Fabrice Muamba hires PHA Media to handle profile

PHA Media was one of three agencies in contact with the Bolton Wanderers' midfielder, who collapsed on the field during the FA cup quarter-final at Tottenham Hotspur on 17 March. He was rushed to hospital where he recovered and was discharged on Monday.

PHA Media founder Phil Hall said he and senior consultant Neil McLeod met and pitched to Muamba and his fiancée Shauna Magunda at his hospital bedside last Thursday. McLeod, who joined the agency last year from his former role as assistant news editor of the News of the World before the paper closed, has a longstanding relationship with Muamba’s agent.

The agency will handle Muamba's personal profile for at least the next three months. It will help his family deal with the widespread global media interest, which includes interview requests from Brazil, the US and the UK.

The first task was to manage his discharge from hospital. ‘We got him out of hospital quietly on Monday, because we didn’t want him to be under any additional pressure,’ said Hall. The agency took and released the picture above to media outlets.

The agency will also advise Muamba on his first media appearance – whether he gives an exclusive interview or holds a press conference. Hall said the agency wants to make sure he gets the peace and quiet he needs to fully recover, but added that, so far, 'the media have been very reasonable'.

This article was first published on prweek.com