Freshly Signed

Our Guest this week spills the beans on how ‘invisible players' can find their Unique Value Proposition. Roxana Gramada has been deeply involved in sales, marketing and corporate affairs for an array of clients over the last 20 years or so. Clients as varied as film studios, media groups, and even a UN agency. She believes sportspeople are brands in their own right and, just like most successful commercial brands, athletes need to find that ‘something' that will position themselves above the competition. Roxana talks about how the techniques she has deployed to help innovators and thought leaders shine, connect with their clients and convert, can also help players find success in their pro careers. Roxana has a free positioning guide for our listeners to help them on their journey. Your free positioning guide can be downloaded at www.becomingwords.com/gettheguide/.Roxana is the founder of Becoming Words, works as a positioning copywriter, and has a  serious aikido hobby. She's been practicing aikido for almost 20 years and teaches classes for children and adults in her own Dojo.This episode is brought to you by BDP Attorneys

This week we chat with Pieter Muller, the South African rugby legend who thrilled Springbok fans with his direct style of play. Pieter wasn't just a Springbok fan favourite, he also thrilled crowds in Europe playing for the Cardiff Blues and French side, Toulouse. Pieter talks us through his career highlights and what it was like playing abroad in the 90's. Join us as we get the inside story of pro rugby and the brilliant work being done by The Rugby Legends NPO that has become something of a developmental talent factory right from grassroots level. The work is paying off with an amazing 40 000 kids now playing rugby, kids who have never played rugby before. If you want to get behind this incredible organisation, you can reach them via the SA Rugby Legends website.This episode is brought to you by BDP Attorneys

In today's show, we chat with retired Ipswich pro, Simon Milton.  Simon spent 11 years playing for the club before he transitioned into management, still with Ipswich. But today's story isn't about his time there. It's about his efforts in Ghana and why he needs your help now. Take a listen as Simon explains how he became involved in an incredible charity that is using football as a means to keep kids in school and keep them fed.  This is no thinly veiled talent spotting mission for English football clubs, although Simon says there is a fair bit of talent there. Simon has a firm rule: if you don't attend school, you cant come to practice. Simon's story is one of hope and upliftment as he uses his skills both on the pitch and in the boardroom to build children's lives in Ghana. But he can't do it alone. The Futurestars Scholarship program is looking for volunteers to help coach the kids. The trip is surprisingly affordable and will not only change the kids lives, it will change yours too. Take a listen. For more info check out: www.futurestarscharity.org.uk or mail Simon directly on info@futurestarscharity.org.ukThis episode is brought to you by Freshly Signed

The retired pro footballer has set up his base on Malta and every year he takes ten promising young footballers under his wing. With a sharp eye, not just for talent, but for work ethic and mental agility, Denis grooms his protégés for their shot at glory in a European club through his Talent Eleven Academy. He is also on a mission to help kids living in Brazils notorious Favelas break free of their challenging backgrounds. Denis has written a successful book on Leonardo Da Vinci (Rebus Da Vinci) in his native Italian, and the English version of this book is being published next month. All proceeds of the sale of the book will go to Denis' Favela charity. If you would like to reach out to Denis to find out more about his football academy DM him on Instagram, or via his LinkedIn page here: or email him directly here: T11PRO@hotmail.comTake a listen to the fascinating Denis Guerra story on Freshly Signed.

Clubs keen to sign the next big football talent are eager to spot them young. But how young is too young? Join us for a fascinating chat with Italian sports lawyer Lucio Mazzei as we dissect the fine line between exploitation and a footballer's dream career.If you have enjoyed this episode, please forward a show link to someone you care about? Thank you, it means a lot!This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

Can you really turn Flow on at will? Bradley Kohn helps sports and business clients find flow. Bradley himself finds flow competing in extreme sports and publishing poetry. We caught up with him in a castle in Germany and asked him how his interests in extreme sports, doing movie stunts and screaming around a race track on his high performance BMW reconcile with the gentleness and introspection required to be a published poet. His answers may surprise you. Take a listen to the Bradley Kohn interview. Reach out to Bradley via DM on Instagram if you think hacking flow is just what your sports career needs right now. If you have enjoyed this episode, please forward a show link to someone you care about? Thanks you, it means a lot!This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

