JOHN CROSS COLUMN: Football agents target youngsters through social media from as young as 11 while parents are offered big cash incentives and even flash cars to sign up
Academy stars are offered designer watches, VIP entrance into nightclubs and huge incentives to sign with top agents.
Kids also face major challenges at grassroots level plus the trauma of facing rejection and their dreams of being a Premier League superstar cruelly shattered. Agents target youngsters through social media from as young as 11 while parents are offered big cash incentives and even flash cars to sign up.
Now, two “football mums” have set up their own tailored service – with an online forum, podcasts and advice sessions – to help parents deal with the pressures of seeing their child trying to become the next Bukayo Saka or Phil Foden. One is Marcia Lewis – mum of Arsenal wonderkid Myles Lewis-Skelly – and the other co-founder Kat Chidiac, who has three sons and a daughter and has invaluable insight into the grassroots game and mental health.
They have set up No1 Fan Club which offers support and advice to parents and families as well as the Behind The Boots podcast plus a support network and specialised app. Among the guests so far have been Arsenal’s academy boss Per Mertesacker, Joanne Stanway – mother of Lioness hero Georgia – and Alex Iwobi’s dad Chuka.