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WINTER 2017
D E V E L O P I N G T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N O F L E A D E R S F O R T H E B E S T B U S I N E S S E S I N S P O R T
T O M O R R O W ’ S TA L E N T , T O D A Y
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thirst for knowledge and improving Gareth Southgate
Exclusive interview with the England manager
Jamie Carragher
on getting started in sports media
Mauricio Pochettino
on developing talent through coaching
Hope Powell
on continuous learning in elite sport
Brendan Rodgers
on vision, commitment and resilience
Hayley McQueen
on the opportunities for women in sport Also inside…
NFL in London
Is it now just a matter of time until London has its own franchise? UCFB . c o m
Promoting a mega-fight
Klitschko, Joshua, Haye… the different ways to sell a boxing match
A W O R L D F I R S T I N S P O R T S E D U C AT I O N
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A world ďŹ rst in sports education UCFB delivers university degrees in the multi-billion-pound football, sport and events industries in world-class campus locations that have the iconic Wembley and Etihad stadiums at their heart. Through a network of sector-leading partnerships, C
UCFB also connects our
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hundreds of sports organisations, driving these companies forward with the next generation’s brightest talent.
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If you would like to speak to UCFB about student or graduate work placements at your sports business and how we can help drive your organisation forwards, please contact us on 0333 220 9351
or visit www.ucfb.com/talent.
WORKING IN PARTENRSHIP WITH
WELCOME
The future of sport is here
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ello, and thanks for choosing to read the inaugural Future Sport magazine. Here, we will share with you just some of the brilliant examples of our students and graduates working alongside clubs, governing bodies, events and brands as we drive forward the industry together. The sport industry is changing at an unprecedented rate, and is now more professional than ever before – on and off the pitch. The number of work and career opportunities is increasing all the time, with new doors opening every day to those willing to put the hard work in. Simply put, the future of sport is here and now is the time to tap into the knowledge and expertise of UCFB, its students and graduates. Across the following pages you’ll read about our fantastic work at a number of the biggest sports organisations around the UK and further afield, including graduates at renowned institutions and clubs such as Manchester United, The Football Association and Sky Sports, and current students helping to facilitate global sporting events. Since UCFB opened in 2011, we’ve partnered with over 400 elite organisations, with our students having helped to take these businesses to the next level.
On top of that we’ve also got exclusive interviews with England manager Gareth Southgate ahead of a vital World Cup year, and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino. Both managers talk of the importance of education, communication across the workplace and what it takes to succeed at the highest level in professional sport. At UCFB we care deeply about diversity within sport and actively encourage women to participate at all levels of the industry. Our eight-page women in sport special, which includes further exclusive interviews and graduate highlights, shows just some of the great work women are doing in sport right now. UCFB and our network of employment partners continue to drive innovation and success as the next generation of talent takes its place in this exciting sector. I hope you enjoy the read!
Brendan Flood Chairman of UCFB Director at Burnley FC Tomorrow’s talent, today | 3
CONTENTS
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Making sport work
In conversation with…
Did you know?
Run the world
Industry heavyweights have their say
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher discusses his move into television
Fascinating facts on the sport industry
An in-depth eight-page special on the huge role women are playing across the sport industry
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UCFB partners with… Isokinetic Medical Group Why the FIFA approved company work with UCFB
26 FUTURE SPORT EXCLUSIVE England manager Gareth Southgate tells us about finding that winning edge
4 | Future Sport
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The Bhoy done good Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers on dealing with set-backs and creating a philosophy
CONTENTS
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UCFB chairman Brendan Flood
In conversation with… Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague on England, Spain and football’s career opportunities
We’re in it together
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Fight night
UCFB partners with… Blackpool FC
What students and employers say about UCFB
Good guys, bad guys and the complicated world of promoting a boxer
Find out how one student helped the club achieve promotion last season
Subject key
Each colour represents one of UCFB’s four core careers in sport and its relevance to each article in this publication.
MEDIA COACHING BUSINESS EVENTS
Future Sport editorial Editor Neil Hawkins Production editor Daniel Brown Art editor Alex Cadoni Pictures Alex Dunn, Agnes Kotwinska, The FA via Getty Images Contributors Brendan Flood Sharona Friedman James McKeown Ray Boggiano Danny Stroud All written content by Neil Hawkins unless credited Special thanks to the League Managers Association
44 Can London sustain an NFL franchise? We take a further look at the UK’s love-affair with American Football
48 Follow the leader Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on why education is important to new coaches
50 Snapshot A photographic look at the exciting roles that exist within the sport industry and our students
54 In conversation with… The FA’s law man Mark Ives
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The contents of this magazine, both words and statistics, are strictly copyright and the intellectual property of UCFB. Copying or reproduction may only be carried out with written permission of the publishers, which will normally not be withheld on payment of a fee. Article reprints: Most articles published in Future Sport are available as reprints by prior arrangement from the publishers. Normal minimum print run for reprints is 400 copies, although larger and smaller runs are possible.
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Tomorrow’s talent, today | 5
MAKING SPORT WORK
Making sport work UCFB is fortunate to count a number of elite professionals across the sport spectrum as advisors and colleagues. Individuals regularly visit both UCFB campuses to speak with students and staff to pass on advice and offer guidance on the intricacies of the industry. Here are just some of their thoughts on UCFB and the vital role it plays in the sport industry…
“UCFB’s degree programmes and Complementary Curriculum open up new opportunities in the football business and related industries. UK and international students sharing educational, business and cultural experience in this context will be invaluable for the future of football.”
“The industry needs graduates with these qualifications and work-based experience as a way of both improving best practice and standardisation across the football business and associated industries.” Neil Doncaster
Chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League
Sir Dave Richards
Former chairman of the Premier League
“UCFB is developing the future best-in-class football and sports business professionals with the skills, knowledge and experience to excel within the industry and drive it forward, both in the UK and internationally.” Kelly Simmons MBE
Director of football participation and development at The Football Association
“The interest level and the questions I was asked by students was phenomenal and really well researched. I was very impressed by the professionalism of the organisation. I think it’s a terrific place to learn.” Chris Foy
Former Premier League referee
6 | Future Sport
“I think UCFB is fantastic. Getting people into the sports industry and training them in all of the different aspects of the industry is absolutely great. This is a great place to begin your career in sport.” Danny Mills
BBC Sport pundit and former England defender
MAKING SPORT WORK
“Sport is big business and being here in this facility is showing people what the potential is.”
“What an incredible campus; what a brilliant place to learn and engage in sport.” Gabby Logan
Lee Clayton
BBC Sport pundit
Head of sport at The Daily Mail
“I think UCFB is definitely unique and is offering something to students which nobody else has. To actually be in a stadium, immersed in such history, and to see how Wembley works as a business with The FA here as well, I just think UCFB is like no other.” Hayley McQueen
Sky Sports News presenter
“I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen at UCFB. I applaud the good work that is going on here and I think it’s only going to get better and better and get bigger and bigger.”
“I’ve been really impressed by UCFB, it’s a very clever idea. I’d definitely enjoy studying a course here.” Chris Powell
David Dein
Former Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town manager
Former vice-chairman of The Football Association and Arsenal
“The education you get at UCFB about the professional sport industry is first class. You’re often talked to by industry professionals, either past, present or even future, and you assimilate a lot of knowledge about how the professional sport business works.” Dr. Brian Barwick
Chairman of The National League and Rugby Football League
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 7
JAMIE CARRAGHER
IN CONVERSATION WITH...
