Hard to believe that my first BBC documentary as an agent was almost 20 years ago and that the principles I had then about looking after players properly and always putting their best interest first, are more relevant than ever and upon which my reputation has been built and the successful representation of so many players all these years.
Almost a year on from his departure from West Bromwich Albion being confirmed, midfielder Aurio Teixeira is waiting to see what the future might hold this summer having embarked on a non-league adventure with a clear aspiration in mind.
Teixeira, who is 20, has played more than 40 matches for non-league Alvechurch this season having left The Hawthorns at the end of his contract last summer. He’s consistently collected man of the match awards too, for the Church, from his preferred role in central midfield in what has been a memorable campaign for the club; having knocked out League One Cheltenham Town in reaching the FA Cup second round proper, they also reached the semi-finals of the Birmingham Senior Cup recently, before falling to Coventry City at the CBS Arena.
Whatever happens at the end of this season, Teixeira – who is playing without a contract currently – is hoping that more opportunities to play in such stadiums may present themselves further along the line having got plenty of minutes in senior football under his belt for the first time in his career – and showing, despite his slight frame, that he cannot only cope, but flourish.
“It’s an experience I never thought I’d have,” Teixeira told BirminghamLive. “I’ve had the opportunity play in the first and second rounds of the FA Cup, which has been a great experience, possibly the best I’ve had so far in my career.
“For the past month or so we’ve been playing every two or three days [because of the cup runs] – whereas the 23s will probably play once a week, I’m now playing Saturday-Tuesday, potentially Thursday as well, and it was a struggle at the start but as time has gone on my body has adapted.
“PL2 can be predictable, there’s a lot of pattern play. It can be rigid. Where I’m at now, it can be a free-for-all and you don’t know what’s going to happen. Especially playing against men, they don’t care that you’re a kid – they’ll treat you as you are, because you’re on the field of play.
“The mentality – in non-league you’re not guaranteed games. If you have bad form, you get dropped. In the academy you get plenty of minutes anyway. I think every young player should experience non-league at least once in their career.”
Teixeira is aiming high, as any young footballer ought to, but he has enjoyed his learning curve of a season at Alvechurch and, reflecting on the year he’s had, he’s been grateful for the opportunity afforded to him by those at Lye Meadow, where he’s been joined by fellow Albion academy products Jamie Soule, Nick Clayton-Phillips and Harry Williams.
Read the full article: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/swiss-army-knife-eyeing-next-26750558
Photo: Aurio Teixeira (Image: Alvechurch Town FC)
Of all the players competing in the third round of the FA Cup this weekend, few will have experienced a journey quite as eventful as the one that led Jesurun Uchegbulam to Chesterfield.
Born in Nigeria, Uchegbulam spent several years at AC Milan’s academy and experienced playing at the San Siro, one of the most iconic stadiums in world football.
When his family moved to England, the winger had an extended trial at Everton cut short by a health scare which resulted in heart surgery at the age of 16.
“They found a cyst growing on my heart and I had very high blood pressure,” said Uchegbulam, who only turned 22 on Sunday.
“They had to cut me open and insert a tube. I was told if I didn’t get it done then I could collapse or even worse.”
Several months later, eager to play again after making a full recovery, he joined Stockport Town in the 10th tier of English football.
Uchegbulam had gone from playing at the San Siro to the North West Counties League in the space of two years.
After joining National League Chesterfield last summer following spells at Mossley and Matlock Town, he hopes to help the Spireites deliver one of this weekend’s biggest surprises when West Brom, from three leagues above, visit the non-league club.
“I’ve always told myself to get back up and keep going whenever I’ve had setbacks,” added Uchegbulam.
“Chesterfield is my first professional contract. It is a dream that I still haven’t woken up from.”
Read the full unabridged article on the BBC Sport website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64115919
Uchegbulam was born in Lagos and grew up in Italy after his parents, Donatus and Gloria, moved to Venice when he was one.
He was seven when he secured a place in AC Milan’s academy, one of the world’s most famous talent factories whose graduates include Paolo Maldini, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Uchegbulam recalls one particular season when he scored more than 100 goals for the under-13s while playing as a centre-back.
