Football is beloved by people across the world, and there are plenty of jobs out there for football enthusiasts. Football scouts are in high demand to work for clubs or privately, to look into players that can be acquired in various different ways. If you’re interested in becoming a football scout, then this article will show you how to become one.
First, you’ll need to know what exactly it is that football scouts do, which requires a good knowledge base of the game. To become a professional scout, you’ll also need to enjoy spending your time away from home, as most scouts are constantly travelling between games and making contacts.
There are many things which make up being a good football scout, and you’ll need to have a diverse knowledge on the game to be able to spot talent in both players and managers.
What qualifications are needed to become a football scout
As with many jobs in the sports industry, you’ll need to have a good amount of experience under your belt before you can become a scout. A lot of this comes from coaching grassroots football, where you can learn about playing skills, and identifying ability in young players.
You’ll also need to be able to speak another language if possible, as this will make it far easier to do your job if you are able to communicate with players and managers.
If you meet the academic and experience requirements, you may be able to secure a position with one of the many scouting agencies which exist. These companies will place you with clubs around the world so that they can locate potential players.
Scouting agencies often base themselves in popular football countries such as Spain or Italy where there are high volumes of talented players, but there are agencies all over the world who are always on the lookout for potential top players.
The benefits of becoming a football scout
There are plenty of benefits to being a scout, as you’ll be able to see the best players in the world play almost every week. You will also have an intimate knowledge of talent around Europe and across the world, which can lead to many opportunities; including writing for football publications or starting your own scouting agency. With such a high demand for scouting services, there are plenty of opportunities for you to make a good salary.
How much a football scout salary
Football scouts are often employed on an ad hoc basis so they will be paid per game; some scouts may even get paid for every player that they find. These scouts can make anything from £200 to £5,000 or more per game. If you’re scouting on behalf of a club who wants to sign certain players, then you’ll typically be paid between 3% and 10% of the player’s first year salary, which is often very lucrative.
If you are scouting for a football club, this will typically be part-time so you can continue to do other jobs at the same time. Some scouts may also choose to scout privately on their own time, which can be very profitable as you’re not limited to a team’s wages.
Who is the best football scout in the world
The best football scouts have an intimate knowledge of both players and managers from all different leagues, which will allow them to spot top talent from across the world.
Some of the most successful scouts include Monchi who manages Sevilla FC, and has had an impressive 17 year career at the Spanish club. Monchi helped Sevilla to become one of the most financially stable clubs in La Liga, which is down to his impressive scouting record that has led to lucrative transfer deals. There are scouts who work for some of Europe’s top clubs, including Arsenal FC where Steve Rowley is the chief scout.