Jamie Carragher
Talk: Carragher spoke to UCFB students about his stellar career and passed on advice to succeed in the sport industry
When he retired from playing in 2013, many expected Jamie Carragher to go into coaching and find himself in the Anfield dugout not long after. So it was met with some surprise when it was announced he was going to be following one-time playing rival Gary Neville into the TV studio at Sky Sports. We spoke with Carragher during his talk to students at the Etihad Stadium, where the Liverpool legend explained his new career choice and outlined the qualities needed to succeed in the football and sport industry, whatever the role… You’ve gone from Premier League player to Sky Sports pundit – how did you prepare yourself to adapt to your new role and how important is it for students looking to work in the football industry to be able to adapt to different environments? Towards the end of your career the question for most players now is ‘do I go into coaching or do I go into punditry?’ I’d done a few of my coaching badges before I finished playing and I also did a lot of work for ITV, especially during the 2012 European Championships, and I enjoyed it. So I knew then it was something I’d like to go into. I’d always watched a lot of shows and thought ‘could I do that?’ Going forward, and in terms of joining Sky and Monday Night Football, I had a scaled down version of the machine we use to learn with over the first summer I had off. 8 | Future Sport
As a pro who played under a number of great coaches, you’ve seen first-hand the techniques that can galvanise a squad as well as demotivate them. What would you say to UCFB students looking to pursue a career in this area are the key traits to be an effective coach? I always think that if you listen to what players like in a coach, they will always say honesty – just tell them straight and where they stand. A lot of the time as a player, although you’re part of a team, you’ll be thinking of yourself. Does the manager like me? Is he going to pick me? Am I leaving? Where do I stand? I think it’s a big thing for the manager to keep a hold of the whole 25-man squad and their ups and downs at different times, so I think man management is a massive part of it. You’ll never keep everyone happy, but players will at least respect what your job is and accept at times they’re not going to play every week. For a UCFB student going on to work in football and sport, whether it’s coaching, media or otherwise, what are some of the typical challenges they will face and what would you say are some of the ways to face up to them? Football, like any other industry, is very, very competitive, whether going into playing, management, punditry or the business side of it. It’s hugely competitive and there are vast sums on offer, it’s high end stuff. I think that when competitiveness gets involved in anything it should bring the best out in you. If it doesn’t, and you shrink because
Legend: Carragher made 737 appearances for Liverpool
JAMIE CARRAGHER STUDENT SUCCESS
Conor Creamer, UCFB graduate and reporter at Sky Sports
Conor’s dream one-two with UCFB and Sky Sports UCFB hosts a number of unique media programmes to reflect the ever changing multimedia world. Such a programme helped Conor on his way to a job with the nation’s most popular sport website…
Online: Conor now works as a reporter for Sky Sports
There can be no denying that Sky Sports has changed the way fans watch sport forever. Thousands of football, rugby, cricket and NFL fixtures are beamed into living rooms around the country every year in high definition, with some of the most talented names in punditry analysing the games in fine detail. But it’s Sky Sports’ journalistic efforts that have also made others raise the bar. First came Sky Sports News, the UK’s first dedicated rolling sport news service, in 1998. Now Sky Sports are offering more and more from their digital news service through their website and mobile apps. At the core of each report is a focus on good journalism. Just one look at any reporter role advertised on Sky Sports’ careers website will show an
“UCFB OFFERED ME THE PERFECT EXPERIENCE TO HELP BOOST MY CONFIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE JOURNALISM WORLD” applicant must possess the necessary qualifications to work for the company. UCFB alumnus Conor Creamer came to the institution to study media and journalism, and he now spends his days engrossed in his favourite interest – sport. “I’ve always been a massive sport fan,” he said. “Reading and watching entertaining sport content is something I’ve always enjoyed doing.” For an institution like Sky, only the best education will do for their staff. “UCFB offered me the perfect experience to help boost my confidence and understanding of the journalism world,” Conor said. “I’ve long believed that in order to maximise your potential and become the best in your chosen field, it is crucial that you surround yourselves with the industry’s best and UCFB offers precisely that.”
of the competitiveness from someone else – say another player or another team – and you can’t handle that, then you’re probably in the wrong industry. I think if you have the mental strength to handle that you will be OK. What are your thoughts on opportunities available at UCFB? I think what UCFB does is fantastic for the students. There are so many strands to the game now, it’s just becoming bigger and better. The fact you have something like UCFB and the facilities – that’s the future of the game now. It was always felt in the past that it was just the players and the manager, but now there’s so much more with the likes of sports science, the business side of it and the scouting departments behind the scenes at the clubs. There’s a lot of jobs to go round so I hope UCFB students will have a prosperous career in the game.
Meet: Carragher’s industry stories were a firm favourite with UCFB students Tomorrow’s talent, today | 9
THE WORLD’S LEADING AUTHORITY IN AMERICAN SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS SINCE 2001. Created by athletes for athletes, FirstPoint USA is the original scholarship agency. Since it was founded in 2001, FirstPoint has secured scholarships in over 20 sports for over 7,000 sportsmen and women across the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. We have brokered over $150million in scholarship deals on their behalf in sports including football, rugby, golf, field hockey and lacrosse. Initially working with 14 athletes, FirstPoint now interviews over 26,000 applicants each year from around the world, with 600 scholarships secured by FirstPoint on an annual basis. Past FirstPoint USA students include 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett, former England hockey player Dulcie Davis and HSBC Shangai Masters champion Russell Knox. Danny Willett – 2016 US Masters winner, Ryder Cup player and FirstPoint USA scholar Danny signed with FirstPoint USA in 2005 and secured a golf scholarship to the NCAA Division I program at Jacksonville State University the same year. During his amateur career, he won the English Amateur Championship in 2007 before becoming the number one ranked amateur in the world in March 2008. Willett turned pro two months later and earned his European
info@firstpointusa.com Tel: 0871 641 3010
Tour card for the 2009 season coming through qualifying school, and the following year he entered the top 100 world rankings for the first time. His first success on the European Tour came in June 2012 at the BMW International Open in Cologne, beating Marcus Fraser on the fourth extra hole of a thrilling sudden death playoff. At the 2015 Open, Willett recorded his then-best major
finish with a tie for sixth on the famous Old Course at St. Andrews. The 2016 Masters though is where Willett made his name. A brilliant five under par final found at Augusta National saw the Englishman take advantage of a back nine collapse from home favourite Jordan Spieth to become the first Brit to win the famous green jacket for 20 years.
www.firstpointusa.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know?
Sport is worth £20 billion a year to the UK economy
In the UK alone there are 450,000 people working in the sport industry
UCFB partners with over 400 elite sports organisations providing student work placements for their businesses
Two in three UCFB graduates work in sport
Graduates in UCFB subject areas earn on average £38,400 p/a over their career
There are currently approximately 9.5m jobs in the UK in UCFB subject areas
Images created by Freepik
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 11
WOMEN IN SPORT
12 | Future Sport
WOMEN IN SPORT
RUN THE WORLD More than 7.2million women around the UK now participate in some form of regular sporting activity – 250,000 more than when the This Girl Can campaign was launched in 2015. But it’s not just on the playing field where there has been a drive to increase the number of female participants. Newsrooms, training grounds, medical centres and finance departments across the sport industry have also seen a positive increase in numbers in their female workforce. UCFB is proud to employ a number of the industry’s finest female minds and educate the female stars of the future. In this Women in Sport special, we spoke with former England manager Hope Powell, Sky Sports’ Hayley McQueen and former England goalkeeper and UCFB ambassador Rachel BrownFinnis. A number of UCFB’s female graduates also reveal what it’s like to work in the sport industry...