“We’d have 50 to 55 games each season and we used to play against the likes of Roma under-13s and beat them 14-0,” he said.
“At Milan, I always played in teams at least two years above my age. When I was 14, I was playing for the under-17s.”
On his experience of playing at the San Siro, Uchegbulam added: “We played Inter Milan in a youth team fixture which we lost.
“There was quite a big crowd. Because I was so young, it was just like walking out onto any other pitch.
“Now I’m older I get goosebumps walking out to play for Chesterfield.
“Back then I didn’t pay too much attention to nerves or anything like that. I just wanted to get on the pitch and have fun.”
Uchegbulam’s dream of making it at AC Milan, the seven-time champions of Europe, did not last and after his parents lost their jobs, the family moved to England in search of a better life.
It was not long, however, before the player was reeling from another setback.
Read the full unabridged article on the BBC Sport website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64115919
Gino Culbertson is a football agent who fell out of love with the game after becoming “disillusioned” with the murky world of the football industry. He spoke to VAVEL UK about his journey into the game, the politics behind the agency vortex and his new venture with Pro-Vision Football.
Football agents are everywhere to be seen in today’s modern game; a transfer can sometimes involve a number of agents, some for the buying club, a handful for the selling club and then possibly an agent or two for the players themselves.
In 2015, FIFA changed the agency rules meaning anyone and everyone had the opportunity to apply to become a football agent. Prior to 2015, there had been around 500 registered agents in the United Kingdom, but by 2018, the figure was somewhere between 3000-4000 FA registered intermediaries.
Becoming a football agent has never been so popular. It seems that whilst some play the pantomime villain in the elaborate show that is the modern football world, agents are an integral part of keeping the production running.
Read the full article here: https://www.vavel.com/an-insight-into-the-football-agents-world-from-ginoculbertson.html
“I am an original FIFA agent, I passed the FIFA panel back in 2000. This was when you had to pass the panel and put a £100,000 bond up in Zurich. There were only about 40-45 of us (agents) back in those days, and instead of the FA and FIFA making it more difficult for people to become agents, they made it easier. It has allowed a lot of people to come into the industry for the wrong reasons. In fact around 85% of agents don’t do any deals and now to become an agent/Intermediary, you pay £500 and say that you are a fit person.”
“My background was finance and banking, but I love football and a lifelong fan of Juventus, having spent time with what is regarded as their greatest ever team in the early eighties, and the nucleus of the winning World Cup squad in 1982. My son-in-law was a World Champion Motocross rider and he had lots of contacts in Derby. He just said to me one day,” With your passion for football and your background and my contacts, why don’t we start up an agency?”
“I crammed for six months, learning all the FIFA statutes and regulations. I was based in London so I was driving down to London at 5am every morning and I just taped all the information on cassette tapes, and I would listen to them on the eight hour journey every day.” He adds,” Eventually I got my license and we started at Derby County. I had about nine players there and I am the only agent to have five players that came through the youth team and all played together in the first team. The BBC also did a documentary on me some years ago following me for a week and showing as they put it, ‘a good agent’ looking after his players.”
Read the full article here: https://www.vavel.com/an-insight-into-the-football-agents-world-from-ginoculbertson.html
“A Midlands-based football agent is on a mission to broaden the pathway for footballers looking to progress into the Football League while also providing continued support to his ever-improving young stars.
Gino Culbertson, who is a part of Pro-vision Football, aims to promote local talent and assist players who are keen to progress out of the non-league circuit.
Put simply, the goal is to help clients achieve their dreams and the early success has been impressive.
Already with an established stable of league players under their arm, the team at Pro-vision Football Agency continue to maximise opportunities for their players.
But it’s not just the satisfaction of watching them develop and achieve their dreams of professional football.
Gino’s focus is to ‘bring credibility back to the agency scene’ after expressing his disdain at the way some of his peers now operate.
It is not Agents who get the players moves, but the players own ability and potential. Agents are there to raise their profile and exposure, create opportunities for them, plus support, guide and advise them 24/7.”