Getting access to the right people at top clubs

Martin Škrtel is one of the greatest players to have represented Slovakia, having won over 100 caps for their national team and played at Liverpool for eight years in a distinguished 20-year playing career.

He finished playing at the club he supported as a child, Spartak Trnava, who are one of the biggest clubs in Slovakia with ambitions of competing regularly for domestic honours and in Europe.

Now he’s building their squad and making the decisions in the transfer market as their Sporting Director.

“Spartak is historically one of the biggest clubs and the most successful club from Slovakia since I was a child,” Škrtel says in the video below. “I was supporting the club. It was kind of my dream to come to the club and have a chance to represent Spartak when I was a player. And here I am, you know, to work as a Sporting Director. I would say if it’s not a 24-hour job, it’s a minimum 18-hour job.

Watch our full interview with Martin Škrtel

At the heart of his work in the transfer market with Spartak is TransferRoom, world football’s transfer marketplace.

Spartak are one of more than 800 clubs on the platform, alongside more than 550 verified Trusted Agencies.

Eight of the 12 teams in Slovakia’s top league, Niké liga, are on TransferRoom as part of a league-wide agreement, and he explains how through the marketplace he is able to connect directly with the right people at elite clubs including Liverpool, as well as teams from more than 130 leagues worldwide.

“TransferRoom is something that makes my life as a Sporting Director much easier because it's giving you freedom and it's giving you opportunity to connect with the players, agencies and clubs,” Škrtel says. “I would never have had a chance to get in touch with Liverpool, or with some other clubs, but with TransferRoom, you can do it.

“The first thing that I do in the morning is, I'm opening my computer and checking new pitches, checking the messages, the friendly opportunities and just the random players who are available. Then I still stay connected for all day and you can get in touch with the clubs and agents.

“You can find information about the players that you would never know about. You can find the data, you can find everything that you need to know. And the thing that I like most is, when you find the player, you can get in touch with his club or with his agent directly. 

“You can add your position or a player you're looking for, and then, when you see that you're receiving new pitches, then, you are excited to see what the players are like. That’s the thing I'm using the most. And this is the first thing I check in the morning when I open TransferRoom. So it's saving you time.

“From Slovakia, we don't always have the opportunity to compete with the biggest players, but this will give you the advantage, what TransferRoom will give you, that you can find the exact player what you're looking for.”

There are over 800 clubs worldwide using TransferRoom, including Spartak Trnava. You can find out how to join them here.

Agents, get access to the decision-makers at top clubs in over 130 leagues worldwide as a TransferRoom Trusted Agent. Find out more here.