Left: Just some of the fantastic female students, staff, graduates and guest speakers from UCFB
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 13
WOMEN IN SPORT
The roar of the lioness History will show that Hope Powell changed the face of women’s football in the UK for good when she took over as England manager in 1998. The game is now at a higher level than ever, but that doesn’t mean her work is done. Powell met with us to discuss how to stay ahead in today’s game and advise students on being the best they can be...
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here is no bigger champion and no bigger name in women’s football in England than Hope Powell. As national manager for 15 years, Powell is credited with almost single-handedly transforming the game from small crowds and Sunday league facilities into the professional multi-million-pound industry it is today. At a time when there was relatively little professional interest in women’s football within the UK, Powell demanded investment, opportunities and structures to allow the game to develop.
“BY CONTINUAL LEARNING YOU BECOME BETTER AT YOUR TRADE” “It’s a tough industry no matter whether you’re male or female,” she says. “But it’s harder for women because the industry is clogged by the male game. The assumption is that men are more knowledgeable on the game than women, and the lead roles unfortunately fall to men.” The 50-year-old added: “The decision makers are quite often male and therefore a lot of people generally employ people like themselves – it’s a fact.” It’s comments like this which has seen Powell never rest on her laurels. In recent years participation in the women’s game has gone through the roof, as have the number of coaches, the amount of TV coverage, attendance at games, the wages on offer to players and the success of the national team. But still she carries on. Stubborn or determined? Powell doesn’t mind what you think but she knows what it takes to succeed and what women need to do to make themselves impossible to ignore. Advising female students, she said: “If you’re trying to break into this industry as I did, I think the important thing 14 | Future Sport
is to get qualified, get experience and don’t be deterred.” She adds: “You’re competing all the time and you have to stay ahead of the game and be better than the person next to you – that means more experience, more qualifications, keep upskilling yourself, volunteer and get a mentor. It all puts you further forward than the person next to you.” Powell’s record speaks for itself. A playing career spent largely with Millwall Lionesses and Croydon, she also represented her country 66 times, including playing in a European final as a 17-year-old. It’s her time as England manager though where she made her name. Appointed as the first-ever full-time national team manager, Powell became the first woman to obtain her UEFA pro licence, and has since been awarded an OBE and CBE for the way she transformed the women’s game. As manager, she led England to two World Cup quarter finals and a European final in 2009 – a record noticeably far superior to the men’s team during the same period. It’s obvious to most though that Powell wasn’t just the manager. Wearing the job as a badge of honour, she grabbed the women’s game by the scruff of the neck and dragged it into the professional era. The FA couldn’t ignore her, but how did she convince them to believe in her vision? She doesn’t deny it was tough. “Something I learnt was that a win for me is a win for them. It’s about how you sell it, how you negotiate and how you work with your senior management to get what you want, because first and foremost it’s a business and it’s got to be a win-win situation.” She added: “Managing upwards is about convincing those people that if they agree to your idea then they’re going to benefit from it – that’s really important.” Now a female coach educator at the Professional Footballers’ Association, Powell works with both male and female coaches to help, educate and inform them on how to better themselves and their coaching skill sets. It’s a different kind of coaching and a different kind of educating, not to mention a world away from leading out England at a World Cup, but it’s yet another area of the game Powell is hugely passionate about.
WOMEN IN SPORT
“THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET QUALIFIED, GET EXPERIENCE AND DON’T BE DETERRED”
“Formal education in terms of coaching is really important,” she says with absolute conviction. “It upskills you in the knowledge of the game and allows you to disseminate all that information appropriately to the age group of players you’re working with.” Powell goes on to say that education never stops, no matter what level of the sport you are at. “The game evolves so you need to evolve with it,” she adds. “By continual learning you become better at your trade and you then become better at dealing with players. The idea of coaching is how you make players better, so it’s important to continue upskilling yourself in order to
Transformed: Hope Powell helped bring women’s football into the mainstream
make you more proficient at your job and to help your players develop.” The first tournament England played in the postPowell era was the 2015 World Cup, where they caught the imagination of the nation by reaching the semi-finals and then beating the mighty Germany in the third-place play-off. Undoubtedly their greatest ever moment on the international stage. She might not have been pitch side, but there can be no denying the influence Powell had on the team. If it wasn’t for her, the standards of the female game in England would be very, very different. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 15
WOMEN IN SPORT
This Girl Does Sky Sports have led the way when it comes to championing the female cause on the nation’s TV screens in recent years. We spoke with leading presenter Hayley McQueen on her role in the media spotlight and how women should believe in themselves to succeed...
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ky Sports’ Hayley McQueen knows a thing or two about being a prominent female figure in the world of sport. McQueen, one of Sky’s most popular anchors and presenters, is in the leading pack of female talent on Sky Sports News which proudly boasts a number of the UK’s most respected broadcasters, including Kirsty Gallacher and Natalie Sawyer. Thanks to campaigns such as This Girl Can, the number of women participating in sport – on and off the field – has seen a steady increase. Despite this, there are still certain stigmas to overcome in the sport industry. Fully aware of this, McQueen has a clear message for women who want to pursue a career in sport: “See yourself as an equal, because you are.” “Don’t think of yourself as ‘I’m a girl, it’s going to be tough’”, she says. “Don’t even see yourself as a sex - just see yourself as an equal. As soon as you see yourself as an equal, other people will see that too. Women are equal in every other industry so why can’t they be in sport?” No stranger to football growing up, McQueen, whose dad Gordon played for Manchester United and Scotland, added: “If you’re someone who has grown up with sport, that’s what you should be doing. So don’t let it put you off.”
“SEE YOURSELF AS AN EQUAL, BECAUSE YOU ARE” McQueen started her journey in the world of sports journalism with Middlesbrough’s in-house TV channel Boro TV as a reporter, before going on to Manchester United and then making her name on Sky. With media leading the way in the number of females employed in its rank, McQueen highlighted the likes of medical, marketing and sales roles as areas where more and more women are being employed, but hoped 16 | Future Sport
Popular: McQueen is one of Sky Sports’ most respected presenters
that public incidents, like what was seen between then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and doctor Eva Carneiro, doesn’t put females off working in the football and sport industry. “Unfortunately that was the worst thing that could have possibly happened in that situation,” McQueen said. “The headlines probably came out because she was a woman and Mourinho undermined her position. “I think that was frustrating because it set everybody back a little bit and thought ‘well maybe women can’t work in the industry’, ‘she made this mistake’ or ‘according to Mourinho she’s made this mistake’. I hope things like that won’t put women off.” With role models like McQueen leading the charge, there is no reason why that should be the case.
