Footballers Studying to Become Sporting Directors
Footballers Preparing for Careers as Sporting Directors
Footballers spend most of their careers thinking about what happens on the pitch. But for some, the next challenge is already taking shape away from it, with professional and former players studying for careers in football management and sporting directorship.
The role of the sporting director has become increasingly important within modern football clubs, covering areas such as recruitment, scouting, squad planning, football operations and long-term sporting strategy.
The PFA Business School has developed programmes specifically aimed at current and former players looking to build careers in these areas.
Footballers Preparing For Life After Playing
A playing career can finish long before a footballer's interest in the game does. For some former players, the knowledge gained inside dressing rooms and on the training ground can provide a useful foundation for a second career in football.
The PFA Business School's Global Football Sport Directorship programme is designed around that idea.
It covers areas including club governance, finance, scouting, recruitment, analytics, leadership and football operations, giving players an opportunity to understand what happens behind the scenes at a football club.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is one of the footballers to have studied sport directorship while continuing his playing career.
The midfielder has spoken about the importance of developing himself away from the pitch rather than waiting until his playing days are over.
His interest is understandable given the range of responsibilities involved in modern football management.
A sporting director needs to understand recruitment, contracts, finances, club structures and the relationship between coaches, players and executives — areas that sit alongside the footballer's own experience of the game.
Taiwo Awoniyi
Taiwo Awoniyi has also combined professional football with education. The Nigerian international has previously studied business management and other qualifications while building his playing career.
His story demonstrates that education does not necessarily have to wait until a football career is finished.
For players who want to remain involved in the sport, qualifications in business and football management can provide another route into the industry when their playing days eventually come to an end.
César Azpilicueta
César Azpilicueta has long taken an interest in education alongside football. The former Spain international completed an MBA at Harvard University during his playing career at Chelsea, having returned to formal study after becoming a professional footballer.
Azpilicueta's approach also reflects the broader idea behind football education. Learning about leadership, management and decision-making can be useful during a playing career as well as afterwards, particularly for players who have already developed leadership responsibilities within their teams.
James Tarkowski
Everton defender James Tarkowski is another professional footballer who has studied sport directorship through the PFA Business School.
He has described the programme as an opportunity to prepare for a career beyond playing while gaining insight from people working at the highest levels of the game.
For a current player, the flexibility of the programme is particularly relevant. The PFA's sport-directorship course is designed to fit around football commitments, combining virtual learning with face-to-face sessions rather than requiring players to step away from their careers.
Phil Jones
Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones approached the course from a different position after ending his playing career. He studied sport directorship as he considered what his next chapter in football might look like.
Jones has spoken about his interest in coaching as well as sporting directorship, showing that former players can use further education to explore several possible routes within the game rather than automatically moving into management.
Steve McManaman
Former Liverpool and England midfielder Steve McManaman is another familiar name associated with the PFA's sport-directorship programme.
His experience at the highest level of the game gives him a different perspective from current players who are still balancing study with their playing careers.
The course brings together current and former professionals with people already working in football administration, creating an environment where playing experience can be combined with knowledge of the business and sporting side of the game.
What Does A Sporting Director Do?
A sporting director has responsibility for much more than signing players. The role can involve developing a club's sporting strategy, overseeing recruitment and scouting, working with coaches and academies, managing budgets and helping establish a long-term footballing identity.
Modern sporting directors also need an understanding of data, contracts, governance, communication and player development.
The PFA's programme reflects this broader definition, covering everything from football finance and club governance to analytics, recruitment and strategic operations.
Why Footballers Are Studying For Sporting Director Roles
Former players already possess something that cannot easily be taught in a classroom: first-hand experience of professional football.
They understand dressing-room culture, training environments, competition, player relationships and the pressures surrounding the modern game.
Education can add another layer to that experience. Learning about finance, recruitment, governance, leadership and strategy gives former players the opportunity to understand football from the perspective of those making decisions behind the scenes.
A New Path After Playing Football
The traditional route for former players has often involved coaching or management, but the modern football industry offers many other opportunities.
Sporting direction, recruitment, club administration, commercial management and football business are all potential career paths.
Players such as Dewsbury-Hall, Awoniyi, Azpilicueta, Tarkowski, Jones and McManaman show that education can begin well before a playing career ends.
For some, the next role in football may not be on the touchline or in the dugout, but in the office helping shape how a club operates.
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