ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the supply chain for footballing talent in more detail and looks at how networks have become important for the flow of information between stakeholders and in gaining access to decision makers. Networks can be thought of as evolving social structures with interdependencies between individuals or groups in society. Applying network theory to the football labour market, it considers why agents have become more important following liberalisation of the labour market. The chapter focuses on how the nature of networks can impact negatively if well connected agents become dominant in the market and potentially abuse their power. In the context of football, it is important for agents to have both strong and weak ties according to the role that they are playing. For an agent who represents only players, it is very important to have a lot of weak ties in order to both hear about new opportunities and also hear about other good players who need representation.
