With Influence Brings Power: Pini Zahavi

Ozzy Neav

In the business world of football there are agents and there are Super Agents. There is however, only one true Super Agent in football and his name is Pini Zahavi.

Rumoured to employ his considerable influence in most major football transactions worldwide, Zahavi doesn’t only possess a remarkable resume of player clientele, but also acts as a mediator between clubs and potential ownership entities. Leagues, owners, players and fans have all felt Zahavi’s economic influence that has radically altered the current state of the beautiful game.

 

Born in 1955 in Israel, Zahavi was actually a sports journalist before making the transition to football mogul. Fellow Israeli journalist Shaul Isenberg describes Zahavi as an excellent journalist. ‘Pini was an excellent journalist, one of the best. And very passionate. His attitude was to work a 26-hour day, if you see what I mean, by getting out of bed two hours early. Am I surprised at his success? No. For me, from the beginning, he was a very big star.’

After working for several Israeli publications, Zahavi left the newspaper world with two feathers already firmly established in his cap. The first was Avi Cohen’s move to Liverpool and the second was the Eyal Berkovich purchase by West Ham from Southampton. Fast forward to the present and there are those who believe Zahavi has long since eclipsed the $200m mark. With a list of clients containing the aristocracy of football, the above figure certainly seems realistic.

The biggest Zahavi earthquake so far was felt in London during 2003. Ken Bates, then owner of Chelsea, was struggling to pay the player wage bill and the club was heading towards administration. Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch made a desperate phone call to Pini Zahavi in order to salvage the rapidly sinking ship. Birch simply said to Zahavi, "Help me, we cannot pay the salaries." Little did Mr. Birch realise that this innocent plea would change European football as we know it. Zahavi placed a call to one Roman Abramovich and the rest is left to the historians. Zahavi was able to drastically alter the balance of football power in Europe, effortlessly.

With great power however, come envy, hatred and disdain from others. The level of animosity Zahavi receives from the football community cannot be easily disregarded. Zahavi incurred the wrath of Leeds United fans when he orchestrated the now infamous transfer of Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United for a whopping fee of £30m. He was also on the receiving end of a backlash from former Chelsea owner Ken Bates (Bates reportedly said Zahavi was a "dickhead") after Zahavi brokered the Abramovich deal. He even managed to cause a near revolt in his native Israel when his media firm Charlton purchased the rights to the World Cup and offered them solely on Pay-Per-View TV.

Zahavi has also gone a few rounds with FIFA with regard to transfer irregularities. Zahavi denied claims in the well known English transfer report prepared by Lord Stevens that he was uncooperative with the inquiry and had gone as far as to threaten legal action. Even with the numerous scandals in inquires; Zahavi always appears to come out unscathed. He mocked the English FA over the Ashley Cole “snafu” and has continued to conduct business in his own successful and highly controversial methods.

Love him or hate him, Zahavi appears to enjoy his role courting daily gossip and controversy. For example: Sometime after England’s failure in the World Cup in Germany, Zahavi was quoted in an Israeli publication, “There was a big problem with jealousy at the World Cup - something no-one has ever talked about. A lot of people didn’t like Beckham’s position within the team. It was one of the biggest things that hurt England. A lot of players didn’t like the ’super player’ Beckham. They didn’t like his status in the team.” This remark is highly entertaining and hypocritical considering Zahavi is the David Beckham of the sports agent universe.

Regardless of public opinion, Zahavi will continue to smoke cigars, dine at the finest restaurants and close multi million dollar deals. If Ronaldinho signs with an English Premier League side, it will be because of Pini Zahavi. If Chelsea finally win the Champions League, it will be Zahavi’s doing. If Zahavi decides that Watford are going to become the biggest club in Europe, rest assured it will happen. Controversial he may be, but with Pini Zahavi involved, things always seem just a bit more interesting.