Agent Reveals Victor Boniface Was Too Raw for Israeli League

Football agent Roi Daniel has revealed that Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, now a star for Bayer Leverkusen, was once offered to a top Israeli club but was deemed not "mature enough" for the league at the time. Daniel, who previously served as spokesperson for Maccabi Haifa and CEO of Bnei Netanya, transitioned to player representation with a focus on integrity and player welfare.

Daniel explained that his agency, which scouts young talent in Africa, offered Boniface to an unnamed "big Israeli club" several years ago when he was still an unknown player. The club hesitated, and Boniface eventually moved to Union SG for €6 million before his €22 million transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, where he became a key player in their recent double-winning season. Daniel also mentioned that the same club was in negotiations for Kasper Junker, then the top scorer for Bodo/Glimt, before being offered Boniface as an alternative.

In another anecdote, Daniel recounted how a highly-regarded foreign coach was close to signing with a major Israeli team but backed out due to security concerns. During a video call from the Bloomfield Stadium during a cup final, an air raid siren sounded, causing players to flee the field, which reportedly sealed the coach's decision to move to Germany instead.

Daniel also shared humorous and challenging aspects of his profession, including a bizarre request from a player's father for hundreds of thousands of shekels upfront and a situation where an injured player had his cast cut to allow him to fly home. He expressed a desire to compensate his family for his frequent travel and absences upon his eventual retirement.