Bodhi Eira Jones founded the London-based KAIFLOW organisation fifteen years ago. A steady stream of high performers have used the unique KaiFlow techniques to not just get into ‘flow' during sports competition or boardroom battles, but to question the very roots of why they compete in the first place. The staggering results speak for themselves, from world champion surfers to business moguls finding their purpose, the KaiFlow coaching methods stand apart in what is a crowded space. Join us as we discover how to achieve ‘flow', that state of grace where an athlete, or business founder, is ‘in the zone' - every muscle twitch and brain neuron firing in complete harmony elevating play to, quite literally, the next level. The not-so-stunning revelation that the outdated training methodology of ‘win at all costs' is not all its cracked up to be: being in flow, individually or as a team, elevates the state of play to a zone where winners win because of excellence, not because they have had to resort to gouging an opponents eye with their thumb. Bodhi has a gift for our listeners this week. Unlock some of the KaiFlow training by following this link: http://www.kaiflow.com/guidingprincipleIf you have enjoyed this episode, please forward a show link to someone you care about? Thanks you, it means a lot!This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

We wade into the Lewis Hamilton / Max Verstappen incident, talk about the role influencers have in empowering racism in sport and discuss why black players have to work twice as hard to get half as much. This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

Football clubs have a duty of care toward their players. A spate of injuries could see the clubs out-of-pocket and out-of-players in short order. Luckily there's insurance for that. Premiums are easily budgeted for and clubs have access to cash when they need it most. This all makes a lot of sense. But what exactly can be covered and where does the player's duty of care to him or herself start and the club's end? And what about concussion, accidental death or injury off the pitch? We were lucky enough to catch up with Guy Bonwick of AXIS who is a leading expert on sports insurance. Player's Unions and club management take a listen. This is for you.For any queries you can contact Guy directly: Guy.Bonwick@axiscapital.comAXISThis episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

In this week's show we chat with powerlifting and karate champion Antoine ‘Papa Tony' Mallia about discipline, the learnings from pro sport that could carry over into corporate life, and what it was as a small boy with big ambition growing up on the small island of Malta. Antoine tells a fascinating tale of finding his way through the minefield before sports nutrition and supplements were mainstream. He speaks of depression, and how his strict Jesuit and home upbringing were instrumental in helping him to build the mental toughness required not only to succeed in sport but in the corporate world. Antoine hustled gym space at a local hotel (the only decent gym on the island) and cajoled friends to train with him. But his frenetic drive and push-the-limits training schedule soon left him alone with his weights, unable to compete with the attraction of girls and surf. Today, outside of his day job, Antoine trains sportspeople from a variety of disciplines. He also trains their trainers. Take a listen.This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica  

Coke, Heineken and professional player pushback in this week's episode of the Freshly Signed podcast. Professional Sport Sponsorships are evolving. Cristiano Ronaldo shaved £4 billion off Coke's share price this week when the health-conscious professional football player removed bottles of the sugar-laden fizzy drink from the interview desk moments before a press interview. A day later French pro, Paul Pogba, a devout Muslim, removed a Heineken beverage from the table in front of him during post-match interviews. Obtaining and managing sport sponsorships is a tricky business. The organisers of the French open fluffed the opportunity to manage crisis communications properly when tennis ace Naomi Osaka, who suffers from depression, declined to participate in a press conference. The infuriated organisers fined her and threatened to bar her from Ronald Garros and other grand slam events if she does that again. Unfortunately for the French Open organisers the world has sided with Osaka and it is the organisers themselves who have sullied sponsors names by association. One thing is for sure, professional players brand equity lies with their millions of fans and not with event organisers or sponsors. Take a listen to this week's show and please share it with someone you care about. And if you subscribe you won't miss an episode. Your subscription really helps us and our professional African athletes out very much!This episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica 

There's good and bad football news coming out of Botswana this week. We have the Vice President of the Footballer's Union of Botswana back in the Freshly Signed Show hot seat. Lesego Molemogi talks to us about how Botswana pro football has eventually been given the green light after a hiatus of more than a year, but why it is still not all plain sailing. Fat players and contract issues along with a long-running feud between the FUB and the Botswana Football Association continue to hamper the careers of professional football players in that country. It is not all bad news though, the Women's football game continues to grow from strength to strength and Lesego explains why this makes him excited about the future of Botswana Women's Football. Brought to you by Sports Law Africa

This week on the Freshly Signed podcast we chat to Karl-Henry Edström, a publisher who has been working with HNWI’s (High Net Worth Individuals) for decades, publishing Hotelier International and The Robb Report amongst others. These High End magazines are aimed squarely at this exclusive market. Karl-Henry has some great advice for our football player listeners who may have just broken through this transfer season. He chats to us about watches, yachts and private aircraft, and how newly wealthy footballers like you can save money and still enjoy the rewards that come with rising stardom. Take a listen. Brought to you by Sports Law Africa

It’s a wrap! We chat with sports lawyer and agent Enrico Benvenuto as the Italian football season draws to a close. On the table are topics like Italy’s new tax amendments which are a big boost for players, the great work he is doing to give African players from Ghana, Cameroon and Botswana a shot at playing for one of the Italian lower division clubs and how Italian football is clawing its way back from Covid. Enrico is a truly international sports lawyer, he has studied in New York, Rome and Spain and has represented clients across the globe. His insight into Italian football opportunities will be very interesting to our Freshly Signed audience. Take a listen. Brought to you by Sports Law Africa

