Ryan Brierley does the business off the pitch as women’s football agent – now to star on it

AGENT Brierley hopes to sign Salford back up to the winners’ circle – then it will be back to dealing with footballers.

For Red Devils’ full back Ryan Brierley is establishing himself as an agent in the women’s game.

Once his on field duties are out of the way, Brierley looks after the interests of seven leading lights, including Manchester City’s Jess Park.

And dealing with huge organisations and in the round ball game has opened his eyes about what those in the 13-a-side code are missing.

Brierley, who got into agency after doing a master’s degree in Sports Management with a view to a career once he finishes playing, said: “It wasn’t supposed to be women’s football initially. It was meant to be men’s football.

“When I went through what I did at Toronto Wolfpack, which was tough, I thought, ‘I can use that experience to give to other younger players.’

“Hopefully they wouldn’t go through what I did and if they did, I’d know how to handle it.

“But a few of the City women’s players went to a coffee shop and I knew the owner, Cory Paterson. There, captain Steph Houghton mentioned that Jess was looking for an agent.

“So I had a chat with her and she liked the way I worked and my experiences, both bad and good, and I’d like to think I’ve helped her in numerous ways and people have jumped on the back of it.

“It’s been a massive eye opener. My first dealings as an agent were with Manchester City – I’d gone from never looking after a player to dealing with one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“I can hardly explain how different it is to rugby league. When I speak to Jess after training, she’ll be in her apartment and say, ‘I’m just waiting for the chef to come round.’ I’m like, ‘What?’

“I couldn’t believe it. Even though the salaries aren’t as lucrative as even rugby players’, the extra the players get and how they get looked after – with the PFA – are unbelievable.

“They pay for your boots, your house or apartment, tickets for any game they want to go too, access to St George’s Park and all the equipment there, any course they want to do.

“I had to pay £9,000 for mine! I hope one day our sport makes strides to be on that level.”

Brierley, who legally cannot get involved in rugby league, may be doing well with his agency but tonight sees the more pressing business of getting Salford back to winning ways after three straight losses.

But before the clash with Leeds – who are just one win from five – he called for perspective from fans, adding: “If we’d lost to Castleford on day one and beat Hull KR last week, the view would be different.

“If anything, that opening day win didn’t do us any favours. We’re a brand new team with brand new coaching staff and we lost so much experience over the last four or five years.

“We’re still in the finding out stage of who we are as a team and what we want to do.”