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If a Goalkeeper Needs It, They’ve Got It – Richard Lee of Refuel Performance Management Does What Other Football Agents Don’t

From an outsider’s perspective, being a professional athlete has so many perks and very few downsides, but that is not the whole story.

After 15 years, Richard Lee amassed an impressive career with more than 200 games under his belt. He played in the Premier League and EFL for teams like Watford, Blackburn, Brentford, and Fulham. As part of an FA Cup Semi-Final against Manchester United, he faced notable players such as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Serving as the captain of Brentford, he was honored as Player of the Season and represented England at U21 level.

During his time playing professional football,“I was continually dissatisfied with the work put in by a succession of agents during my career,” says Richard. That is when Richard and Scott Barron – an ex-teammate with whom he founded Refuel Performance Management (RPM) – decided that their agency would be different. They realized they could provide what they wished from their management.

RPM’s initial goal was to do what other agents or clubs had lacked.

The agency takes a holistic, person-first approach to work. Establishing trust between agent and client will take more time than the traditional fast-paced, strictly business agreement but ultimately is more stable and can bring better results.

These efforts do not get swept under the rug; quite the opposite. Coaches, goalkeepers and managers pay close attention. Lee has been featured in several media outlets, but among the most notable is the Fozcast, where Ben Foster referred to Lee as the “goalkeeping super agent”.

The company operates under a strict code of morals and ethics. The main guiding principles of RPM are Kaizen, unity, agility, and credibility. For those unfamiliar with Kaizen, its basic concept is a continual, never-ending improvement. Lee deeply believes in this practice, which he got tattooed on himself.

One of the ways that Lee implements continuous improvement is his work hosting The Goalkeepers’ Union podcast. There are currently over 250 episodes that have been recorded since 2018 and frequently feature high-profile guests. This podcast is an excellent way for potential clients to become familiar with him.

He also regularly appears as a keynote speaker at events and private corporate bookings. As well as being the subject of an article in The Athletic, this is focused on his career as a football agent rather than a football player.

Football players looking for new representation now have a shining light to look towards. RPM and Richard Lee are doing their best to establish themselves as the leading football agency around the world. Check out their website, Refuel Performance Management, and get to know Richard Lee and Refuel Performance Management on Instagram.