Swedish Ex footballer-turned-events creator, Thomas Sunesson has good advice for pro athletes looking to grow their personal brand, attract sponsors and most importantly keep them happy. His advice also flies in the face of our own advice a little. Where we preach to our freshly signed audience about taking great care not to be too controversial, lest our players find themselves in conflict with their sponsors messaging, Thomas has a different take. His advice is for players to have something to say, even if it is a little controversial. Take a listen to this episode and see if you agree with him that players who do not have anything to say fade into the background. He has a point. If you’re not being noticed why would a sponsor be interested in you endorsing their brand ? It’s a very fine line though, being noticed for the right reasons or losing the respect of fans as F1 rookie Nikita Mazepin found after he posted video of himself groping a girl in the back seat of a car he was driving in. Take a listen to what Thomas has to say here and check his consultancy in Stockholm, LWTS Kommunikation.Brought to you by Sports Law Africa Magazine

Rynard ‘Ligtoring’ Landman talks to us this week from his hotel room, just hours ahead of a crunch league game. He speaks about his pro career, playing in the ultra-competitive French Pro D2 league, and life as an expat professional rugby player. Rynard was having a cracker of a game back in his Cheetah’s Super Rugby days when unknown to him, a scout was watching from the stands. Shortly afterwards he landed in the UK with a contract in his pocket and his new wife by his side. Listen as he tells how he had just two weeks to find his feet and how he ultimately ended up plying his trade in beautiful Carcassone in the South of France. Rynard offers advice to newly pro players keen to play abroad and offers great insight into the French rugby culture. Enjoy this week's show. Brought to you by Sports Law Africa Magazine

Take a listen to Linos Chalwe, the driving force behind player welfare in Zambian Football. Linos has played pro football all over the world and has seen firsthand how a lack of financial literacy has impacted players in that country. He co-founded the Football and Allied Workers Union of Zambia and is passionately driving player welfare, particularly post-career. He is also keen to shine a light on Zambia’s undiscovered talent and is positively bursting with pride at the recent qualification of the Zambian women’s side for the Tokyo Olympics. He also explains why most of Zambia is suddenly supporting Scottish football. Take a listen to this week's Freshly Signed.Brought to you by Sports Law Africa Magazine

Football in Botswana is in disarray. The Botswana Football Association’s answer to COVID? Cancel the entire 2020 / 2021 season. Players have left the city in despair, many heading home to their families who are also dependant on their incomes. While the rest of the world, and seemingly every other industry in Botswana, is slowly finding a way to resume operations, football in that beautiful country is receiving no love at all. Worse, the custodians of the game, the Botswana Football Association, seemingly have no interest in meeting with stakeholders to work on a plan. In this episode of Freshly Signed we chat with the Vice President of the Footballers Union of Botswana, Mr. Lesego Molemogi who explains the issues at hand. He ends this interview with an impassioned plea for players not to lose hope. Take a listen. Brought to you by Sports Law Africa Magazine

Welcome to our BEST and WORST podcast ever. BEST because we think we’ve found the smartest sports lawyer in all of Italy, and WORST because weather related transmission issues caused havoc with our remote interview. We welcomed Lucio Mazzei to Freshly Signed on Wednesday night and we had just one question for him “what the hell happened this week!” Lucio is a super talented Sports Lawyer who has worked and studied around the globe. He has a Master’s in sports law, earned in Madrid, he studied law in Milan, earned more sports law qualifications in Montevideo, Uruguay and Cambridge UK for good measure. With all these qualifications and post graduate courses you would think he would know a lot about sport, and you’d be right! Especially football. You’ll hear his passion for the beautiful game come through his voice despite the connection. This episode is really worth a listen, so push through the sound quality if you can. We should call it ‘The Super League Fiasco that went sour quicker than fresh milk left outside your fridge’.Brought to you by Sportslawafrica

Could the best job in sport not even be on the pitch? Andrés Fernández thinks so. And he may just be right. Who is Andrés Fernández and why should you listen to what he has to say on this week’s Freshly Signed? To answer the first question: Andrés is the Deputy Secretary-General of the Spanish Motorsport Federation, and also as a part of their legal team. To answer your service question, Andrés, who has seen his fair share of hardship in his native Venezuela, has a word of advice for our Freshly Signed pro athlete listeners: SAVE NOW WHILE YOU CAN! Actually, that’s five words. And he talks about second careers for sports pros. His #1 recommendation? Become a sports lawyer, naturally! Andrés makes a lot of sense though. If you can play club or varsity football or rugby (or any other sport) and snag a law degree before you hit the big leagues, you’ll retire from sport one day and step into a perfect career as a sports lawyer. Or, if you are a petrolhead motorsport enthusiast, but you haven’t won the birth lottery and can’t afford to race (it’s expensive man, and many drivers actually pay-to-play with sponsorships or rich parents) then immersing yourself in motorsport by being a specialist sports lawyer has to be the next best thing right? Take listen to Andrés now and share this episode with your motorsport-loving friends. Brought to you by SportsLawAfrica

