Football Clubs should only deal with certified agents representing players to safeguard the interest of the sport, Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi has said.
Numerous intermediaries, not necessarily agents but posing as such have been involved in deals on behalf of players with most negotiations being driven by the financials while neglecting player's interests.
Many of such deals have fallen through even before both parties meet. In some instances vulnerable footballers are misled and manipulated to sign documents without knowing what the terms are.
Nyantakyi told the GFA Congress on Thursday: “Football can be in more danger when such people [acclaimed player agents] continue parading the corridors of clubs for deals or the GFA to resolve the status of players."
“The important thing is protecting the player,” said Nyantakyi as the issue of status and eligibility of players in transfers came up for discussion.
“Players must be represented by certified FIFA agents. We [GFA] don't recognize people holding themselves up as player-managers. And I implore Clubs to help check this practices. All those who run Clubs have dealt with such people before but we must rid them out of the game.
“We should always be looking at protecting the player from such unseen hands. Players are pushed into all sorts of deals and the next thing, you find them going before the Player Status Committee, seeking to be declared as free agents.”
The GFA President believes Clubs and the players themselves can help improve the system.
“I hope Clubs will be at the forefront of this campaign. Also for players who are not signed up with certified FIFA agents, they can solicit the services of lawyers to advice them in contract matters.
"We must educate the players and help the vulnerable ones to escape this player-manager concept that has been extended into contract brokering and transfers involving Clubs.
"Player managers can have a different scope of work and that is between them and the players they represent but they have no business in transfer matters,” he said.