World Cup 2006 Features
From son of Portuguese immigrants to lawyer and football agent
May 15, 2006, 7:14 GMT
Stuttgart, Germany - Paulo Saraiva Coelho is one of only a few Portuguese-speaking lawyers in Germany. Now he is also a football agent and consultant for players from all over the world.
Discretion is part of Paulo Saraiva Coelho's job. The 37-year-old son of Portuguese parents is a lawyer. And his second job as a football agent has recently seen him involved in his first big deal. Coelho will only say that it concerns a Nigerian professional footballer who is moving from the Chinese Hong Kong first division to a second division German team with promotion ambitions.
The African footballer came to Coelho's Stuttgart office as a client. He needed a residence permit for a friend who wanted to move to Germany. 'One problem in Germany is that a contract has to be with a first or second division club to count as a fixed job,' the lawyer says.
This case gave him the idea of starting a football agency alongside his law office. In the autumn of last year Coelho founded a football agency with two university friends he met in South Africa. They set up an office in Frankfurt. One of his partners has a doctorate in law and comes from Cameroon. 'He speaks perfect French and deals with players from Africa. Because of my roots and knowledge of Portuguese I deal with South America,' Coelho says.
He was born in Brazil where his parents lived for a long time. The family comes from Trancoso in Portugal. They returned to Portugal from South America, this time to Lisbon. His father belonged to the generation of 'guest workers' who came to Germany in the 1970s.
That is how he came to Germany at the age of 5. At 17 he joined the Social Democrat party. He soon began helping his Portuguese compatriots and quickly saw the opportunities offered by political lobbying. When his Portuguese football team in Darmstadt had problems with the authorities, the young man went to the mayor.
'I told him that the Portuguese in the city would vote for him if our team and pitch stayed,' the lawyer with a goatee and a mischievous smile says from behind his glasses.
These abilities came to the fore again when Coelho faced bureaucratic hurdles in switching universities from Frankfurt to Mainz. At first he was blocked because he had a Brazilian passport. 'They said I would be able to study if he had an EU passport. So I applied for a Portuguese passport because it is much quicker than getting a German one,' Coelho says.
Now with two passports, neither of which is German, he is nevertheless grateful to Germany. 'I learned how to think in my education. We didn't just learn by rote, you could always ask critical questions,' Coelho explains in his perfect German with an accent from the Frankfurt area. Since 2003 he has had his own law practice in Stuttgart. But as one of only 10 lawyers in Germany who can speak Portuguese he is always on the road.
Who will win the World Cup? His favourites are neither Brazil nor Portugal. 'My tip is Argentina or the Netherlands. And I hope Germany goes a long way for the atmosphere in the country.'
Media Service: mediaservice.land-of-ideas
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
My Name is Mr. martins joe The coach of a Football team ( BRIGHT STAR FC
)
lagos state Nigeria , i have goods,strong and experience players
who are willing to play internationally.They have been in My club over
5
years now so they know the rules and regulation of football , they are
obedience one , i will be very happy if you could help them out to
perform there action and manage there experience of playing .
I have Mid-fielders,defenders and the defence , they are Good in
playing
.they are well trained .
Please get back to us if you need any of there information,
Please let me know how we can work together towards having some
Nigerian Players in spain Football Teams.
. hope to
hear from you very soon Stay blessed.
Thanks
Mr.martins joe.
Dear sir ,
My Name is Mr.martins joe The coach of a Football team ( BRIGHT STAR FC
)
lagos state Nigeria , i have have goods,strong and experience players
who are willing to play internationally.They have been in My club over
5
years now so they know the rules and regulation of football , they are
obedience one , i will be very happy if you could help them out to
perform there action and manage there experience of playing .
I have Mid-fielders,defenders and the defence , they are Good in
playing
.they are well trained .
Please get back to us if you need any of there information . hope to
hear from you very soon Stay blessed.
