The Sport Briefing: How will you use your experience of running 2mb Sports Management to provide a good football management service?
Mark Blundell: "Talent management in motorsport is very professional and is generally managed by qualified people. When I set up 2mb with Martin Brundle in 2005 we were always very clear about our purpose - we wanted a small stable of drivers, carefully selected, who we could work with throughout their entire career - for example, current Vodafone (sponsor) McLaren-Mercedes test driver Gary Paffett has been with me for almost five years now. When I took full ownership of 2mb at the beginning of 2009, my aim was to launch a football division before the end of the year. We now offer the same kind of personalised, long-term service to our players as we successfully offer our drivers. Our experience in elite sport and in business means we know what players need."
TSB: What do you think your new football-focused agency can offer over other management companies?
Jimmy Carter: "Mark and I are always very clear with people we speak to - we are not football agents. I think the word ‘agent' is viewed very negatively; the assumption is that they are there to make the deal, get their percentage and disappear. That is not what we are about. Of course we offer contract negotiation, supported by qualified sports lawyers, but we also manage club relationships, negotiate commercial opportunities, manage player rights, facilitate access to financial and legal advice and provide a whole range of marketing services, including PR, appearance management, media training and brand building.
"In our view, football management is a two-way street - we are personally committed to our players and we expect them to show the same kind of commitment in return. We are very careful about who we add to our books. Obviously they have to be talented, but they have to want to focus on their careers both on the pitch and off the pitch to equal measure, and be able to look to the future. They also need to show respect for the people who pay to share in their careers - the teams, the sponsors and the fans. We want to help our players exceed expectations."
MB: "I often say that football is littered with guys with a mobile phone and a Hotmail address. It's not good enough and any player serious about developing their career deserves better than that. To some extent, we are career guidance counsellors. In the end, a football career has a finite end and players have to think about life after that point. We help remove distractions during the football phase of a player's career, so they can focus 100% on their performance, but then we also work with them to identify their skills and strengths with a view to helping them move onto that next career phase, whether that be into media or onto something completely new."
TSB: How important is it to educate sportspeople about how to manage their finances?
JC: "It's hugely important. As Mark mentioned, a playing career has a finite end and what a player earns during that time can help look after them and their families for many years afterward. Keep in mind, many of these guys start young and don't have financial experience or training. Add to that, at the top end of the sport they are targets for the many temptations that come with money. It can be so easy for them to get into trouble. At 2mb we offer access to independent financial advisors that provide sensible, long-term financial planning tailored for each individual player, as needed."
TSB: What measures do you have in place to ensure young players are responsible with their earnings?
JC: "Again, as a focused management team, we educate our players to ensure they are responsible and help them appreciate the value of money. We teach them not to be wasteful of hard-earned income. If the money were to be wasted we would be the first to know and would ask pertinent questions to find out why. The financial advisors we have in place also help us provide a safety net for players, to help them prepare for the future."
TSB: What can be done to improve the image of some football agents and how can the industry regulate itself?
MB: "Personally, we believe that the only way to improve the image of football agents is to let all financial and contract dealings be carried out by fully qualified sports lawyers. If a person without any qualifications in contract negotiation and law can negotiate with clubs on behalf of players, then this is where the problems may arise. All of our work is conducted by a licensed agent and overseen by legal representation throughout.
"From personal experience in elite sport, we know how important crystal clear transparency is in financial dealings, and this, along with personal relationships, is part of our company ethos. We want our players to have 100% peace of mind. You also have to think about the sponsors. Ultimately, they need to get value from any dealings they have with a player. We use our contacts to develop these opportunities and our own experiences mean it's easy for us to oversee delivery of agreed rights."
TSB: How important will it be to call on the experience of an ex-professional footballer such as Les Ferdinand?
JC: "Les Ferdinand is a huge asset to 2mb International Soccer Management, along with Anthony Hamilton, manager of 2008 F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton, top 500 lawyer Sue Thackeray and Wal-Mart China COO, Robert Cissell. Our advisory board is key in helping Mark and I map out the career strategy for our players over the long-term. They offer us fantastic insight and advice in their areas of speciality."
TSB: Where do you see 2mb International Soccer Management in five years' time?
MB: "My vision for 2mb International Soccer Management is to bring across our reputation from motorsport and apply it in football. We want players to aspire to be managed by 2mb, to want to be looked after by a company focused on providing tailored, personalised support that will help them perform at their best on the pitch, but also have the peace of mind off it. But it's more than that. we want stakeholders around the player - the teams, the fans, the sponsors - to trust in our management. In the end, these stakeholders will help us define the brand of each of our players. We will strive to provide transparent, personal and professional service to all involved."