Israeli Football Agents Navigate Challenges, Missed Opportunities

Adam Kidan, an Israeli football agent and partner at Kidan Sport for 15 years, discussed the evolving role of agents in Israeli football, their work beyond transfer windows, and challenges faced. Kidan, who transitioned from sports journalism, initially entered the field through a scouting project focused on data analysis before moving into player representation.

He described the agent's role as akin to a farmer, cultivating relationships and preparing players for future opportunities, while also managing administrative tasks like payments and club dealings. Kidan highlighted the difficulty of managing player families' expectations and emotions, especially when they lack football experience. He also noted that while extreme situations like players being ostracized have decreased due to player unions and media attention, issues with impatient club owners and financial mismanagement persist.

Kidan expressed concern about the current number of foreign players in the Israeli league, arguing it negatively impacts Israeli players and the National League. He believes a fairer balance is needed to support domestic talent, suggesting the current system disadvantages Israeli players aged 23-30 and that the youth law is sometimes exploited for bonuses rather than genuine need.

Reflecting on missed opportunities, Kidan recalled offering striker Krzysztof Piątek to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in 2016 when he was a young player in Poland; Piątek later went on to a successful career in Europe. He also recounted a surreal experience with foreign player Marco Caligiuri, who backed out of a contract with Alona Barkat at Hapoel Be'er Sheva just as rockets began falling from Gaza, marking the start of Operation Protective Edge.

Kidan asserted that Israeli agents are the best in the world, adept at adapting to the post-October 7th reality by focusing on markets like Brazil and Colombia. He acknowledged that while top clubs can afford significant fees, smaller clubs struggle to attract players due to lower salaries and security concerns. Kidan praised Avi Yechiel of Hapoel Ramat Gan and Maccabi Haifa officials like Itzik Ovadiya for their professionalism and fair dealings.