The quality of management and agency services available to Australian players will significantly impact the international competitiveness of Australian football, for better or worse.  The PFA is determined to ensure it is for the better, as the potential of each player is effectively harnessed to enable Australia as a small football nation to punch well above its weight in the world game.

PLAYERS DEALINGS WITH AGENTS

In 2008/2009, the PFA:

• handled 40 individual contract negotiations for members;
• resolved 22 disputes between players and their agents; and
• was once again overwhelmingly encouraged by our members to establish a player driven management agency under the banner of the PFA.  The PFA Executive gave in principle support to the move in June.

The overwhelming support among Australian players for the PFA to establish a player management agency is interesting, as 2 out of 3 players either currently have or have had an agent.  The players’ support for the move shows that the establishment of a management agency is a logical extension of the PFA’s work, fully consistent with our collective responsibilities and, as shown below, can help deliver the players the services they want from an agency:

PFA PLAYER MANAGEMENT AGENCY

In 2008/2009, the PFA conducted two very important pieces of research into the establishment of a player management agency under the banner of the PFA:

• a survey of PFA members in the A-League and at the Australian Institute of Sport about the merits of the PFA establishing its own player management agency; and
• a survey of the player management agencies conducted by FIFPro members throughout the world.

Pleasingly, the PFA’s offer is very attractive to young players.  In addition to 96% of AIS players showing a preference for the PFA model, young A-League players have also turned to the PFA:

Similarly, FIFPro member nations increasingly see the need to provide a player management agency service to their members.  Players demand a comprehensive global network – something that FIFPro is uniquely positioned to deliver.  Unfortunately, the activities of some player agents are seen as a threat to the wellbeing of football by both the national and players’ associations in several countries. 

The PFA model will be to work in partnership with the established agencies run by or under the auspices of players’ associations which belong to FIFPro.  The most successful of these – and the fees they charge – are set out in the following table.  The PFA will equally share commissions for player contracts negotiated in partnership with these associations:

FIFPRO PLAYER AGENCIES AND FEES

COUNTRY	YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT	FEE
England	1996, relaunched 2004	4%
Sweden	2007	5%
Holland	1985	5% - 7%
France	2003	5%
Denmark	2006	8%

 

PFA PLAYER MANAGEMENT AGENCY – FEES

CONTRACT NEGOTIATION	FEE
A player’s first professional contract in Australia	Nil
A player’s professional contract in Australia	4% of the value of the annual salary (Nil for a contract on the Minimum Remuneration)
A player’s professional contract with an overseas club	5% of the value of the annual salary, unless the contract is negotiated with a FIFPro agency as above, in which case the fee will be as shown and shared equally between the Australian and the overseas based PFA

 

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PFA AND PLAYER AGENTS

The PFA, of course, acknowledges that players do often work in partnership with high quality and scrupulous agents.  Indeed, getting the best deal for a player often requires a close working relationship between the player, his agent and the PFA.  Many players and their agents particularly rely upon the PFA for its unparalleled expertise in the legal aspects of professional football.

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