Hey Reader,

Everyone talks about breaking into football.

Nobody talks about staying in it.

Last week I shared something brutal on LinkedIn that got more engagement than anything I'd posted in months. The hard truth about working in football that most people don't want to hear.

Job security doesn't exist in this industry.

Actually, scratch that. Job security doesn't exist in any industry unless you're the owner or founder. But it's especially harsh in football, where most of us are analysts, scouts, or recruitment staff - the first people cut when things change.

The Reality Check

This season alone, I've watched a Championship club lose their director of football after seven months. Their head of scouting? Also gone after seven months.

New investment. New ownership. New direction.

Experienced professionals with detailed analysis, months of scout reports, custom data pipelines - suddenly jobless overnight. All that brilliant work becomes irrelevant the moment someone new walks through the door.

I experienced this earlier this year when I left my previous role unexpectedly. It was sudden. It was a wake-up call.

Your work won't save you. Your detailed analysis won't save you. Your perfectly coded web applications won't save you.

But here's what will.

The Four-Point System

You need to build something for yourself that survives job changes. Something you can't lose when you're shown the door or when you change clubs.

Build your network before you need it.

Most people only start networking when they need something. That's not networking - that's asking. Real networking happens when you don't need anything. Start showcasing your work on LinkedIn. Attend industry events. Provide value to others consistently.

Develop transferable skills.

If you're a scout, that's your grading system, your network, your background research methods, your report-writing process. If you're an analyst, it's your technical skills - data visualisation, coding, AI implementation. Skills that work at any club.

Document your processes and learnings.

​Lee Mooney, former Director of Data Insights at Manchester City, said he kept a little black book on a recent Chris Gill podcast episode. Every week, he'd write down something he'd learned or how a big decision was made. You can't always take your work when you leave, but you can take your knowledge.

Build a reputation beyond your current workplace.

People need to know you exist outside your club. Your technical skills, your insights, your approach to problems. This happens through consistent posting on LinkedIn, speaking at and attending events, sharing your journey.

The Shift

Your current role isn't your career. It's a stepping stone.

Your role gives you football expertise and experience. But your network, your skills, and your ideas build career stability.

The clubs will change. The ownership will change. The direction will change.

What you build for yourself doesn't.

Football is an amazing industry. I've loved having an impact on the game. But you have to think selfishly about what you're building that can't be taken away.

Future-proof yourself. Because in football, change is the only constant.

Liam