WOMEN IN SPORT
Riding the wave She’s played at the Olympics, won an FA Cup and is an England legend. Rachel Brown-Finnis had a colourful playing career and has now transitioned into television. The UCFB ambassador spoke with us about the expanding opportunities available to women in football and her new career in front of the camera…
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dapting to a new country and new culture is something sport industry professionals must be prepared for at any given point in their career. The global nature of 21st century sport means a move abroad is never far away, something that’s especially true for athletes. Former England and Everton goalkeeper Rachel BrownFinnis had to learn quickly when she moved from her native north west England to the United States aged just 18, where she was between the sticks for Alabama Crimson Tide while attending the University of Alabama. Rachel said she learnt “a lot” during her five years in the US, and highlighted that her time there not only developed her hugely as a goalkeeper, but also helped her learn more about herself. “Yes they spoke English but it was a very different culture,” the 37-year-old said. “The education system was very different, and how people perceived female footballers in America was very different to here in the UK.” Brown-Finnis added: “It actually made me more determined to change how women’s football was perceived in England because, when I went over there the women’s team had won the Olympics and the World Guidance: Brown-Finnis is a long-time UCFB mentor and ambassador
Cup and they were idolised in the newspapers. They were household names and I wanted that for our country.” Brown-Finnis soon returned to England and signed for the Toffees. Her stellar playing career also saw her earn 81 England caps along the way and win the Women’s FA Cup with the Merseyside club. She also made history when she was selected as part of the first ever Team GB team at the London 2012 Olympics. It was during her time in the US that Brown-Finnis experienced the professionalism of its female teams. “It made me realise that where we were as an England team was not good enough, as well as how we were viewed from a media perspective. It also made me realise how professional the players were over there; they had a professional league and that was where I wanted to be personally and as a team as well.” Gradually, women’s football in the UK has caught up with the US. From the 2017/18 season the Women’s Super League will run alongside the Premier League season for the first time, and in recent years the Women’s FA Cup final has been played at Wembley Stadium, enjoying healthy crowds. The England national team has also seen an upward curve. The side finished third in the 2015 World Cup, beating the mighty Germany in the third place play-off. The women’s game is now also getting far more prime time television coverage, something Brown-Finnis has been quick to jump on. Since retiring from the game in 2014, she has enjoyed a successful transition into sports broadcasting and is regularly seen on the BBC and BT Sport. She makes no bones about now wanting to make a career in the media industry, citing the likes of Gabby Logan as “trailblazers”. “Even away from football, more so than ever, there are many female presenters like Gabby Logan, Sue Barker and Hazel Irvine who have been there for years,” she says. “These people have been trailblazers and the ones who have really broken through and changed people’s preconceptions about what voices they should be hearing when watching football.” The trajectory of her career so far suggests UCFB ambassador Brown-Finnis will be on our screens for a while yet. Watch out, Gabby. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 17
WOMEN IN SPORT
Tomorrow’s leaders A number of UCFB’s female graduates have gone on to land great jobs in the football and sport industry. Here are just some of their amazing stories… Alice Birch
Natalie Gradwell
Not many people are fortunate enough to say they work at one of the biggest sporting institutions in the world, but UCFB graduate Alice certainly can. Combining her hard work and ambition with an invaluable degree and an armful of work placements, Alice landed the role of sponsorship operations assistant at Premier League giants Manchester United. Based at the club’s London office, Alice’s role, though mostly confidential, comprises of helping to bring in sponsorship and partnership deals for the club from all over the world. With the club being a huge global brand, Alice’s days are invariably busy. With further ambitions of one day being a chief executive at a leading football club, Alice cites West Ham United’s vice-chair Karren Brady as an inspiration
Everyone knows the tale of the local kid who goes on to star for their hometown club – Alan Shearer, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes to name a few. That’s what’s happened to UCFB graduate Natalie Gradwell. Natalie initially approached Fleetwood Town for work experience opportunities and was given the chance to work two days a week during the 2014/15 season. Now three seasons later, she’s full time at the club working as a data analyst alongside the League One club’s senior management, including chief executive Steve Curwood. Natalie’s role entails managing attendance and programme sales reports. She also works closely with the senior management team on maintaining and expanding Fleetwood’s fan base through new membership schemes.
and wants to see more women involved in the elite levels of the game. Alice said: “There are not as many women as I think there should be doing these [business] roles, but my boss at United is a woman and the office is divided which I found very interesting as I thought there would be a lot of men. But whether it’s the design team or the operations team, there is a 50/50 divide which is good to see.” She added: “Whether it’s here at United or at UCFB, women really support each other and push each other to be the best we can.”
Natalie said: “I was thrown into the deep end and I was supporting on all different areas within the club – it was a brilliant learning curve. Everything seemed really complicated, but I stuck at it and as the season came to an end I was able to tie my work placement experiences together with the theory that I had learnt at UCFB.” Being a female in a traditionally male dominated industry is something that doesn’t faze Natalie. She added: “I don’t see it as a negative or being on the back foot. It’s a pivotal time for women to take opportunities and excel within the football and sport industry.”
Alice studied BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing.
Natalie studied BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance.
Sponsorship operations assistant at Manchester United
18 | Future Sport
Data analyst at Fleetwood Town
WOMEN IN SPORT
Amy O’Connor
Jessica Morgan
Many wish they’d followed their dreams when younger and walked down a career path of something they were passionate about. For first class graduate Amy O’Connor there will be no such regrets – just months after leaving UCFB she landed herself a job at Premier League Watford as a business development executive. Despite never having had an interest in playing the game, Amy says her biggest passion is football. So when she discovered UCFB, Amy’s pathway into the sport became clear. Based at the club’s Vicarage Road stadium, Amy’s role is to make new key contacts with local and national businesses. Amy, who has ambitions to be chief executive of a football club in her future career, backed up her UCFB degree with a CV full of brilliant work placements from clubs and institutions like Millwall and The Football Association. Also on her CV was a match day hospitality role at Vicarage Road, where Amy impressed so much they created the business development position at the club especially for her so they didn’t lose her skills and ability. Amy said: “I was able to achieve things beyond my imagination whilst at UCFB because I was learning about something I cared about and had lecturers around me who had both knowledge and experience in the industry. The support I received throughout
By-lines in one of the UK’s most read newspapers, covering a fascinating general election and interviewing some of the most influential sport stars in the country – the beginning of Jessica’s journalism career has been quite a ride. A keen writer from a young age, Jessica started a blog before deciding it was something she was determined to turn into a career. She joined the programme at UCFB through the Media Diversity Bursary Scheme, which is aimed at opening up opportunities for young people from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, in partnership with the Evening Standard and Independent newspapers. Through this scheme she balanced her studies at UCFB with work at the Evening Standard – London’s leading newspaper. In her role as a news reporter she has covered politics, sport, business and community, and the fast paced, ever changing landscape of the job sat alongside her 20-week NCTJ programme perfectly, complementing classroom learning with on the job experience. The NCTJ Diploma in Journalism is one of the most recognised qualifications in British media, and is often quoted as the “kite mark” of quality when employers are looking for new staff. Jessica said: “There have been tonnes of stories I’ve loved covering but I’ll never forget my first ever by-line which was a story about a Fort-Knox style vault opening in London, now that was exciting!”
developed me as an individual in terms of confidence and communication.” What would she say to other females interested in going into an exciting career in the football and sport industries? “Don’t see yourself as a female in the football industry,” Amy says. “Would you think of yourself as a woman in an alternate industry? Don’t treat it any different to an industry that your friends may be working in. If you work hard people won’t see you as a ‘female working in football’, they will just see you as their colleague and a fellow professional.”
She added: “The NCTJ course has been a challenge but 100 percent worthwhile. It has given me the foundation, skills and knowledge both personally and professionally.” Jessica also had a strong message for women looking at a career in media and journalism – go for it. She said: “If you enjoy writing and have an interest in news and current affairs, irrespective of whether you are male or female, go for it. We need more women in the industry – 50 percent of people who consume news are women. It is important that we have a strong representation of female journalists to cover all aspects of news.”
Amy studied BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing.
Jessica studied the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism.
Business development executive at Watford FC
Reporter at the Evening Standard
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 19
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UCFB partners with… Isokinetic Medical Group
Breaking records in Barcelona It was Camp Nou calling for two UCFB students, who put their degrees to the test at the biggest football medicine conference that’s ever been held. The pair are the latest students from UCFB entrusted by Isokinetic in playing an important role at their worldwide events...
