How to become an agent: What it takes to pass Fifa’s agent exam
“There is a perception, maybe from the outside but in many cases unfounded, that anyone can be an agent,” said Dean Eldredge, head of Porto Sport.
Eldredge specializes in dealing with managers and coaches, working with Sven-Goran Eriksson before his death in August and passing his first test in April 2023.
Porto has 15 coaches and managers, including former Leicester and Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson, Barnsley’s Darrell Clark, Rotherham’s Steve E Vince and former Lincoln and Blackburn manager Michael Appleton.
“It’s easy to say ‘Oh, the game loses a lot of money because it goes to agencies,'” Eldredge said.
“Well, if the agent is good and the agency is well-run, then they are critical to supporting that individual.
“While the exam is a positive step for the industry, it doesn’t mean much to me.
“I’m probably one of the very few people who works exclusively with managers, so it’s probably something they can look at.”
The exam may not correct everything, but it is the first step towards a minimum knowledge of the international transfer system, how it works, how a player is registered with a club or how to represent the minors.
Although there has been some criticism of the questions, the test has been widely popular. The number of agents is estimated to have dropped by more than half.
FIFA acknowledges that these issues are not relevant to agents’ day-to-day responsibilities – and that they should not be. FIFA oversees the international transfer system, not the day-to-day care of players, so the exam focuses on understanding the market, not people.
“It would be great if it limits the number of bad agents in the game. It shouldn’t be a condition of you being able to go into football.” Jimmy, the former Walsall and Doncaster defender who joined Wasserman O’Connor said.
It is one of the largest agencies in the world, with clients including Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, Manchester City and England defender John Stones, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes .
O’Connor, who took the test on his 40th birthday, started as a trainee at Aston Villa and ended a 15-year career at Kidderminster.
Former Bristol City and Norwich City striker Aaron Wilbraham passed the test last year and now plays for Murdoch Sports Group, joined by former Preston and Northern Ireland defender Colin Murdoch lead.
“I’ve had bad experiences,” said Wilbraham, who retired in 2020 at the age of 40 after playing for 10 clubs.
“I remember my first agent saying ‘no matter who your agent is, as long as you do it on the field, you’re going to get your moves’. But that’s not the case.
“Everything else off the pitch needs to be taken care of so you can focus on football.
“If you’re doing well, you need someone in the background to get attention, spin the plates and generate interest.
“When something goes wrong, a player has someone to call, but he might not want to call his dad because his dad might be a builder and doesn’t know what to do next.
“They have a guy who understands football.”
