How do I have a career in Football?

[SteKelly]

Hi all,

 

I have recently been searching the web about how to have a future in Football whether it be a scout or coach of some sort.

 

I go on forums near every day but I have only just came across this one which looks very active and promising.

I understand I will need to do voluntary work so could someone point me in the correct direction on how to do this?

I live in Liverpool so would love someone to give me a list of teams around Liverpool who I could contact or something?

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Until recently, I would have said join UK Football Finder. However, due to my mate (their ex Chairman) and their manager falling out and the manager being a major hissy fit thrower I wouldn't bother with them.

 

Getting a club to take you seriously is always tricky, from my experience, so the best thing you can do is put together your resume (Football CV) and get as many references as possible.

 

Around Liverpool, I would get in touch with the Merseyside FA who could help you with a placement. There is also the North West Counties League as well, and they are very good at replying to emails/queries.

 

Good luck, and I hope that you have a good and long career in the beautiful game!

[SteKelly]

Until recently, I would have said join UK Football Finder. However, due to my mate (their ex Chairman) and their manager falling out and the manager being a major hissy fit thrower I wouldn't bother with them.

 

Getting a club to take you seriously is always tricky, from my experience, so the best thing you can do is put together your resume (Football CV) and get as many references as possible.

 

Around Liverpool, I would get in touch with the Merseyside FA who could help you with a placement. There is also the North West Counties League as well, and they are very good at replying to emails/queries.

 

Good luck, and I hope that you have a good and long career in the beautiful game!

 

Thanks mate,

 

I am just on that UK Football finder, I might aswell have a go on that and see if there is teams who need help!

 

I can then do my FA badges and I am getting experience aswell.

[missunderstood]

Assuming you have eliminated the chance of being a player have you considered being a referee, sports journalist, agent, admin work for a club or taking coaching badges? Probably need a hell of a lot of bloody mindedness tunnel vision and ambition, and a bit of luck, but anythings possible if you want it bad enough.

 

With loads of clubs in financial trouble I would imagine they would jump at the chance to give someone work experience if they were prepared to work for SFA.

[SteKelly]

Assuming you have eliminated the chance of being a player have you considered being a referee, sports journalist, agent, admin work for a club or taking coaching badges? Probably need a hell of a lot of bloody mindedness tunnel vision and ambition, and a bit of luck, but anythings possible if you want it bad enough.

 

With loads of clubs in financial trouble I would imagine they would jump at the chance to give someone work experience if they were prepared to work for SFA.

 

I've given the thought of being a player, don't want to go down that route to be fair.

I would love to be a sports journo or agent, I would also do admin work as I currently have qualifications in IT and 3 years experience!

I would love to be an agent however its ridiculous, how would you become one!

[missunderstood]

I've given the thought of being a player, don't want to go down that route to be fair.

I would love to be a sports journo or agent, I would also do admin work as I currently have qualifications in IT and 3 years experience!

I would love to be an agent however its ridiculous, how would you become one!

 

My son is a very successful journalist who started writing match reports in our local paper when he was fourteen. Went to uni and got a great degree, and then studied part time at Harlow Journalist College. Stated his career working for a local rag, and has since earned a living working worldwide.

[Hookey]

My son got his FA Level 3/UEFA 'B' Licence at the age of 22 (25 now), it's bloody hard work and not cheap. He works for West Ham's Community Trust and goes round schools and colleges in East London & Essex putting on sessions and promoting the club, the hours aren't great but he loves it.

 

He's looking for a place in an Academy but this is where "they" close ranks and it's very much who you know not what you know.

 

My advice is to take your level 1 (One step at a time) which you can do over a couple of weekends, then approach a local pro club and ask if there is any Community/Soccer school work going.

 

I wish you all the best for the future.

[NCEL fan]

Ste

 

Re playing, let's be honest, it chooses you, not the other way round!

 

Re coaching, it is very difficult to to without having either the resources and time (£thousands and 100s of hours) to get right up to UEFA A and therefore almost guarantee yourself reasonable well paid work. More important as stated by Hookey above is who you know in the game and without wanting to sound presumptuous, you wouldn't be going on a forum to ask about this if you were 'in' with a lot of people inside the game. Like many, again pointed out by Hooky, you probably can do the basics at Level 1 and maybe progress to 2, which would give you enough to get casual/part time work in a coaching school or pro club community scheme. I think people do progress that way further up the ladder to make a career full time but it requires hard work, patience and a willingness to sacrifice a hell of a lot to do so.

