There has been plenty of hype about player managers and their involvement with local cricketers and Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) in the recent past.
We take a look at the role of a player manager in Sri Lanka to give a better idea to the fans of how much influence he/she can have towards a player and the sport as a whole.
The Manager’s role
A manager’s interest is usually vested in a cricketer’s commercial dealings, with the manager making sure that they take care of this vital area of a player’s career. This could range from a bat and cricket gear sponsorship to even when it comes to a player being involved in franchise cricket like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) etc.
Another instance where the manager would be involved is if the player is required for commercial purposes. If a player is needed for a commercial, the organization involved would have to go through the player’s manager in order to set up the deal.
Are Player Managers a novelty?
Player managers rarely came into the limelight leading up to the end of the 20th century. They took more prominence within Sri Lankan cricket in the early 2000’s and have come a very long way and play a significant role in a player’s career at present, with close to 100% of players hiring managers to oversee their affairs. This could also be a result of the growing professionalism in the sport and the opportunities that come with it.
Does the average Cricketer need a manager?
Players have no pressure to use a manager and they are allowed to take care of their commercial dealings on their own. But more often than not, with the amount of cricket being played and the commitments that it entails, players hardly could be hard-pressed to find the time to deal with all these other factors, hence making a player manager a convenient solution.
As an example, a player with no manager in Sri Lanka may have difficulties in securing a club for a franchise tournament. Therefore, most players tend to use managers in order to stay focused on playing cricket and let their manager deal with commercial purposes.
Though it’s not a must, we hardly find a player in the national set up without a manager as most young players with potential sign up at a very early stage in their careers.
What’s in it for the manager?
A player manager is rarely spoken about and they hardly get the credit they deserve despite playing a very crucial part in a player’s career. According to a reliable source and a player manager who has worked with some of Sri Lanka’s top cricketers, a Sri Lankan manager usually earns close to 10% of any commercial deal brought in by them, the standard figure is closer to 15% in the international arena.
Central contracts and SLC match fees
Do players get charged off their central contracts and SLC match fees? The answer is a big no to this as ThePapare.com reliably learns.
A reliable source, who declined to be named, speaking exclusively to ThePapare.com said “No managers in Sri Lanka get involved in negotiating player contracts with the SLC. It’s as good as someone asking 10% off your salary”.
He went on to say, “In a nutshell, managers are involved only in a cricketer’s commercial interest and they do not interfere with anything to do between the SLC and the player”.
What do you think about Player Managers? Are they ruining the game? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
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