked and offered a scholarship.

Everything is fine, until he reaches 18 years old and then the process starts again for his first year pro-contract.  From football agents experience, the same attitude is the same.