“WE GET THE PERFECT CANDIDATE EACH TIME TO ENABLE US TO CARRY ON WITH OUR DAILY JOBS” Nou Camp: Benedikt and Albert at the home of the Spanish giants
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lue skies, sandy beaches and warm sunshine. When it comes to offering students unique work experience opportunities with the world’s leading organisations, UCFB likes to deliver. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s all one big jolly and five-a-side in the sun. The nature of 21st century football and sport is that it is truly global, so it’s vital that those who aspire to work in these industries have a firm grasp and understanding of how practitioners from around the world operate. Previous years have seen UCFB students work with football clubs in Brazil, youth camps in America and tournament organisers in Hong Kong. Now to add to this exciting list students Benedikt Neumeier and Albert Bassols flew to Barcelona to participate in a special football medicine event. Attending The Future of Football Medicine conference at the world famous Camp Nou, the pair acted as press liaisons for event organiser and long-time UCFB partner Isokinetic Medical Group, a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence. The event was attended by some of the world’s top medical institutions, as well as over 100 football clubs and thousands of dignitaries from the world of medicine and sport. With so many distinguished and experienced names in attendance, the event was the perfect opportunity for Albert and Benedikt to network and make future contacts. “The event was a lot of fun and a great experience,” says Benedikt. “Meeting and being among so many professionals from in and around football from all over the world felt very rewarding. To talk to them, get to know them and first of all introduce myself was a valuable opportunity.” For Albert, a Barcelona fan, the event experience was also extremely helpful: “It was great to see first-hand how a three-day congress is organised and how the partnership
Mike Davison
Managing director of Isokinetic
between FC Barcelona and Isokinetic was put into practice.” UCFB and Isokinetic have been working together for a number of years. While students are able to gain valuable experiences and industry lessons from one of the world’s leading sport medical groups, Isokinetic are able to strengthen their workforce with knowledgeable, passionate and eager individuals. That’s why managing director Mike Davison and the rest of his team continually request the assistance of UCFB’s Complementary Curriculum and Employability team to provide them with students to assist at some of their biggest events. Mike said: “We’ve worked with UCFB for a number of years now. Like previous UCFB students we’ve had come to work for us, Albert and Benedikt were engaged in their work and willing to go the extra mile in their roles with no task too much trouble. It’s because of this we continue to work with UCFB and their dedicated, driven students.” For Benedikt and Albert, the event will now sit proudly on their CV as they progress through UCFB before looking for full time work upon graduation. As for Mike, he’s sure to be back in contact with UCFB again very soon for help with more student assistance. “The service provided by the Complementary Curriculum and Employability team has never been anything but exemplary,” he says. “The communication with students has been great and ensured we get the perfect candidate each time to enable us to carry on with our daily jobs.” Albert studies BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing, and Benedikt studies BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting at UCFB Wembley. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 21
BRENDAN RODGERS
The Bhoy done good Following his time at Anfield and a perfect first season in Scotland with Celtic, Brendan Rodgers has established himself as one of the brightest young minds in football. We visited Rodgers at the treble-winners’ training ground to talk vision, commitment and resilience, and to hear the Ulsterman pass on his advice to the next generation of successful coaches...
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t’s a Saturday evening in late May and Brendan Rodgers would be forgiven for straying from football and thinking about his summer. He and his Celtic team have just beaten Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the Scottish Cup Final to complete the domestic treble, going the season unbeaten and breaking years old records along the way. Many would sit back and soak in the glory of being one of few teams in history, anywhere in the world, to achieve such a feat. But Rodgers is a perfectionist. Even while parading the cup around Hampden to thousands of adoring fans dressed in the famous green and white, Rodgers would’ve been thinking of how to improve on a, quite literally, perfect season.
Watford came knocking for his first taste of management. After keeping them in the Championship, the lure of the chance to take the hot seat at Reading was too much. However, Rodgers lasted only six months at the Madjeski. His coaching career had come to an abrupt halt. “I was an aspiring coach, then I became a manager,” he says. “But I made a mistake and left Watford too early. When I was relieved of my duties at Reading, it was the first time and was very difficult because, at that point, you’re not sure if you’re going to get another chance.” So how did he deal with the first big setback of his coaching career? “I think the approach is to work and understand that in this modern world and modern football, you’re going to lose your job. All the statistics
“THERE’S NO TEMPLATE IN BECOMING A TOP COACH, YOU HAVE TO CREATE YOUR OWN” “If you’re going to reach the very top there’s a lot of work in it,” he says. “There are no shortcuts.” Rodgers’ path to management is an unorthodox one by today’s standards. A playing career ended in his youth by injury, he soon set off on a journey of discovery to become a coach. Much like his mentor and friend Jose Mourinho, Rodgers travelled – he’s fluent in Spanish – observed and watched others from afar as he laid the foundations for his new career with the youth team at Reading. Laying out his philosophy to us from Celtic’s modest training facility at the foot of the Campsie Fells, a few miles north of Glasgow, Rodgers – bright, engaging, resilient – says: “If you haven’t had the background of being a player you have to work and you have to be able to devote your time. You have to learn as much as you can and step by step grow and become better within the role. There’s no template in becoming a top coach or a top manager, you have to create your own.” Mourinho took Rodgers to Chelsea as head youth coach during his first spell at the club, which is where his journey began to gather pace. He spent four years there before 22 | Future Sport
are there to see that the lifespan of a manager in one position isn’t long.” It was another six months until Rodgers found work again. Swansea, fast gaining a reputation as one of the most technically gifted teams outside of the Premier League, took a chance on another young manager, following the appointments of Roberto Martinez and Paulo Silva. In his first season Rodgers led the Swans to the promised land – the Premier League. Suddenly the likes of Joe Allen, Scott Sinclair and Ashley Williams were household names. From day one his team bought into his cultured outlook on the game, which many credit with the time Rodgers spent in Spain learning the game and honing his approach. “I think it’s about having a clear vision,” the Ulsterman says. “For that I need to present to the players how I see the future and then promote that and promote the standards that we wanted to be and do every single day.” With vigour, he adds: “Vision is absolutely vital. I believe in terms of taking the players on a journey; they have
BRENDAN RODGERS
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 23
BRENDAN RODGERS
Development: Scott Sinclair, left, and Moussa Dembele have thrived at Celtic under Rodgers’ stewardship
“I BELIEVE IN TERMS OF TAKING THE PLAYERS ON A JOURNEY; THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE THEM AND MAKE THEM BETTER” to believe that you can improve them and make them better. They like to have an idea on the future and where they’re going and I think that’s vital.” How do you do that? “By talking and by communicating with them. I think it’s important to look after the human being first. Find out about the player, find out about his needs, his family, what his ambitions are and always ensure that you separate the two.” Rodgers kept Swansea in the top division the following season with ease. He was now being touted as one of the brightest young minds in the game, so it wasn’t long until he found himself in one of the biggest jobs in football – Liverpool. Seventh in his first year in charge, the following season they led the league with three games to go. However, a costly slip from Steven Gerrard and a late collapse at Crystal Palace meant the Reds went another year without league success. Fast forward 18 months and a Merseyside derby draw later, Rodgers, harshly, was shown the door. Clearly still showing the scars from his time at Anfield, and of a job unfinished, Rodgers says: “When it happened at Liverpool the second time I was at a much better place. I was fortunate enough that financially I didn’t have the need to go back into work the next day. When I left Reading I was out of the game for six months, but financially I should have really walked into a job the next day because I needed it.” 24 | Future Sport
Rodgers was also much better prepared mentally for the day he, like all managers, knows will come at some point. “You try to frame it in your mind that you’re going to get the sack,” the 44-year-old says. “It’s only a matter of time. Whether you like it or not, it’s coming. So how am I going to deal with it and then how can I look forward? Give yourself that sort of plan.” “I knew when I left Liverpool I was going to have some time out and that gave me the chance to recover physically and mentally before preparing myself for my next role. How do you do it? Experience will help you, but of course it’s also about having inherent belief in your ability.” It was that inherent belief that led him, perhaps surprisingly, to Glasgow. That he won the Scottish Premier League in his first season surprised no one. Celtic have been, and will be, Scotland’s dominant force for years. It’s the quality of the football Celtic Park has seen, on top of the recruitment and the drastic change in mentality of the playing squad, that has made the west end of Glasgow look across the Clyde in awe. “Celtic was a winning club,” Rodgers says. “And we wanted to create this ‘one club, one vision’ mentality.” Captain Scott Brown has credited Rodgers with revitalising his career and extending it. Under previous manager Ronny Deila, the Bhoys went through the motions. In his last season at Celtic they won the league, but there was little else to shout about. Drab football on the pitch, falling attendances off it, and