Thanks
Mr.martins joe.
martins_2008@outgun.com
Dear,
im a football agent we thin nigeria i want to be part of this your great scout team from here nigeria so that i can work for you here in nigeria. yarosani2000@yahoo.com
HI
MY NAME IS LANRE OWOJORI I AM A GOAL KEEPER I WANT TO JOIN YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM I AM FROM ONDO STATE NIGERIA I WANT TO BE PROUD ABOUT NIGERIA PLEASE HELP ME I AM A 13 YEARS IN AGE
THANK
lanreblues@yahoo.com
Hello boss my name is Schester i´m professional footballer from brazil..
20 years old..... play im spain and england
i wanna talk to you about what you have to me if you want give me oportunit....hope talk to you soon
schestervictor@hotmail.com
Hello,
My name is Prince Ayobamidele,a soccer administrator who owns a soccer academy in Nigeria,i have alot of young talented players in my academy that are ready for trails in abroad, am searching for an soccer agent/club to collaborate with or to give my players trial out to showcase their skill and place them on trial with any team of your choice and you will also be able to manage my players and get them clubs either in the amateur,semi professional or the professional level where they can grow in their skills and games.
Please i would like you to place these players where they can be guanratee of playing football and for them to know that they are in good hands.If you are searching for players that are very good,please dont hesitate to contact me.
I hope we can work together and make this relationship a successful one and creat a good atmosphere for other good players to follow and grow so that they can be great players in few years to come ....Email me on mageeco_united_fc01@yahoo.com or mageeco_united_fc@hotmail.com.........
Regards
Prince Ayobamidele
+2348089752518
+2348064578252
MANAGER, COACH, TECHNICAL ADVISER,
MY NAME IS bakare adekunle alidu FROM NIGERIA. I AM young YEARS OLD AND I PLAY FOR UNDER 17, AND FEEDERS (JUNIOR TEAM) HERE IN NIGERIA.
I AM A VERY TALENTED, FOCUSED AND SKILLFUL PLAYER WITH GREAT POTENTIALS.
I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY IN YOUR FOOTBALL CLUB/YOUTH FOOTBALL ACADEMY TEAM AND I PROMISE TO DO MY BEST IN THE UPLIFTING OF YOUR ESTEEMED FOOTBALL CLUB. I BELIEVE THAT MY TRIALS WILL DEFINITELY CONVINCE YOU.
I WAS BORN A FOOTBALLER AND WAS TRAINED AS A UTILITY PLAYER AND I WOULD LOVE IF YOU GIVE ME THE CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY TO PROOVE MYSELF TO YOU AND THE CLUB. I AM A SKILLED FOOTBALLER AND I WANT TO TAKE MY FOOTBALL CAREER TO A GREATER HEIGHT AND TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
PLEASE KINDLY BRIEF ME ON HOW I CAN JOIN YOUR YOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB/ACADEMY AS I PROMISE TO DO MY BEST IN THE UPLIFTING OF THE CLUB.
ATTACHED IS MY FOOTBALL CV FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH.
I DO HOPE TO READ/HEAR FROM YOU COACH/MANAGER.
THANKING YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
bakare alidu
(LAGOS - NIGERIA)
+2348068648966
Hello Guys
The Manchester youth academy is recruiting into their academy.
I was there this morning. at their matt busby road venue, Manchester to confirm.
And i spoked with the director MIKE PHELAN on applying.
He said all applications should be forwarded to phelan.manchesteracademy@googlemail.com for screening.
I hope you all find this information usefull
Timmy..
HELLO GUYES.
DO YOU NEED TO JOIN FOOTBALL ACADEMY YOU NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN ENGLAND.
WE ARE RECRUITING YOUTH INTO OUR ACADEMY FOR 2009-2010 SETS.
CONTACT NEWCASTLEUNITED.ACADEMY@GMAIL.COM FOR INQUIRE
page: 1
Ali MohammedJun 22nd, 2006 - 11:54:08
As the name indicate my is not commnt but rather something tnat will help both of us am a football acadamy owner in nigeria and am looking for a partner abroud who will help us with football kits and whatever a football team will need and in return for exchange with good,young and talented nigerian players,or rather let talk of taking over the academy as a breeding ground for your agency.pls lets really talk it over if you are intrested.
thank you.
Ali Mohammed
young stars football academy,lagos,nigeria.
kalai_2uk@yahoo.co.uk
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