If you're given a chance to choose a career for a lifetime what would it be and why?
Do I hear you say FOOTBALL!
But football is not a career, most people would say... and they are right in a way!
Playing professional football only last but for the next moment. If a player suddenly gets injured this very moment or loose form within a short while, his career is over even before it began. That's the reason most parents are skeptical about letting their kids pursue a career like this.
Well, you don't have to fret, that's not all there is about a career in football. In fact, A well planned football career can start so early and last for a life time. Football is one of the longest career you can ever think of today.
By 6 years or so, you are already in the academy learning the rudiment of the game...and at 80 or above, you are still playing as an active coach or technical committee member of a professional club or even the national team. Football career can endure for your lifetime.
It's just like someone practicing law. He starts from being a professional lawyer representing his clients in Court, but as he advance in his career, he could later become a judge presiding over cases. And Being promoted from a magistrate court to a Supreme court judge...
Most players that plan to remain in the football profession after their playing days, usually work to become either a professional coach, team manager or administrator... There are many other areas of interest you can choose from. You can work to become a Scout, Agent, Analyst/ Commentator, Referee, Match Commissioner, merchandiser, journalist, sales/ marketing....
Take for instance, moving-on to become a coach after your playing days. It seems a different ball game altogether. when you were a player, age was an impediment... at a time you couldn't compete anymore with the young and upcoming ones. But as a coach, the older you get the better you become.
If you remain in good health, you can still coach until you are 80 years and above. Coaches like Scolari, Arsene Wenger, Manuel pellegrin, Goran Ericssion to name a few are in their 70s and still waxing strong in the game. Ivor Powell retired at Age 93.
Apart from the lucrative financial rewards, doing what you love doing best gives you job.satisfaction and fulfillment in Life... It's incredible if you find work in (monetize) something that should have been a leisure to you.
Let me give you another line of thought...
In any given time in Nigeria, around 4 million young footballers play at school sports. That number dwindles to 500,000 who have the skills to play at the real football academy or the state and national amateur league level. Of those half a million elite amateur players only around 10,000 can make it to pro... either playing in NPFL or playing abroad.
Chances are many of us are not going to join the pro clubs as a player, but that doesn't mean your football dream is over.
You can't change your genes to be more talented or will you make yourself to be a few seconds faster, but you can work to stay close to the game you love by training to become a player's agent or Sport marketing personnel. This is a reality you can control, with our help at GreenHunters Sports International.
It's really incredible the kind of money players make, especially in Europe or China. But you can still make quite a lot too as a coach or agent. Fifa badge referees also receive reasonable allowances. The entire industry is so-so lucrative.
One reason ex-footballers suffer in Nigeria...living in abject poverty or begging for arms from government and all asundry is because they didn't plan well to remain relevant in the industry after their playing days. This is why I am letting you know what you should do now.
While you are still playing begin to make plans how you can get trained for the next level of your career as a coach or Agent... And if you didn't make it to the pros, you can quickly enroll to attend National Institute of sports (NIS) in Surulere Lagos.... to get education on your choice football course.
There are many sport peofessional institutions abroad... I recommend the Nelson Mandela Sport Institute in Pretoria South Africa.... If you have the funds.
You can do online courses with Sports Management Worldwide.... I, Benson Chukwueke CEO GreenHunters Sports International can also mentor you and even help you birth a football enterprise of your own in 3 months or so. Contact me now. Call: +234 809 877 2556 Or email: gh.sports1@gmail.com
