Why are there few female player agents?

Few women work as sports agents. Two players' agents are known to the general public: Jennifer Mendelewicz and Sonja Suid, as they are quite publicized. More in the shadows, Daphne Bravar is no less ambitious: “I aspire to join the cartel of ten (first agents). I want to be a part of this world, but with my values. Moreover, the same topic is often raised: why are there so few of them in this environment? They are obviously competent in their work and recognized for their seriousness and integrity, but they definitely stand out in an ultra-masculine environment.

As of 1 April 2016, the French Football Federation website lists 360 licensed agents, including… 12 women. This is a very small 3% of representatives of the profession. Last year, 15 applicants for the famous license were registered at the School of Football Agents, but none of them could pass the second stage, a specific test.

Are female player agents the future of the profession or will female athletes always prefer a male career mentor? This resource - https://www.lesinrocks.com/cheek/sport-femmes-agents-309974-24-02-2016/ destroys some of the clichés that would justify the lack of female presence among sports agents.

1 – Players want to talk about football with men

4-3-3, maybe. But when it comes to business, things are different. Women are very good negotiators. Did you know that one of the most influential people in European football is a woman?

Marina Granovska, having joined the Chelsea club in 2010 as an adviser to Roman Abramovich, previously performed the same role in the Russian professional affairs of the owner of the London club. He recruited Granovska for her extensive negotiating skills. Now she is engaged in the transfer operations of "Chelsea", closely monitoring the payment of wages in the club.

2 – Football is a macho sport

Let's take the numbers, which speak for themselves: football is the sport with the lowest percentage of female licensees (4.1%), ahead of rugby (4.7%). Then we will not list all the misses that were heard on the football field, there are too many of them. Let's just mention this wonderful outing by Bernard Lacombe, the adviser to the president of Olympique Lyonnais, who refused to answer an RMC listener because he "doesn't discuss football with women" and they better go back "to their pots". There is still a long way to go...

But it is a sport in general that is macho. Even in the 21st century, the mentality is not changing in the right direction. However, it cannot be said that the men who make up the majority of this sport get along great. There is a struggle for influence, power, skills and, above all, ego... And in this microcosm with the strong smell of testosterone, women have their cards. They personify softness (which is not necessarily devoid of firmness!), diplomacy and tact. When you have a woman on your team, you've got it all figured out!

Did you know that one of the most influential people in European football is a woman?

3 – There is no parity in football

Less publicized, less well paid, less well looked after by sponsors: female footballers are still far behind their male counterparts. For example, Les Bleues earn an average of €1,500 to €2,000 per month, compared to €42,000 (on average) for a Ligue 1 player, who is therefore not necessarily an international player.

Today, social networks allow the players of the French team to communicate with the general public. They try to compensate for the lack of media coverage by directly interfering with football fans.

However, in order to become a good agent, it is not enough to play football…

4 – It is better to be a former football player

“I know where to find the inner motivation of a player (…) I know that I have the right arguments because I have experienced such situations several times in my career. I rely on my experience to support the players," Fernando D'Amico, a former Losc player, told us in a previous interview. Former professional players actually have the kind of experience that allows them to be faster

5 – An agent is a potential mother

"We can't entrust you with responsibilities in the company, because sooner or later you will have children": this phrase is unknown to most working women. As for those who have experienced pregnancy during their professional careers, 49% believe that combining the two is a challenge. As far as men in the agent profession are concerned, it is, however, a matter of organization.
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