Can we get to know you a little better as a manager?
I am also the general manager of Westchester United FC, a women's team and semi-professional club in New York that competes in the UPSL, the American equivalent of the third division. Two players currently playing in the Turkish Super League, Elena Santos and Trista Seara, come from here! We have a strong academy on the men's side. Our U18 team competed in the Viareggio Cup, one of the most important U19 tournaments in the world, where they beat Galatasaray U18 3-2 and became the first North American team to qualify for the round of 16 in the history of the tournament.
How did you become interested in Football Management?
It's a natural progression from my role at Westchester United. I, along with my partners Antonio and Mike Corrado, wanted to create opportunities abroad for our most talented players. American football and its leagues are very fragmented and don't offer many opportunities. We started on the men's side in 2019 and gradually moved more to the women's side, making a name for ourselves with our ability to spot talented players everywhere.
Can you give some details about how management companies work?
While all Management companies offer club placement and contract negotiation services, some offer legal and financial services, commercial opportunities, marketing etc. It also offers assistance on issues. We believe that the relationship between us and our players is much more than a transactional relationship. That's why we hate the word agent and instead describe ourselves as a career management company. We curate a player's career providing services like visa issues, training, nutrition as required and above all we provide guidance and honest feedback for their career development.
Women's football is very developed in America. Are your players therefore receiving more transfer offers from around the world?
The American players on the women's side are certainly well-liked. They are often praised for their work ethic, athleticism and ambition. Having said that, we also work with players from many other countries such as Brazil, Finland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Canada, Iceland, Mexico and Nicaragua. Unlike most American companies, which typically only work with Americans or players coming out of college, we scout around the world. We currently have players signed all over Europe, Australia and North America. Some of our strongest players are competing in the Champions League.
How does a female football manager work in America, what are the disciplinary processes and issues she needs to pay attention to?
They have to work in a predominantly male-dominated industry, so I imagine they have to deal with skepticism from some close-minded colleagues in that sense, but I haven't personally heard any negative stories about it.
Have you transferred female football players to Türkiye?
Yes, we've done a few. We started working in Türkiye in 2022. We saw the potential of the Turkish Super League and were one of the first to send North American players to Türkiye. We chose to partner with our Türkiye Field Manager, Lucas Öczan, to have a local presence there. He curates most of our transfers in Türkiye and has done a great job so far. The Turkish league is getting stronger every year and we look forward to continuing to send strong players there.
Which teams in Türkiye have you transferred female players to so far?
We started with Elena Santos, Rashida Beal and Yorcelly Humphreys. Elena and Rashida became the 2 strongest players in the league. This year we brought Trista Seara to the Black Sea, Holly O'neill and Madelyn Robbins to Beylerbeyi.
