The football market is a fairly large one with enormous opportunities. Other professionals in the industry work behind the scenes to make the game more attractive. This includes managing a football club, putting the right policies in place for the game and all stakeholders, and scouting for players in addition to the real footballers we watch and appreciate.
A football scout or an agent is one of those professionals you are unlikely to hear their name. The management of a player’s move from one club to another is handled by an agent in the background. An agent represents a player as a manager and works to sign them into lucrative contracts and deals. Fortunately, an agent can stay in the industry for a long time because he can work until he is old, unlike the player who needs to retire before the age of 50.
In Nigeria, football players with talent and skill are proliferating. These local players prefer more favorable playing conditions outside of Nigeria, particularly in European clubs as the top football leagues in the world are in Europe hence all local footballers in Nigeria want to play in Europe. This implies that Nigeria would never run out of top-notch football players to send to Europe. Football fans who want to share in the success stories of these budding players might take advantage of this situation and create jobs in Nigeria for themselves. Being a certified football agent in Nigeria is a wonderful privilege you must cherish because many players have been exploited and abandoned by self-centered or fraudulent agents.
How To Become A Professional Football Scout In Nigeria
Follow our guide below if you wish to work as a football scout in Nigeria.
Apply to the NFF to become a football agent in Nigeria
To register as a football agent or scout in Nigeria, you must apply to the Nigerian Football Federation. Your birth certificate, state-issued identification card, and other certifications (academic and otherwise) must be enclosed with your letter. The required academic level is the First School Leaving Certificate. Keep in mind that you must pay an application fee and provide your payment receipt with your letter of application. To determine whether you have ever been a part of any financial or drug-related crimes before your application, your name will be forwarded to the EFCC, NDLEA, CPC, as well as other bureaus and agencies. If your initial background investigation is successful, you will be invited to take a test.
Take The Required Examination
You must complete a written test that is being administered by the Nigerian Football Federation under general FIFA supervision. Exams are typically given by NFF twice a year. The test consists of multiple-choice questions, and FIFA has established a pass mark. A second effort and potentially a third attempt are made if the minimum mark is not met. A candidate cannot retake the exam for two years if he or she fails on the third try. You will be required to get professional liability insurance with a reputed insurance company in Nigeria after passing the written test to cover any risks that might occur while doing your tasks.
Obtain An NFF License
You will need to obtain a license issued by the NFF before you can practice as a football scout in Nigeria. Please bear in mind that this license limits you to practice in Nigeria alone as you cannot scout for players outside Nigeria. To be successful as a football scout or agent, you must establish your credibility and ability to front for players before prestigious football clubs and secure favorable contracts. Another trait you need to be successful as a football scout is patience. Your integrity and patience will win you more players who will want you to work with them as their agent or manager.
How Much Do Football Scouts Make
As a football scout, you can work on a full-time basis with a club side. You will be saddled with the responsibility of making sure the club gets the best players to join their team. You can make 10% of the contract fee off a player you secure a deal for. Also, you get paid by the club side you are working for.
Football scouts are paid differently depending on a range of variables, such as the prominence of the team they work for and the precise duties they do. As a football scout, you have the core responsibility of locating potential recruits and, ideally, discovering a hidden diamond. According to Glassdor, football scouts in the United Kingdom earn a salary of about £20,000 per annum. As we mentioned earlier, scouts are also rewarded with bonuses if a player they have scouted ends up being signed by the club and even if the player does not get signed due to circumstances beyond the scout’s control, they still get a token in appreciation for their effort.
Job Description Of A Football Scout
If you wish to work full-time as a football scout, below is the job description for this role:
- Watch various sports games and identify talents
- Attend professional matches
- Identify players with high potential and outstanding skills and style
- Network with agents, venue managers, and coaches who can introduce you to new talent
- Reach out to talented players and conduct preliminary interviews to understand their motives and professional goals
- Arrange meetings between players and coaches or team managers
- Coordinate contract negotiations between players and the team
- Watch game footage to gather players’ performance stats
- Gather and share with coaches and team managers the new players’ data (like medical history, athletic background, and contact details)
NFF Licensed Agent VS FIFA Licensed Agent
As an NFF licensed agent, you are only limited to practice in Nigeria while as a FIFA licensed agent, you can practice all over the world, although you may require additional licensing from the country you wish to practice. For example, if you want to work in the EPL as a football scout, you need to be certified by the English FA.
How To Become A FIFA Licensed Agent In Nigeria
The Nigerian Football Association (NFF) is the appropriate organization to contact in Nigeria if you want to start the application process for a FIFA agent license. After paying an application fee at a recognized bank, a formal application should be sent to the NFF. The required payment amount is disclosed to the interested party either on the Federation’s website or at any of its local offices. It is advisable to bring the payment receipt and any other necessary educational documentation with you when you visit the office.
FIFA will carry out a thorough background investigation to make sure the applicant is a credible candidate. After their investigation, the applicant is required to write a test to determine the applicant’s level of familiarity with FIFA laws and regulations. FIFA determines the pass mark and application deadline. Successful candidates are given the go-ahead to start making plans for their final licensure. Candidates who fall short of the required exam points can apply again to retake the exam. Candidates who retake the tests may only do so a maximum of three times; following that, they must wait two years before trying again.
If you found this article informative and helpful, log on to Hubforjobs.com for more. Click here Hubforjobs
You can also connect with Hubforjobs on all their social media handles for more regular job updates.
Facebook: @Hubforjobsofficial
Instagram:@hubforjobs
Twitter: @hubforjobs
LinkedIn: @HubForJobs
Telegram: Hubforjobs
