Inside the world of unlicensed caretakers shaping football careers in Africa, Asia, and South America — and why they see themselves above agents in the game’s unspoken hierarchy
By Dr. Erkut Sogut – Founder, International Football Federation of Agents
In many parts of the world, a football player’s career doesn’t begin with a scout, a licensed agent, or a professional academy. It begins with a helping hand.
That hand often belongs to someone the industry doesn’t officially recognize. The so-called “manager,” “caretaker,” or simply a trusted local figure. These are not FIFA-licensed agents. They are not registered intermediaries. But in countries across Africa, Asia, and South America, they play a central and often invisible role in shaping careers.
These caretakers provide boots, food, shelter, and travel money to young players who have the talent to succeed but lack the financial resources to pursue a football career. Some pay for passports. Others feed entire families. And they don’t ask for anything at first.
But when the player succeeds, maybe gets a chance to trial abroad or signs their first professional contract, that is when things become complicated.
The Silent Partners in a Player’s Journey
These so-called managers often step into negotiations as uninvited but emotionally binding participants. They are not licensed to represent the player, but they expect and demand a share of any commission involved in the player’s transfer or contract.
In some cases, they ask to split the agency fee fifty-fifty with the licensed agent. In others, they seek a cut from the player’s salary or even from the transfer fee, although this is far less common.
These deals are usually not official. They are done quietly, on the side, often under the label of a consultancy fee or advisory payment. But in reality, it is a form of unregulated third-party involvement. One that treads a fine line between investment and control.
“I’m Not an Agent, I’m the Manager”
Ask many of these caretakers how they define themselves, and they’ll respond without hesitation: “I’m not the agent. I’m the manager.”
To them, being a manager carries more weight than simply being a registered intermediary. The manager is the one who has been there since day one. He planned the journey, helped the player survive, introduced him to the right people, and kept hope alive when there was none.
In their minds, the licensed agent is someone who shows up at the final chapter to complete the paperwork and collect a commission. But the manager believes he built the story.
This perception creates a power imbalance that agents must carefully navigate. The manager doesn’t just want a cut of the deal. He believes the player belongs to him. Not legally, but emotionally and morally. And that belief can shape, control, or even limit a player’s future.
Even more, these managers often decide which licensed agent the player will work with when it comes time to sign a deal. They are the ones making the calls, doing the introductions, and selecting the agent they believe will serve their own interests. The player rarely makes that decision independently. In this way, the so-called manager becomes a gatekeeper with real influence over who earns what and how the career unfolds.
Embedded in the System
In many cases, when these managers request a portion of the transfer fee, it’s not simply about past support. It often reflects their ties to people inside the club or academy where the player currently plays. These connections are rarely coincidental.
Sometimes, the club president or owner is directly involved with the manager. In other cases, the manager is actually a club official operating in an unofficial role outside the formal structures. This dual positioning allows them to control both the player and the deal-making process.
Because of this access, they are not only able to benefit from a cut of the transfer fee but also secure long-term income through ongoing payments structured as consultancy or agent-like fees. The result is a deeply embedded network that exists largely outside of regulatory oversight and is difficult to challenge, especially for agents who are trying to operate within FIFA’s rules.
“We Invested in Him First”
As someone who has spent time across Africa, Asia, and South America, I have personally witnessed this dynamic in many corners of the football world. I have met these so-called managers in person. Some are coaches. Others are neighbors or local businessmen. Most are simply people trying to help a young talent from their community.
It is important to understand that they do not always start with bad intentions. In many cases, families ask for help. Money for food, boots, travel costs, even medical expenses. The caretaker steps in to support the boy and his dream, often when no one else does.
In rare situations, perhaps only one percent, these individuals do not expect anything in return. But in the remaining ninety-nine percent, they want something back. From their perspective, it is only fair. They were there before the agents, before the clubs, before the contracts. They see themselves as early investors.
This kind of grassroots support can sometimes mean the difference between a player giving up and moving forward. But it also lays the foundation for future complications, especially when the line between loyalty and leverage becomes blurred.
The Legal and Ethical Dilemma for Agents
For licensed agents, this creates a serious dilemma. FIFA regulations prohibit agents from sharing commission fees with unlicensed individuals. Any breach could lead to sanctions or suspension.
Yet in practice, many agents face a difficult choice. Either involve the so-called manager in a side deal or risk losing the player altogether. In some cases, these managers even hold the player’s passport, have power of attorney documents, or control bank accounts. They have total access and therefore total leverage.
So agents create workarounds. They sign consulting agreements or make unofficial payments. Everyone knows it is happening. No one talks about it publicly.
A Grey Zone That Hurts the Player
The ones caught in the middle are the players themselves. Bound by loyalty, pressure, and sometimes fear, many feel they have no say in how their careers are negotiated.
Some continue paying their managers directly from their salaries long after they have signed with professional clubs. Others feel trapped, unable to fully break free from arrangements that were never formalized but carry deep emotional weight.
In rare but real cases, players have been kept from opportunities abroad because their so-called managers refused to cooperate with official agents or demanded an unrealistic cut from the deal.
What Needs to Change?
This system is complex. It is born out of need, nurtured by poverty, and perpetuated by the absence of structured pathways for talent.
There are no easy answers. On one hand, these managers often provide vital support in places where academies and federations fall short. On the other hand, the lack of regulation leaves room for exploitation and long-term control over young athletes’ futures.
If football truly wants to protect its players and professionalize its practices globally, it must confront this grey zone. That may mean creating legal pathways for early supporters to be acknowledged. Or better yet, expanding formal support structures so no thirteen-year-old has to rely on an unlicensed investor for food or boots.
Until then, licensed agents will continue walking a tightrope. Trying to act within the rules while navigating the realities that exist far beyond the reach of FIFA statutes.