At first glance, a farmer and an agent don’t have much in common. 

Paddy Dominguez is one of Australia’s most respected football agents; an influential figure across football and other sports for three decades. 

He uses the agricultural analogy to explain how an agent structures his or her year.  

"The transfer windows represent the culmination of all the work that intermediaries/agents do during the other nine months of the year, which largely goes unseen,” he tells FTBL. 

“It’s a bit like a farmer who tends to his crops throughout the year constantly in order to reap the benefits and make his living when it is harvest time. 

"That farmer works hard and constantly out of sight so his produce can end up on supermarket shelves.”

Like any industry, there are good and bad eggs (to extend Dominguez's produce analogy) with the agent world no different. 

That said, Australia is blessed with some well-credentialed player representatives who love the game and are passionate about its future. 

Aside from Dominguez, Ante Alilovic, John Grimaud, Lou Sticca, Steve Panopoulos, and Zeljko Susa are just some Australian agents representing the game’s talent in the A-League and on the international arena. 

An agent is not just a deal maker, either. 

The role can often see an agent morph into a father figure, financial advisor, spiritual guru, life coach, or just a shoulder to cry on, particularly for players overseas and are away from their families. 

Stamps in a passport? Agents often have plenty, and toil in virtual anonymity. It’s not hugely glamorous. 

You need a thick skin, too, and an understanding family.

"Intermediaries/agents live through the ups and downs that their clients experience and this takes a toll on the intermediaries/agents too,” Dominguez argues. 

"All of this is generally unseen or unappreciated, so it is a tough environment for people to work in, never mind the stress of accepting responsibility for the livelihoods of the clients they look after, which is their fundamental role. 

"They are traveling, maintaining and building networks/contacts, spend weekends away from family at football games, scouting and tackling any ongoing issues that their clients may have either personal or professional on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.”

Dominguez as seen his fair share of deals for Australians around the world - including Socceroo star Aaron Mooy's English Premier League move - and now is president of a new agents' peak body (more on that later).

Some agents are also promoters who help arrange tours. Dominguez adds the role of an unofficial talent scout to an agent’s scope. 

"In the case of clubs in lower leagues who don’t have any scouting budgets or networks, intermediaries can often be a valuable scouting resource.

"Apart from their knowledge of the market valuations where they have an important role in ensuring that all parties come to a mutually beneficial outcome."

However, Dominguez feels frustrated by public perceptions. 

Some argue agents yield too much power. He says critics should take a holistic view. 

"I think that traditionally, agents have suffered from poor reputational capital. 

"I feel, and this touches on the previous point, as though the public perception is that intermediaries/agents do very little and just simply capitalize on football transfers. 

"Because there are two transfer windows which between them account for in and around three months of the year it is a misguided notion that they [agents] do very little work for great rewards.”

With this in mind, Dominguez hopes his role as President at the newly created PROFAA (Professional Football Agents Association) will help. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL AGENTS' ASSOCIATION

It makes sense given most stakeholders within the sport have organized bodies to act as a unified voice on industry matters.

"Both myself and Dr. Erkut Sogut [vice president PROFAA and agent of German Premier League star Mesut Ozil] have been involved in the consultation process relating to the transfer rules and regulations discussions with FIFA over the past two years. 

"I would like to think that members will benefit from our involvement and feel that the organization is led by people who have a good idea of what the future looks like and steer a steady ship through whatever may arise in the next few years.”

Dominguez’s longevity as an agent/intermediary is largely due to his desire to improve industry standards.

And doing what he loves while helping players achieve their goals brings him a special, almost paternal, satisfaction.

"I firmly believe that if you do the right thing and behave properly within the rules that you will have a long and satisfying career in this business, that is how I live my life and it is the attitude I take to work every day. 

"The key for me in every deal is to ensure that the deal is a good and satisfactory one for all parties. Otherwise, one party will ultimately come to the realization that they entered into a poor agreement and it will end in confrontation or dispute," he warns. 

Player agent/intermediary Paddy Dominguez in Zurich

"The number one responsibility of any intermediary/agent is to act in the best interests of their client and nothing supersedes that as a priority.

"It may sound old fashioned, but your word should be your bond.

"Every time I see a client realize their ambition and dream that is a special moment for me. That is why I do what I do. 

"I have had plenty of opportunity over 30 years to do other things but nothing will give me the satisfaction of watching a young player and his family celebrate his first professional contract or a player who plays his first Premier League game or World Cup match. 

"It is a privilege to be allowed to be part of these people’s journey and when they achieve their goals and you have played a part in that.

"Nothing else in my book can replace that feeling.”