5 Things Football Taught You That Bosses Are Begging For

Football is sometimes overlooked as a simple game from the fans’ point of view, watching the same game week in and week out. However, most people don’t see the amount of time and work that goes into the game from the players perspectives, and with all this effort being put in, the players also gain some valuable, transferable skills in other aspects of life. Down below are 5 main, key skills that football teaches players, regardless of the level one plays at.

Team Work and Collaboration:

We all know that football is a team sport, and not to be cringey but a typical phrase I’m sure we’ve heard playing football at least once is: ‘There’s no I in team.’ Whilst this may be overlooked, all successful football teams are built on the base of great team work and great relationships amongst the team mates, and as players, you all have one shared interest and this is to win the games. Similarly to a work environment, you and your colleagues want to perform to the best of your abilities to ensure you all reap the rewards you deserve. A real world example of team work in a work environment are construction workers. All members must learn to work well together otherwise the project may fall apart. This team work and collaboration within a work environment can lead to astonishing structures being built and it shows how a little bit of teamwork can lead to something so great. A specific example of a footballer who made this transition to the construction business is Danny Drinkwater, ex premier league champion with Leicester and also played for Chelsea. He says that he is happy in this new hands on role after stepping away from a challenging final few years in football.

Communication Skills:

Within football, communication is beyond necessary. Whether you’re the quietest on the pitch or the loudest on the pitch, at some point you will have communicated to your team mates. As a goalkeeper, this may look like moving your team up the pitch for a goal kick or organising your defenders for a set piece. As a defender this may look like organising your team mates from a set piece or directing more forward players about a man on. As a midfielder, this may look like communicating with the more forward players as to where they want the ball, or it will be communicating with your defence helping them to play the ball out from the back. Finally, as an attacker this may look like communicating with the midfielder and letting them know where you want it. My point is, within a football match, communication is crucial and it has to occur to create a successful team. A work environment that also requires communication is within the healthcare sector. You see this within surgeries where the doctors are saving lives, or even as simple as letting a nurse know what pills were given to a patient so they are given the right medication on time. These communication skills within a work environment are life saving to some people and it shows how something so simple can be so crucial. A specific example of a footballer who made this transition to a surgeon is Kenny Deuchar. He played for clubs such as Gretna, St Johnstone, and Real Salt Lake whilst also scoring over 100 career goals. Deuchar worked as a doctor within his football career and returned full time after he retired.

Leadership and Responsibility:

Within football, at some point whether you are the captain or not, you may have to step forward and take control of your team, or accept responsibility for a mistake made, or take on responsibility to drag your team over the line. Regardless of the role, all these scenarios are useful within the world outside of football. A work environment that requires leadership and responsibility is project management. This is shown through the guidance they give towards a common goal for the team, making sure everyone understands their role and deadlines. These leadership skills are very necessary within this work environment, as they’re responsible for decisions that affect time, budget, and quality. Ultimately, they take the most responsibility for the success or failure of the project. These leadership skills within a work environment are important, as it allows you to direct your team to success. A specific example of a footballer who made this transition into project management is Ryan Bertrand. He played for and won the champions league with Chelsea whilst also playing for Southampton for most of his career. He established the brokerage Silikon markets which he later sold and has maintained a key interest in the business side of sports, stating that he is: ‘obsessed with the business of sport.’

Resilience and Handling Pressure:

Within football, resilience is a key aspect of the game as it is what you must hold to bounce back under a loss. Also, handling pressure is arguably an even bigger aspect of the game whether at the top or bottom of the table. For the top teams, it’s about being able to hold your nerve and keep winning to become champions, or being able to perform in a cup final which could be the club’s biggest game. However, it’s similar at the bottom of the table in the relegation scrap, where every point is crucial in trying to survive and remain in that specific league. A work environment that requires leadership and responsibility is being an emergency operator such as a firefighter or paramedic. These professions work in life or death situations where quick and calm decisions are essential, which shows the handling of the pressure aspect of the profession. After intense situations, they need emotional resilience to recover and keep performing effectively, covering the resilience side of the profession. A specific example of a footballer who made this transition into the emergency services is ex-Arsenal player David Hillier, who played for the club over 100 times and won the division 1 title. Following his retirement in 2003, Hillier became a firefighter with the Avon fire and rescue service in Bristol.

Time Management and Commitment:

Within football, time management, especially amongst academy players, and commitment are huge parts of the game. For time management, academy players must be able to balance football training and playing matches alongside school and study, making sure they maintain decent grades, which teaches these players how to prioritise the importance of different tasks, manage time effectively, and show dedication. For commitment, the footballers must dedicate almost everyday towards football, whether that’s for training or for playing a match. Alongside this, they must remain in great physical shape and physically fit to allow them to enhance their performances. A work environment that requires time management and commitment is the legal field. Lawyers often juggle multiple cases, client meetings, and deadlines at once. They must also prioritise tasks carefully. Missing a filing deadline or court appearance can seriously harm a client’s case and damage the lawyer's reputation. Furthermore, law requires long hours of study, preparation, and ongoing professional development. Lawyers are committed to their clients’ interests, working evenings and sometimes weekends to ensure a case is handled thoroughly. A specific example of a footballer who made the transition into the legal sector is Stuart Ripley, ex-premier league champion with Blackburn. Following his retirement, he went to university to study French, Criminology, and Law, eventually qualifying as a solicitor and working in sports law as well as lecturing in law.

While some of you may be thinking that I’ve just gone on mainly about other professions rather than football, you would be wrong. What I’ve showcased are 5 different professions which require these 5 separate skills which most football players would maintain even from just playing at an academy level. This shows that there are so many different professions beyond football which football can help you gain a foothold in. Whether you choose to work in your passion alongside playing football just like Deuchar did, or you decide to enter an industry you’re passionate about once your playing career is over, just like Drinkwater did, all of this is possible, showcased by these elite footballer examples who were once at the top of their game and some of them champions of England. This shows that you should always keep an open mind when it comes to your passions and career, because at some point your playing career will be over and you’ll be looking to invest your time elsewhere.