How do I go full-time in football?

 

Are you dreaming of becoming the next Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp? Have you got plenty to offer when it comes to coaching and improving players? Are you looking for a job that involves developing people and communities through sport? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, then a job in football coaching might be for you.

Being a football coach is a challenging but rewarding job. No two days are the same. You can work in different locations, with different age groups and with players of different abilities. With coaching your job will be focused on helping players reach their full potential and getting them involved in the sport for as long as possible.

Whether you’re a new coach who is just starting out on their journey to greatness, a coach who has been volunteering for a few years now or one that works on a part-time basis, the move to going full-time in football may not be as difficult as you think.

We’ve put together the steps you need to take to find yourself coaching full time. Trust us – it’s worth it.

 

Do you have the right skills to coach?

Being a football coach requires a broad set of skills which you need to have in order to thrive in the role. Communication skills and leadership are important as you’ll need to be able to deliver training sessions clearly and effectively. It’s not just about developing players, it’s also about developing other coaches, and positivity is a must when helping others achieve their football goals.

People management skills and the ability to motivate players or coaches are a must, you will be managing an increasing amount of individuals and will need to harness a wide range of communication skills.

Finally, you need to have strong organisational skills as it can be somewhat of a challenge getting a large group of over excited six-year-olds to do what you want or manage back to back sessions throughout the week. When managing a number of sessions, you will need to have an understanding of logistics and determined processes to make sure each week goes smoothly.

If you tick all those boxes, then you should have what it takes to become a good football coach and a leader. Which takes us onto the next step…

Gain the qualifications

In order to work as a football coach in England, you need to gain qualifications from the FA which ensure that you are of a suitable standard to coach. These start at the most basic level with the FA Level 1 Coaching badge which sets you on your journey by covering the fundamentals of the four corner model: Social, Psychological, Physical and Technical.

Following the FA Level 1 is FA Level 2, FA Level 3 (which doubles as UEFA B), FA Level 4 (UEFA A) and FA Level 5 (UEFA Pro Licence). The UEFA Pro Licence is what the Mauricio Pochettino’s and Unai Emery’s must have if they want to work in the Premier League. As you progress through qualifications, securing each certificate becomes more competitive and imposes a more stringent selective in criteria.

Find a coaching opportunity

Once you’re qualified to at least FA Level 1, then you can start looking for jobs coaching football. The more highly qualified you are and the more experience you have, the better chance you’ll have of gaining employment. It’s best to try and achieve a higher level than just the most basic one and volunteer in communities to show your dedication to learning.

The good news is that with an increasing number of football academies popping up across the country, new coaching roles become available all the time. Many of these opportunities are part-time, so you’ll have to use your organisational skills to work different shifts to make up a full week of work in football or you could decide to setup your own football coaching business.

 

Set up your own Football Coaching Business

Once you’ve gained experience as a coach, grown a network in football and feel confident in your abilities, then you can consider going into business for yourself with your own football coaching academy.

It’s the ultimate way to work full-time in football, be your own boss, make a real difference to lives and gain financial security from a job you love. With the sort of franchise opportunities that We Make Footballers can provide, it’s never been easier either.

To find out if you have what it takes to start your own football coaching business, contact us today!