Ruiz, the Spanish agent behind Colindres’ move

It is often seen that the existing foreign players, and sometimes the coaches, work as unofficial agent of the footballers who come to play for Bangladesh Premier League clubs from abroad, especially from Africa and recently, from the Caribbean region.

When looking for quality signings, football agents are most of the time the only option. 

The activities of football agents increased with the influx of foreign players, followed by the addition of one Asian-quota player in each club this season.

When Bashundhara Kings were looking to form the highest-budget squad among the 13 clubs in the league, they contacted some football agents to find a World Cup player. 

There were available options from Costa Rica, Peru and Panama who played in the 2018 Russia World Cup, but it was eventually a Spanish agent named Angel Ruiz who negotiated the signing of Daniel Colindres, the only World Cupper to play in Bangladesh after more than two decades.

The players were found here and there but there was only one person, Baktyiar Duishobekov, who seen busy in gym session even when the party was already rolling.https://t.co/Sw0LcGm1va#KINGS #BASHUNDHARAKINGS #BASHUNDHARA #BAKTIYAR #FOOTBALL #BANGLADESHFOOTBALL #BPL #BANGLADESH

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 31, 2019

Ruiz, a football agent since 2013 under the banner of Ruiz & Gomez, is currently in Dhaka and one of the reasons behind his fourth-time visit here since September last year is to celebrate the Kings’ premier league title in the debut season, as well as to watch the club’s last match Saturday.

Ruiz was kind enough to give an interview to Dhaka Tribune Tuesday as he informed that he works mainly in Asia, and provided players to 17 countries in this region.

He represents players in 11 countries - and also two coaches - featuring in different leagues in Asia, mostly in south-east Asia, including four in Bangladesh – Colindres and his outgoing Spanish teammate George Gotor, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra’s in-form Ivorian winger Ballo Famoussa and Bashundhara’s physical trainer Javier Sanchez.

“I played for Thai top-flight club Osotspa Saraburi FC (now known as Jumpasri United) as winger-striker. After my retirement in 2013, I wanted to be involved with football as it is my passion, but I didn’t want to be a coach or manager. I wanted to be an agent,” said Ruiz, sometimes in English and sometimes in Spanish, which was translated by Nehal Abedin Tonmay.

“I had talks with Imrul (Bashundhara president Imrul Hasan) before the season. After he asked me to find a World Cup player, we started searching and (got) two players – Colindres and Panamanian defender Felipe Baloy (who scored Panama’s first-ever World Cup goal against England). Baloy was 37-year old so we had rather settled with Colindres.”

Bashundhara Kings head coach Oscar Bruzon was seemingly in an emotional mood after guiding his big-spending side to the Bangladesh Premier League title on their debut season.https://t.co/wZndYghFCT#BPL #BFF #FOOTBALL #BANGLADESHFOOTBALL #BANGLADESH #BASHUNDHARA #KINGS #BRUZON

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 25, 2019

While commenting about Bangladesh’s football, Ruiz said it is improving and will get even better if more players like Colindres join the league. 

Thanking the Kings for giving him the opportunity to work in Bangladesh, he seemed happy with Colindres renewing the contract for one more year.

Ruiz also praised some local players of Bangladesh, including Jamal Bhuiyan and Matin Mia, and admitted that some of them have the quality to play in top-flight leagues in other Asian countries. 

He also shared a memory from last season when two Maldives clubs contacted him to provide players from Bangladesh, which didn’t happen later. 

The Spanish agent added that he might include top Bangladesh players in his list soon.