BRENDAN RODGERS STUDENT SUCCESS
Matthew Lang, UCFB student and media assistant at the SPFL
UCFB and the SPFL helping the talent of tomorrow UCFB’s unique links with the football and sport industry grants students access to some of the biggest organisations around, including the Scottish Professional Football League. Both the SPFL and students have benefited from this exciting partnership… It’s not just Brendan Rodgers and Celtic making waves north of the border… UCFB students are also making a name for themselves at the Scottish Professional Football League. The organisation’s chief executive Neil Doncaster has been a keen supporter of UCFB in recent years and is a member of the institution’s Employability & Enhancement Panel, regularly hosting workshops with students on the various facets of management and leadership in sport. Always keen to promote young talent, Doncaster and the SPFL have employed a number of UCFB students on a work placement basis in recent years across various aspects of the business. Most recently was Matthew Lang, who spent time at the famous Hampden Park in Glasgow within the media and marketing team. As part of his role, Matthew sat in on meetings making suggestions on how to raise the profile of the Scottish game. He also shadowed Doncaster and was able to see firsthand the day-to-day of a top level professional in the football industry. Ross McDonald, digital manager at the SPFL, said: “Students from UCFB are always enthusiastic and keen to learn. We allow them to shadow us within the office environment in order to give them a feel for what it is like working for a governing body within Scottish football.” most gallingly of all an Old Firm defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Rodgers has rightfully been credited with revitalising the whole club. His vision was an easy sell to all at Celtic. His recruitment is also evidence of selling that dream. Scott Sinclair has excelled during his first season in Scotland, and the signing of one-time Tottenham and PSG target Moussa Dembele from Fulham has excited Scottish football in a way not seen since another famous Celtic forward, the great Henrik Larsson. Top to bottom, Rodgers says: “If you’re leading it’s very important that the people above you understand the direction that you’re trying to work in.”
“STUDENTS FROM UCFB ARE ALWAYS ENTHUSIASTIC AND KEEN TO LEARN” Ross McDonald
Digital manager at the SPFL
Scotland: Matthew has been working hard at the SPFL
He adds: “These people, they might be a billionaire or there might be multiple owners of a club, they like to know the direction in which the club is heading. The ability to communicate that vision and sell that vision is very important, and it’s equally as important to be able to speak with the lady that’s working in the kitchen. You have to know your audience. Irrespective of where they sit in the hierarchy, you have to be able to find the way to speak to them, to help them and to support them.” An improved showing in Europe next season will be near the top of Rodgers’ priority list. Get that right, and continue his incredible domestic record, and it’s a matter of when, not if, we’ll see him back in one of Europe’s top leagues. Engaging: Rodgers has a deep understanding and detailed vision on how individuals make a difference at a football club
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 25
GARETH SOUTHGATE
26 | Future Sport
GARETH SOUTHGATE
THE TOP JOB
With qualification for next year’s World Cup in Russia confirmed, Gareth Southgate can be quietly pleased with his time so far as England manager. We met with the Three Lions boss at Wembley Stadium to discuss the unique challenges, rewards and opportunities a career in the sport industry offers, and to further understand the man charged with leading a nation desperate for success on the international stage…
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 27
GARETH SOUTHGATE
Applause: Southgate acknowledges the England faithful following a 2-0 win over Lithuania at Wembley
“PART OF COACHING IS HAVING A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE AND IMPROVING”
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n England manager will collate as many column inches throughout a year as the Queen or Prime Minister. Much like them he will have his critics, people watching his every move and his every utterance repeated in newspapers around the world. But what he has to bear that Her Majesty and the key holder to Number 10 doesn’t is the never ending expectation and hope of a success starved nation. He is a flag bearer for the country that gave birth to the beautiful game, and one that is desperate for international relevance once again. Next year’s World Cup in Russia will mark 52 years since that famous summer of 1966, and Gareth
Engaging: The England manager visited UCFB to speak to excited students about his career 28 | Future Sport
Southgate knows he’ll be reminded of that every single day over the coming months. The 2010 and 2014 World Cups saw the Three Lions exit in the last 16 and group stages respectively, and last year’s Euro 2016 exit and loss to Iceland remains one of English footballs darkest hours. “You must learn from those experiences and analyse what went well, what went wrong, and what you might have done better,” he says. “You’ve got to be honest with yourself in appraising your performance.” Previous tournament failures weren’t Southgate’s fault, but his words won’t have fallen on deaf ears. With Roy Hodgson handing in his notice straight after the Iceland game, the search was on for the next saviour of English football. Sam Allardyce came and went within 67 days. Enter Southgate. Reluctant to take the job after Hodgson, Southgate was now the only man for the role. Mixed success as boss of Middlesbrough and England’s under 21’s might not suggest England manager potential, but it’s Southgate’s obsession with learning new methods and adapting new practices that had The FA mark him out as a man to watch even before his playing career had finished. “Part of coaching is having a thirst for knowledge and improving,” he says. “You need to be always looking for new ways of working and new methods of getting the players to understand your messages.” He adds: “The basics of a good work ethic are at the heart of anything. You need to be willing to learn and improve all the time. You always must be thinking how to get a result tomorrow but with an eye to six months or a year down the line.” He lists research papers, YouTube and refresher courses as perfect examples. “There are so many opportunities with the internet to learn and improve in different areas, so there’s no excuse.” He adds: “You’re constantly looking for an edge that might help you improve as a team.”
GARETH SOUTHGATE
The word “edge” appears numerous times during Southgate’s talk with us. Since losing to West Germany on penalties in the 1990 World Cup semi-final, England haven’t beaten an elite world nation over 90 minutes in a knockout game of tournament football. Edge is clearly something he’s working on at St George’s Park. To help find it, Southgate spent time with Eddie Jones and his England rugby team ahead of the 2017 Six Nations. During his 18 months in the job, Jones has transformed England into the team most likely to unseat New Zealand as the world’s number one nation, so Southgate’s methodology deserves some faith. “To compare different sports is interesting because they’ll have similar problems that they approach in a different way,” Southgate says. “Eddie runs a national team so there are similarities in some of the bigger issues we face as a national coach. You don’t have the players as often,
and there are areas around national set-ups that are unique – the time you have the players, the challenge of the opposition, the media interest and the challenge of building a culture in a short period of time.” He added: “It was great for Eddie to look at what we did, make observations and challenge things as a different coach. We then did the same when we travelled and watched them work and see what might work for us and help us improve.” Southgate’s path to his current role began in 2010 when The FA appointed him as their head of elite development. The institution’s multi-million-pound investment in St George’s Park was heralded, but it needed a man to make it tick when it opened in 2012. So Southgate, alongside Sir Trevor Brooking, went about remodelling the youth game and strengthening clubs’ ties around the country. The incredible World Cup win for England’s under 20s in June
Focused: Southgate has long been thought of as one of the games’ more meticulous thinkers
“YOU’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR AN EDGE THAT MIGHT HELP YOU IMPROVE AS A TEAM” Tomorrow’s talent, today | 29
GARETH SOUTHGATE
Learning: UCFB students had the pleasure of hearing from Southgate at Wembley Stadium
“IT’S REALLY EXCITING THAT THERE’S A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO AND WORK IN OUR INDUSTRY”
30 | Future Sport
2017, and the under 19s European Championship win a month later, are the first signs that St George’s is now starting to pay off. Southgate’s early work for The FA centred around creating an improved pathway for coaches in the game and transforming the early years of a young player’s career with smaller pitches and goals. His work with younger players hasn’t stopped now he’s in the hot seat. “We try to keep in regular contact with the youth groups and go into their clubs to see them just so they know we’re watching and what’s going on in their life.” The message is clear to younger players – train, improve, work hard and your chance will come with the senior side. With a steadfast belief in education and constant improvement, the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and England defender was keen to see UCFB during his visit, speak to its students and learn more about the institution’s commitment to training the next generation of sport professionals. Southgate was clearly excited with the idea of a place where media, business and event specialists are upskilled – not just coaches.
