She is 31 years old in a male-dominated industry, but Basia Michaels has quickly stamped her authority as one of SA's leading agents.
When the young attorney took over QT Sports three years ago from Tim Sukazi, who had to renounce that part of the business because he'd become a club owner, there might have been doubts over whether Michaels can raise the bar.
And she has…
"Covid hit last year and generally the assumption was we wouldn't be able to do too much. There was uncertainly around football," Michaels told the Siya crew.
"But we at QT Sports did a lot. We were able to move Xola Mlambo and Luvuyo Memela to AmaZulu and you can see that they joined an ambitious club that has a president who is determined to see the team succeed in Sandile Zungu."
Memela leaving Orlando Pirates came as a shocker, but that he would land at Usuthu and have an immediate impact would have been predicted by very few.
"Yes, they were free agents, but it clearly demonstrated the kind of relationship one can have with a club chairman. That discussion resulted in the transfer of Veli Mothwa from Chippa United, which was a purchase a week before the window closed – and it's been a move that Veli's career clearly needed," she explains.
Then came the deal Michaels described as a highlight over the two July to August transfer windows that are usually quite frantic as clubs scramble to assemble the best squads possible while keeping an eye on their financial standing.
Covid made some of them look closely at their spending.
"I think moving Austin Dube to Kaizer Chiefs (from Richards Bay) was a big one for us – now he is going to play alongside somebody we already have in our stable. That's Erick Mathoho, and at some point that could probably be the centre back pairing with Austin a left footed player, and he is the next generation," added Michaels.
She says every deal she has concluded is unique in its own way – some can be done in just a moment's notice, while others can drag on.
"They all vary, and I want to thank all the club owners who've taken me in as young as I am and allowed me to make mistakes here and there," Michaels adds.
"For instance, the deal to move Khanyisa Mayo to Cape Town City was done very quickly, within hours from making my presentation to John Comitis after I spoke to (Richards Bay) chairman Jomo Biyela about the possibility. Then 48 hours from our first conversation Mayo was on a flight to Joburg to join City for pre-season camp. I remember having a meeting and then within a few days he had signed. The same goes for Terrance Mashego going to the same club in what was also a cash transaction. But not all are like that. To move Zitha Macheke (now Kwinika) took six months in the making. Stellenbosch showed interest at the time they signed Asavela Mbekile and that is how the conversation started, but Zitha still had a four-year contract with Bidvest Wits."
Wits were sold and the process was perhaps simplified, though Michaels still had to negotiate with the new owners to issue a clearance.
That very much sums up her daily work, and you can expect more!
Story by @superjourno
Have a look at the gallery above for Michaels' impressive list of clients…
