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Volunteering Opportunities in Scouting

Isaac Mbamuku

Hello all, hope you are well!

I am currently looking to make a career switch into football. To do this, I have completed multiple PFSA courses, FA Introduction to Coaching Football course and I have gained experience by providing player and opposition analysis reports for clubs in the EFL League Two.

My question is, as I am currently on the waiting list for the FA National Talent Identification & Scouting in Football course, are there any volunteering opportunities to be involved in the Scouting Department or perhaps any advice on how to seek this opportunity?

Thanks for your time, Isaac

  • 0

    Hey Isaac, it sounds like you are taking the right steps so far!

    A really good way to push yourself forward is to get involved with your County FA, and the easiest way to do this is through attending CPDs. Obviously a CPD related to Talent ID would be ideal but even if it is something related to coaching etc then you will meet a lot of coaches in local clubs in your area who may have opportunities for some scouting/analysis work, and additionally you will meet members of County FA staff who may know about the opportunities in your area.

    If you can build up good knowledge of your local leagues/clubs that would help, as a lot of larger clubs in the local area will want scouts who know the area well. I think the best way is really just to get in contact with as many clubs as possible and build up a strong scouting CV.

    Hope this helps, best of luck!

  • 0 in reply to Ethan Scott

    Hi Ethan,

    Thanks a lot for the advice, I'll certainly take this onboard!

  • 0

    Hi Isaac. Hope you are doing well. 

    While opportunities to work/volunteer as a Scout are not often published publicly, most opportunities like this in the football industry come about through networking and connections. Therefore, it is important to build connections with scouts and decision-makers in football, who you can learn from and may be willing to mentor you. These relationships could eventually lead to being recommended for a scouting role in the future. One way of connecting with such people is through social media, such as LinkedIn, but you can also take part in events/conferences that will be attended by the people you wish to connect with. Here, you could have a face-to-face conversation and try to get to know each other. 

    However, you shouldn't neglect your responsibility to develop your own knowledge and competencies as a Scout. When you get your opportunity, you want to deliver good work and this requires you to be well-skilled in the tasks that a Scout has to perform. This might involve writing reports, tagging/coding/telestrating videos using an analysis software as well as evaluating players. These are skills that you can practice and develop by creating your own portfolio. To build your knowledge of recruitment and scouting, it's helpful to follow and read the work of industry professionals. People like Andy Watson have a unique area of expertise (GBE &ESC) and this knowledge will help you to understand the rules and regulations of the transfer market. Here is a link to his substack: https://substack.com/@andywatsongbe

    Hopefully, this advice will bring you forward on your journey. Good luck and feel free to reach out if you'd like to follow up. 

    Best regards, 

    Rupesh Popat