“It’s really exciting that there’s a centre of excellence for people who want to go and work in our industry and across other sports,” he said. “There are any number of options open to people if they love sport and want to be involved in it if their skill set isn’t in coaching or their mind set isn’t being involved with the media, for example.” He added: “There are so many areas that go into running a stadium like Wembley, or that go into running a successful club. Clubs now want experts in all of those fields with education that could be more specific to those areas.” Southgate doesn’t speak in clichés. He’s articulate, measured and not afraid to make big calls – just ask Wayne Rooney. In 2010 Fabio Capello scared his players so much they were frightened to express themselves. In 2014 and 2016, Hodgson sent his players on to the pitch without a plan. In 2018, barring a monumental disaster, England fans at least know they’ve a manager who will allow his team to play. Winning it would be a stretch but a semi-final would be good, wouldn’t it?
GARETH SOUTHGATE
“ASK ANY SPORTS PERSON WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL… IT’S THE MENTAL SIDE OF THE GAME”
Encourage: Southgate is keen to see psychology used more in football
Football and psychology The use of psychology within sport is becoming more prevalent, resulting in increasing opportunities for a career in the sector. The England boss now wants football to follow the likes of tennis and take advantage of these skills…
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egularly considered one of the game’s more forward thinking characters, Southgate called on football to embrace the use of psychologists in a similar way to other sports during his chat with us. Stating individual sports in particular had defined and embraced the role of psychology in their game in a way that football still hasn’t, Southgate is adamant that having the correct mentality at the highest level makes the ultimate difference to performance. The Three Lions boss said: “I’ve used and worked with sport psychologists as a player and as a coach, so I recognise the value of it.” He added: “Within football the role hasn’t necessarily been really
defined, whereas in other sports it’s a lot clearer. The likes of tennis and golf have been far more open to the use of psychologists. If you ask any sports person or any coach what’s the difference at the highest level, it’s the mental side of the game. So why wouldn’t we try and train that, and why wouldn’t we try and work to improve that?” The last two decades has seen dedicated sport psychologists become more commonplace in football, when once it was perhaps a taboo subject for players to use such practices to improve their performance. Arsenal appointing Arsene Wenger as manager in 1996 is largely seen as the breakthrough moment.
Though admitting he doesn’t have all the answers for how the game should embrace psychology further, Southgate is determined to see it utilised more effectively. “I don’t have an ideal model of what it should look like,” he said. “But there is real value in having an understanding of how people think, how you think as an athlete and why you do the things you do. It’s important to understand yourself better first and foremost, then understand why you might react or how you might react in certain situations and how you might affect that to improve your performance. “I think these are really key if you want to be a top player.” Tomorrow’s talent, today | 31
BRENDAN FLOOD
We’re in it together The success of Burnley FC over the last decade hasn’t been lost on club director and UCFB chairman Brendan Flood. Three promotions to the Premier League and maintaining its top tier status in 2017 for the first time is no mean feat for a club of Burnley’s size and budget. In his exclusive column for Future Sport magazine, Brendan is adamant that for a club to be a success, players off the pitch need to be as effective as the ones on it...
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s fans and football people, the final outcome of every season is what we live for. The consistent hard work and commitment to daily improvement needs to add up to a level of success, whether that is progress on the field or new club facilities. However, for many clubs, repeated failure leads to the best people moving on and fans becoming disheartened, who then abandon their season tickets. Reputational damage as a club is dragged down often results in media disinterest and a challenging recruitment position, so a bad run becomes a truly sad story. This year was the 30th anniversary of the “Leyton Orient match” at Turf Moor, where Burnley needed a win to avoid being expelled to non-league football,
representing a decline from Division One status over a 15-year period. Burnley won 2-1, and Lincoln City were relegated. Since then a steady climb back to regular appearances in the Premier League has taken place, beginning with the play off promotion in 2009. In a tale of sliding doors, Leyton Orient recently lost their league status and Lincoln City have just returned to the Football League. It’s interesting to compare the fortunes of all three clubs over the past 30 years and to appreciate the intrinsic value that good, experienced and skilled people can provide. Steady, strong and thoughtful leadership in the boardroom, on the touchline and throughout the club has enabled Burnley to grow and run sustainably, and
“SO MANY LEADING CLUBS SHARE OUR VISION FOR A HIGHER SKILLED AND MORE EDUCATED WORKFORCE IN THE GAME” 32 | Future Sport
BRENDAN FLOOD
Vision: Brendan has big plans for the future of football
“EDUCATION, WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE TRAINED FOR THE SPECIFICS OF SPORT, IS A KEY DRIVER IN MAINTAINING A STRONG AND STEADY SPORTS ORGANISATION”
should be considered a success story in today’s game. So how can clubs maximise the potential of their workforce and ensure that the best staff remain? I believe education, where individuals are trained for the specifics of this unique industry, is a key driver in maintaining a strong and steady sports organisation. UCFB came to being in the belief that there was a void in the football and sport industries of educated professionals for this purpose. A major issue we identified was the lack of individuals who understood the unique pressures of a football club, and how one issue on the pitch or in the boardroom has the potential for wide ranging consequences at the organisation. Our educational model is based on creating the next generation of talent in the football and sport industry. The training we provide gives individuals the understanding and skill set to walk straight into a sports organisation. Their knowledge and previous experiences, even before employment, immediately put them in a better place to succeed and input industry-ready
STUDENT SUCCESS
working practices to give companies a higher level of governance and chance of success. UCFB offers a number of opportunities for organisations to get involved in this process, including the chance to come in and speak with students, mentor them, or even launch a scholarship in you or your organisation’s name. We’re delighted that so many leading sports clubs and businesses share our vision for a higher skilled and more educated workforce in the game. We truly believe this process will help transform the way the sport is run. Football clubs have such a vital status in towns and cities across the country, so it’s vital that all staff at our clubs take responsibility to ensure high standards of governance. Everybody in the football industry should support a more professional and stable marketplace which accepts short-term failure and avoids the longterm collapse of our famous clubs. After all, these clubs are community assets and those of us at board level are trustees managing them on behalf of an often overlooked loyal fan base.
Josh Arnold, UCFB graduate and school sports coach
Working with the academy boosts Josh’s experience During his time at UCFB, Josh gained valuable work experience with Burnley’s academy side as a performance analysis and youth scout. In his analyst role, Josh, who studied BA (Hons) Sports Business & Coaching, filmed team matches before editing short clips and giving them to the coaches for use in training sessions. Alongside this, Josh also visited towns in the North West of England identifying young talent for the club. Josh was able to get his foot in the door at Burnley after speaking with the academy psychologist Jen Lace, who’s also a lecturer at UCFB.
