It’s probably the biggest question that people have to wrestle with when deciding whether to make the move into full-time coaching, as opposed to settling for the security of a 9-5 role in an office.

Even if you love the game, you might be unsure if working full-time in football is a good idea. Well, we’re here to tell you that it is, this pretty convincing list of five reasons as to why a career in football is your calling!

You love football and you want to inspire the next generation

This is probably the number one reason for taking up a career in football. How many of us can say we’re doing a job that we truly love and are passionate about and want to continue for the rest of our lives? Working in football full-time is that and so much more.

If you love football, then you’ll want to pass it onto the next generation and inspire them to get involved in the sport for as long as possible. These leads to positively impacting your community and promoting community cohesion. This is harder to do if you’re working in an office.

Make a difference to the lives of children as a coach

We’ve all read the stories about what a difference coaches have made to the lives of footballers – especially those from underprivileged backgrounds. Raheem Sterling and Kyle Walker are just two of the players who have given candid interviews in the past about how football has transformed theirs and their family’s fortunes, and none of it would have been possible without the coaches that they came across growing up.

Football can genuinely change lives, not just the Sterling’s and Walkers of this world who have gone onto become professional multimillionaires, but more importantly the average child on the street who doesn’t fall into a gang as a result of their spending their spare time being coached or the child who needs an escape from home and football gives them that.

It’s about providing an environment in which the player feels safe, can express themselves through the sport and enjoy the game.

Becoming a full-time football coach means that you can make a real difference.

Coaching is rewarding

You won’t find many jobs that are as rewarding as football coaching (for kids). Imagine you’ve spent weeks trying to teach one young player how to perfect the Maradona turn but they’re nowhere near doing it. Then, completely out of the blue they go and produce one that is inch perfect to take an opponents out of a match scenario!

That’s because of all the hard work you’ve put in with them. You’ve made them a better player and the smile on their face once they’ve mastered a skill they long thought impossible will give you all the job satisfaction you’ll ever need.

Challenge yourself on your Coaching Pathway

There’s no hiding behind the fact – football coaching and working with different groups of players can be a challenge. But, this means that there are always new learning opportunities and ways to refine your craft.

Humans thrive on challenge and finding a way to make every scenario a successful one is one of the best aspects of being a coach. Overcoming those challenges will also help you develop as a person. Coaching football full-time will bring out leadership and communication skills that will prove beneficial in every area of your life. It is a career that requires an armoury of skills and tools to succeed.

Football is FUN

Still not sold? Then just think about how much fun it could be. Every day, you’ll have a ball at your feet and the open spaces of a football pitch as your office, rather than a desk and a computer. If you love football, it doesn’t get any better than that.