Hey Reader,

This week's newsletter has got a different feel to it. So here's my key message.

Build something they can’t take away.

Football’s exciting. It’s also brutal.

You can be doing great work one week, then packing up your desk the next. Not because you failed. But because strategy shifted, a new owner came in, or a manager changed.

That’s what happened to me recently.

I left my previous role after a change in direction at the top. Nothing personal. Just how the industry works.

And it got me thinking…

No one really talks about the backroom risk

When people talk about football’s short-termism, they usually mean managers.

But it runs deeper.

Behind every manager is a team of analysts, scouts, technical staff and people who’ve built systems and put in the hours to make things work. When strategy shifts, all that work can get shelved. Sometimes, so can the people.

The process gets reset. The infrastructure disappears. And you’re left starting again.

Some clubs get it right. Most don’t.

Clubs like Brighton and Brentford have invested years in building systems that outlast individuals.

But most don’t operate that way, especially smaller ones.

You walk in thinking there’s a process. Then realise… there isn’t.

So you build it. And then if leadership changes, you might lose it all. Again.

That’s the cycle. That’s the risk.

Here’s the shift: build something for yourself

I don’t mean start a business (though that’s one option). I mean build something no one else controls.

• A technical skillset you can take anywhere
• A network that opens doors before jobs do
• A set of tools, habits, or knowledge that’s uniquely yours

Everything I’ve done in football, every opportunity, has come through someone I already knew.

That’s not luck. That’s leverage. Built over time.

What stays with you when the job doesn’t?

Your role might change. Your club might change. But the value you’ve built in yourself, that stays.

So ask yourself:

What am I learning here that’s mine to keep?

If the answer is “not much”, it might be time to think bigger.

Because football will always be unpredictable.

The key is making yourself less fragile.

Let me know what you’re working on that no one can take away.

Have a great week.

Liam

Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you: ​Free 1-2-1 Breakthrough Call - Frustrated trying to break into football recruitment? Tired of rejection after rejection? No idea how to get your first role in professional scouting or analysis? Get your free Football Career breakthrough Call to create a clear pathway to reach your goals in the football industry. ​Recruitment Room - My online membership community helps aspiring and new football professionals secure jobs working in recruitment. Master the four pillars of scouting, analysis, online portfolio, and employment. Learn from industry experts through our workshops, hot seats, and live sessions.