Hey Reader,
Last week in the Recruitment Room I sat across from a technical scout at a Championship club and shared something most people won't tell you.
"I shook hands. We agreed terms. And then he ghosted me completely. Haven't heard from him since."
This wasn't some entry-level rejection. This was after persistent pursuit from the club. After meetings. After they'd sold him the vision. Full agreement - then silence.
It's football. The way football works sometimes.
But here's what happened next.
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The LinkedIn Message That Changed Everything
He wasn't chasing opportunities when the real one came.
He sent a simple congratulations message on LinkedIn to the new head of recruitment at his local club. That's it. No pitch. No CV attachment.
One message led to a meeting at the training ground the next week.
But here's what surprised him: the head of recruitment had already heard him speak on podcasts. Had read his articles. Knew his work - despite them never having met.
The club had never had technical scouting or data analysis in their recruitment. He went in part-time but didn't treat it like part-time work.
"You can either go in part-time and think, right, I'm going to do this amount of work. Or you can go in part-time and just absolutely throw yourself at it."
He threw himself at it. The club started signing players from markets they'd never accessed before. Players who became cult heroes. Players they sold on to top leagues.
What Actually Gets You Seen
Years later, when he was interviewing people for video scouting roles at a multi-club ownership group, he looked for one thing: a body of work he could see.
Something that showed they could actually do the job. Public reports. Analysis. Evidence they understood the work.
Not certifications. Not degrees. Demonstrable skills.
That's why I always emphasise the importance of an online portfolio.
The Three Things That Matter
His pathway started with random messages on Twitter. Then LinkedIn. But those messages only worked because he'd been building something people could see for years.
He started writing about Football Manager tactics. Then real football tactics. Co-founded a platform that gave voice to people now in senior roles. All while working another job. All before knowing where it would lead.
"Be intentional, be consistent, be visible."
Three words that sound simple until you try to do them without immediate results.
Where It Leads
He works remotely for a Championship club now. Manages nine video scouts across a multi-club group.
One of those video scouts recently got promoted to full-time. The scout kept messaging to say thank you.
His response: "It's nothing to do with me. I gave him the opportunity and he smashed the door down."
That's the pattern. The opening comes through visibility. The breakthrough comes through execution.
What This Means For You
Get your foot in the door through visibility, consistency, and intentional work. Then when the door opens - even slightly - kick it down completely.
The qualifications don't do that. The courses don't do that. What gets you through is demonstrable work, public visibility, and absolute commitment when opportunity appears.
Most people with courses and degrees are still stuck because they're invisible. They have knowledge but no one knows they exist.
The technical scout who got ghosted didn't stop. He kept building in public. He sent one congratulations message and threw himself completely at the chance that followed.
That's what breaks you in.
Liam
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