Build a shortlist from a club brief

Log the club’s brief, review player evidence and build a shortlist with a clear next conversation.

About 6 min read · 4 steps · Private beta

You’ll need

A club brief and player records in your agency’s workspace.

Read the steps Quick checklist Worked example

Step 1 of 4

Log the club brief

Start with the club contact, the date and what a successful signing would solve. Record the position, age profile, fee and salary scope, timing and information still to confirm. Separate a confirmed requirement from a preference or an unconfirmed budget.

In Entekka

Requests → Private desk → Log request

Save the agency’s brief with its contact and owner. Open Find matches or View matches from that brief to assess your agency’s player records.

What you should see

One saved request owns the criteria, contact context and shortlist.

What if the club has not confirmed a budget?

Keep the amount undisclosed and record the question for the club contact. Do not turn an estimate into a confirmed constraint. Clarify the brief before using an unverified figure to exclude players.

Actual Requests excerpt with fictional Northbridge FC: the saved brief has Find matches as its next action. — **Requests · Open a saved brief**Actual interface excerpt · Fictional data

Step 2 of 4

Review matches and their evidence

Matching uses your agency’s player records and the request criteria. Club Intelligence is a separate research workflow for club needs and market developments. Keep the source and date of useful research, then judge whether it is relevant to this brief.

In Entekka

Suggested matches → Matching setup → Review a candidate

Set criteria to Must have, Preference, Nice to have or Not used. Review Recommended, Needs review and Excluded, then inspect a candidate’s reasons and unknowns. Fit describes the match; confidence describes the available evidence.

What you should see

An unknown must-have stays in Needs review. A failed must-have belongs in Excluded; a ranking does not confirm availability or authority to represent.

What if nobody is Recommended?

Review unknown must-haves in Needs review and check whether the brief is accurate. Update missing player information at its source, or revise an incorrect criterion, then use Refresh matches. Do not weaken a real requirement just to produce a result.

Actual candidate review for fictional Luka Petrovic: Fit 84 out of 100, evidence confidence 67 percent, and availability marked as an unknown must-have. Add to shortlist saves the candidate. — **Suggested matches · Evidence before a decision**Actual interface excerpt · Fictional data

Step 3 of 4

Compare players and save a shortlist

Give every name a reason for fit and a question to resolve. Check the Before sharing information and confirm availability, interest and appropriate sharing permissions before circulating private player details or documents.

In Entekka

Suggested matches → Compare players → Add to shortlist

Compare up to three candidates, inspect their criterion evidence, then use Add to shortlist on the private brief. Keep unresolved checks visible while deciding whom to approach.

What you should see

The shortlist remains linked to the request. Adding a player records your choice; it does not mean the player is available or approved to share.

What if this is a Community pool request?

Community recommendations use a separate collaboration flow and viewer permissions. This guide follows an agency-owned private brief. Do not copy private club identities or player documents into a community response without the applicable permission.

Step 4 of 4

Record the next contact and outcome

After contact, record what changed so a colleague can pick up the conversation without reconstructing a message thread.

In Entekka

Saved request → Log touchpoint

Record the contact outcome and follow-up date on the brief. Keep the request owner accountable. If the assessment becomes a credible opportunity, deliberately create or maintain the appropriate pipeline record and carry the relevant context forward.

What you should see

The next conversation has an owner, a question and a date. Request-to-Deal creation and a standalone Reminder are not automatic handoffs.

What if the brief or player information changes?

Update the authoritative request or player record, use Refresh matches and review the shortlist again. Retain the contact outcome and explain why the previous assessment changed.

Completed worksheet

The workflow in practice

A shortlist with a reason behind every name.

Illustrative workflow · Fictional recordsA candidate worth reviewing, with availability still open

Club requirement: Northbridge FC · Under 23 · Left-footed CB. Sam Wilson, sporting director; brief received 15 July 2026.
Candidate: Luka Petrovic · 21 · Left-footed centre-back.
Reason for fit: Age, position and foot match · Agency player record checked 15 July 2026.
Open question: Needs review: availability is an unknown must-have. Terms and interest also need confirmation.
Owner: Jamie R. · Agency agent responsible for the brief.
Next contact: Call Taylor Reed, the player’s recorded contact, on 16 July 2026 at 14:00 to confirm availability and interest. Confirm club terms separately with Sam Wilson.

Next actionRecord Taylor’s response, update confirmed player facts and refresh the matches. Review the shortlist and club terms with Sam before sharing.

Requests owns the brief and shortlist; Players owns the player facts. Club Intelligence supports research and the agent makes the assessment. Carry confirmed context into the next workflow deliberately.

See this workflow in Entekka

Explore Clubs & intelligence Explore Players

Use the checklist and worksheet

Entekka · Agency guides