This week on Freshly Signed we chat with Scottish ex professional rugby player and coach Stuart Corsar of Big Rig Rugby.  He tells first hand how a lifetime of concussion injuries is still taking its toll on his quality of life. Stuart is using his unique understanding and passion for rugby to coach both boys and girls teams in northeast Scotland. If you’re a rugby player, or you care about a rugby player, you’re going to want to listen to this weeks podcast.Brought to you by SportsLawAfrica

Springbok Women’s Rugby Captain, Babalwa Latsha works as hard off the field as she does on it. This amazing woman has a story to tell and it’s one you’ll love hearing. Take a listen to this episode of Freshly Signed to understand why the delayed Women’s Rugby World Cup is a potential Springbok advantage, how rugby has the power to change lives and why more dad’s should be taking their daughters to games. This straight talking lawyer has no time for misogyny, or to put it into her words “we ALL come from a bleeding vagina...”. Stamping out ‘period poverty’ and helping Springbok legend “The Beast” change the world with his Beast Foundation, are all in a days work for South Africa’s first pro Women’s Rugby Player. Take a listen. And if you care about someone who could use a little inspiring, please share Babalwa’s story with them?Brought to you by SportsLawAfrica

Intrepid sports lawyer Lyrique Du Plessis has had more Covid test swabs stuck up his nose and down his throat, and spent more time traveling in the last week, than almost anyone in the last year. The big question is why? Take a listen to the inside story of Lyrique’s lightening visit to top club Partizan FC and what it means for African football development. Only on the Freshly Signed podcast.Brought to you by SportsLawAfrica

 Join us this week as we talk about Intellectual Property rights and player contracts. Our guest this week is Eben Koen, a freshly minted IP candidate attorney with BDP Sports Law in Cape Town, South Africa. Did you know that it is technically possible to trademark your name and use that as collateral? (Once you become famous of course) and that technically, if you did, and you defaulted, you could lose your name? Neither did I. Join us for this fascinating episode as we discuss all things IP and why you really do need to watch what you sign.This week's episode is brought to you by SportsLawAfrica.com

This week Top French communications expert Laurence Genevet offers up advice on crisis communications and social media.

This week we look forward to the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2023, and we bring you all the info you need to plan your trip direct from the organising committee. The RWC2023 coincides with rugby’s 200th anniversary and there are great innovations to the event that improve access, provide payment plans, include baked-in ticket cancellation insurance and there’s a big focus on allowing disabled fans easy access to all the action. We make our recommendations for Springbok fans and provide some important deadline dates. Be sure to note the following links: tickets.rugbyworldcup2023.com to register for 2023 Family, rugbyworldcup.com for everything else!

This week on Freshly Signed we talk to football great Ayanda Patosi. This super talented footballer is torn. Driven to take his current club, Foolad F.C. to championship glory, Ayanda is also due to become a father for the second time any week now. He tells us about the importance of family, and how his mom moved heaven and earth to keep him in football and out of the clutches of drugs and gangsterism. You’ll enjoy this episode.

This week we chat with Werner Kruger, (not to be confused with the Scarlets player of the same name). He recounts how a single, albeit sensational, Craven Week try landed him a year long contract for that most famous of European sides, Stade Français. He recounts his year in Paris, what it felt like running on against the formidable Stade Toulouse, and why he is itching to get back to Europe. You can also read his full story HEREBrought to you by sportslawafrica.com

We chat with hockey legend Keenan Horne, and the struggle the South African Olympic Hockey team is fighting to self fund their bid for Olympic glory. Keenan chats to us about training during Covid and how coming from a disadvantaged background may be his biggest advantage. Take a listen. Be inspired. Help send Keenan and his teammates to the olympics. They will do you proud. You will find a link to their crowd funding page below:https://matchkit.co/springdog/donate

Welcome to Freshly Signed, where every week we interview pro players, top sports lawyers, tax and investment specialists and other guests who come together with the sole purpose of helping professional sports people manage the business end of their career. Did you know that nearly half of all pro soccer players end up bankrupt shortly after retirement? Our experts help players ensure their income lasts a lifetime. They also tell players what to do next if they've failed a doping test, drunk tweeted a sponsor and haven't been paid by their club. For all the info your coach didn't teach you about your sport, subscribe to Freshly Signed. Out every Friday. Subscribe now!