 

Re scouting, this is becoming more scientific with a reliance on a strong vocational qualification eg Sports Science degree, MA in Performance Analysis etc. there are still probably half of the scouts who get paid for the pleasure out there who live off contacts as opposed to qualifications like these but the game is changing on that front so again, if you want it bad enough, that's an avenue you could go down.

 

Re writing, there are plenty of non league clubs that would appreciate having someone do match reports regularly for them and that might be a way to start - Mayor Simpleton's suggestions about NWCL would be a realistic starting place there. There's also blogging as an option but that is a very, very crowded area and your chances of earning money from this are very limited. In my experience, because football is all about opinions and the internet gives everyone a mouthpiece, every tom, dick or harry that's ever watched a game seems to have a go at that these days.

 

I've noticed that pro clubs - remember they're almost all loss making businesses so that gives you an indication as to the future prospects in this particular industry! - seem to be moving to an internship model when it comes to roles like strength and conditioning coaches, scouts and performance analysts. They seem to hope that they'll get maybe recent graduates or anyone else perhaps like you who really wants to get into the game that will work for nothing, the hope of a paid role at the end of it or at least that the experience will lead to a paid role elsewhere being the motivating factor for the candidate. Even for these, unpaid, roles, competition is fierce - evrybody wants to get in the game!!

 

My only advice would be if all of the above seems too difficult or is not possible for one reason or another, why not offer your services as a kit man at a decent non league club for free? Vauxhall Motors, Burscough, Marine, NWCL club - there must be some that don't have a kit man. This will help you understand the culture within the game - be prepared to take some light hearted banter - but you would pick up a lot of insight and probably contacts too.

 

Good luck

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Assuming you have eliminated the chance of being a player have you considered being a referee, sports journalist, agent, admin work for a club or taking coaching badges? Probably need a hell of a lot of bloody mindedness tunnel vision and ambition, and a bit of luck, but anythings possible if you want it bad enough.

 

With loads of clubs in financial trouble I would imagine they would jump at the chance to give someone work experience if they were prepared to work for SFA.

 

I don't think that he wants to work in Scotland, Alan

[krobbo92]

Much like me, find local clubs in your area, get in touch with them in any way and if they are after volunteers hand your time over when you can, but there is the thing, as a volunteer while they don't expect you to be there every game i'm sure they would still like knowledge.

 

With myself i'm currently volunteering with Tipton Town Football Club after finding out they were after volunteers via facebook. Due to this i'm now more confident in myself, i've met new people and can also get references when needed for future full time employment. But even then after finding employment if i have times where i can i will be going back and lending a hand at the club.

 

Thanks for reading,

Karl

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Got a lot of time for Tipton, and I hope you are doing well after the recent 'episode' with a former chairman.

[HKP]

If you want to be a Journo why not contact some of the local papers and see if you can do any Work Experience? Maybe see if you can offer to cover some matches for free (that they otherwise could not cover) and write up a match report. Experience is key.

[krobbo92]

Got a lot of time for Tipton, and I hope you are doing well after the recent 'episode' with a former chairman.

 

I think like some places they could do better attendance wise, i wouldn't know how attendances were before the "episode" or straight after it but from what i've seen more could help them out.

 

If you want to be a Journo why not contact some of the local papers and see if you can do any Work Experience? Maybe see if you can offer to cover some matches for free (that they otherwise could not cover) and write up a match report. Experience is key.

 

Thats a good idea HKP, i'd also say asking the team if they want someone to write match reports for their website or even start your own blog writing match reports, posting news, etc.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

The problem for Tipton, Willenhall, Bilston, Pelsall etc. is that they have bigger teams right on their door step in the form of West Brom and Wolves.

 

I read somewhere that both Tipton and Willenhall have over 45,000 people living in each area. A great target audience for the clubs.

 

I am sure, though, that Tipton must have picked up some new fans in their recent FA Cup run when they made the 1st Round proper.

[krobbo92]

Oh i think when people heard about that (i'm sure it would have been big news in the local papers) people would have took notice, but thats the thing i guess after all the stuff happened with the former chairman it tarnished the name maybe. I guess its just ways to advertise now really to get the name out there that they are cheaper than the ones on the "doorstep" to be honest i'd say Baggies & Wolves are a bit of distance even though they can catch train, bus or metro to there.