Leading agency ICM Stellar Sports – which represents both Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish – appoints former England star Lianne Sanderson to head their women’s division
- Lianne Sanderson won 50 international caps for England during her career
- She also represented Arsenal, Chelsea and Juventus in her club career
- Forward believes too many female players feel pressurised into signing deal
- Her appointment comes ahead of the first WSL season under the new TV deal
The leading football player agency, which represents Gareth Bale, Ben Chilwell and Jack Grealish has appointed former England international Lianne Sanderson to lead a women’s sports division, in a sign of the increasing commercial strength of the game.
Sanderson, who won 50 international caps during a career with Arsenal, Chelsea and Juventus, said that too many female players were still having to negotiate their own contracts and felt pressurised into deals.
Her appointment by ICM Stellar Sports comes ahead of the first Women’s Super League season under the new Sky/BBC TV deal which will bring £24million into the sport over three years.
The leading football player agency has appointed former England international Lianne Sanderson to head a women’s sport division
Gareth Bale (right) Ben Chilwell and Jack Grealish (left) are the male players it represents
Sanderson said: ‘Women’s football is finally getting the visibility and support it deserves and while we are a very long way off from matching the sort of deals you see in the Premier League. Things are moving slowly in the right direction.
‘What women football players really need is protection. At the moment a lot of players are having to negotiate their own contracts, which puts them at a big disadvantage and often they can feel pressured to agreeing things.’
Though some of the new TV deal money will filter into the second tier, Sanderson said more could be done.
‘There’s a big gap in the resources of different clubs that needs to be addressed and one of my aims is to help players in the WSL2,’ Sanderson said.
‘There’s lots of great players who have to hold down full-time jobs on top of playing, it would be great if we could help that league become stronger.’
Her appointment comes ahead of the first Women’s Super League season under the new Sky/BBC TV deal
Sanderson won 50 international caps during a career with Arsenal, Chelsea and Juventus