Networking: Josh used his time at UCFB to make contacts in the game
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 33
GUILLEM BALAGUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH...
Guillem Balague that changed my life and has helped me professionally was to leave Spain. The idea was learn English for three months, but I’ve now been in England for 25 years on and off! I share time in both worlds which helps me, but to actually decide, ‘OK, I’m 23, I know nothing. I don’t have enough experiences and I don’t have enough languages, let’s go out there and discover the world,’ is something that everybody should do.
Mission: Balague keeps himself busy with a number of diffrerent jobs in football
Guillem Balague must be the busiest man in football. Best known as the face of Sky Sports’ Spanish football coverage, the Catalan is also an international journalist, author, UEFA licenced coach, charity worker… and director of football. Balague joined UCFB partner Biggleswade United in 2014 with the aim of developing the club’s fortunes on and off the pitch. Plying their trade in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands Football League, Balague’s presence has certainly gained the club more coverage than most in the divison. We met with Balague on a visit to UCFB to speak with students to discuss the role of media in 21st century football and how UCFB students are helping Biggleswade achieve their ambitions… You’ve made a great success of your career in England. What advice would you give a UCFB student who’s looking to follow a similar path in a foreign country? The first thing is identifying what you’re good at and what you enjoy, that is what will help you get far in your career. I quickly realised that I could tell stories and I could write them, so once I identified that, it was just a matter of trying to look for opportunities. The decision 34 | Future Sport
Media in 21st century sport has intensified with the likes of 24-hour rolling news and social media. How important is versatility in a media graduate? Versatility is everything. It’s about smelling the opportunity and developing your career, not staying still and constantly moving. When we [Sky] started doing Spanish football it wasn’t just about the goals, we had to explain the story, so we made it into a chat show with Revista de la Liga. Don’t have a fixed idea of what you want to do. A lot of people think writing about football means giving an opinion on a game or a player, but that’s only one percent. Be open to being a journalist, a critic, and telling a story in whatever shape it may be. You’re currently working towards your UEFA A licence. What inspired you to try your hand at coaching, and how important it is for individuals to broaden their skill set and understand different sectors of their chosen professional industry? I wrote and did radio and television, but at some point I wanted to live the world I was describing from the other side. I thought about buying a football club, but then thought I better not because I don’t have enough money! Then I thought I’d like to try coaching. I think I understand a little bit about the tactical side of things but what if I got a badge? It’s another string on the bow, and it’s fantastic because every single day I have coached or been with other coaches or go to the lessons, I’m learning. What are the differences between Spanish and English football and what could they learn from each other? There’s no doubt that Spanish football can learn so much from English football – how the product is sold and how the money is raised. The English league might not have the best players in the world but it looks like the best league in the world; the product has been sold that way and everybody is buying it now. On the other hand, English football could learn from Spain about how it applies the process – the process of learning, developing, creating coaches and philosophies. Firstly, it makes things cheaper, and secondly, it maximises your potential.
GUILLEM BALAGUE UCFB partners with… Biggleswade United
Students learning the ropes in the non-league Fast becoming one of the most recognisable names in non-league football, Biggleswade United have been helped along the way by UCFB students. From media duties to sponsorship activity, no job is too big or too small… The last decade has seen major developments at Biggleswade United on and off the pitch. A burgeoning youth set up, ambitious stadium expansion and national attention thanks to a well-known face in the boardroom. Like any business though, growth means more work and ultimately more staff. However, like many clubs with non-league status, finances don’t stretch to a colossal work force, and many rely on a dedicated band of volunteers. Biggleswade do it differently though. With grand desires to make their way up the football pyramid, the club wanted individuals with ambition, knowledge and experience of the game. The club knew approaching UCFB would give them a whole network of individuals with such qualities. “The non-league game typically struggles to bring in talent to drive clubs forward due to the lack of resources,” says club chairman Chris Lewis. “But UCFB has been essential in helping us bridge that problem.” He added: “It’s been fantastic working with UCFB as it has provided us with access to the brightest young talent who are keen to make a career in the football industry.” Two students spent the 2016/17 season working with the club in all aspects of its operation which not only helped with the running of the club, but also meant major career development for them too. For Josh Brian and Elliot Brown, working at the club has been of huge benefit. “My experience at Biggleswade has been invaluable,” Josh said. “Firstly, because of the hands on work I have been doing, and secondly the experience has meant I’ve met some fantastic people who could be potential contacts for my future.” After arriving at the club, the pair saw their duties increase from greeting the teams and fans, to eventually maintaining the club’s social media channels on a match day and putting together financial projections for the club’s budget. Elliot said: “This club is a very interesting place to work because of their unique set-up and philosophy, compared
Engage: The Catalan passes on advice to UCFB students
to the average non-league outfit. Biggleswade place such a heavy emphasis financially and pay a substantial amount of attention to the quality of coaching at the club and the development of academy sides.” The club’s director of football, Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague, said that as long as students remain ambitious and inquisitive he and the rest of the club will do all they can to help them succeed. He added: “At Biggleswade if we see youth with an interest and a commitment and you see that there is a passion for being the best they can be, then no doubt about it, we will help them.” Elliot Brown studies BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance, and Josh Brian studies BA (Hons) Football Business & Media at UCFB Wembley.
“UCFB HAS PROVIDED US ACCESS TO THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG TALENT” Chris Lewis
Biggleswade United chairman
What are your impressions of UCFB? I believe that this institution is going the right way and is giving opportunities to people that previously weren’t there. UCFB benefit from the fact that a lot of people see football and sport as a career, not just something that you practice. There are people who think that sport, and football in particular, is a paradise, but it would be wrong to come into a place like UCFB thinking that. It’s all about hard work, understanding yourself, developing relationships and about thinking that there is a long term objective. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 35
BOXING
Good guys, bad guys and the complicated world of promoting a boxer Sport marketing is big business, with millions at stake on any given major event. Huge boxing matches, such as this year’s titanic clash between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko, pose challenges unique to most though. UCFB’s Head of Global Marketing, James McKeown, who has previously worked with the likes of David Haye and Klitschko, gives an inside look at what makes a boxer and their fight a marketable ‘product’…
36 | Future Sport
BOXING
D
oes it pay to be the bad guy in sport? This is a question that sports marketing professionals often wrestle with and it is particularly appropriate to boxing, where fighters rely on grabbing the public’s attention in order to secure themselves a payday. Back in April 2017, Wembley Stadium hosted the most anticipated fight in years, when Britain’s Anthony Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko in an enthralling world heavyweight title fight in front of 90,000 people, beating the previous UK attendance record for a boxing match set by Carl Froch and George Groves at the same venue in 2014.
Champion: Carl Froch celebrates after defeating George Groves in 2014
In my former life working in sports agencies, I was fortunate to work with a range of characters in the world of boxing, including Klitschko briefly when he toured the UK to promote his bout against David Haye. These two were a fascinating contrast in personality; Klitschko, the respected, understated champion versus Haye, the headline-grabbing, brash Londoner seeking his belts. The way that the business of boxing is set up means that individual fighters have much more scope to influence their income positively or negatively than, for example, a professional in a team sport whose main income is usually a set annual salary. The public interest
“DID KLITSCHKO’S GOOD, UNCONTROVERSIAL NATURE LEAD HIM TO MISS OUT ON MILLIONS?”
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 37
BOXING
in any given fight directly translates to money in a boxer’s pocket via TV viewership and ticket sales, so promotion is a fundamental part of any top boxer’s career. So which of these types of media personality – let’s simplify them to ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’ – should an athlete take on in order to fulfil their financial potential in boxing, and perhaps wider sport? The answer is not so simple. Dr. Klitschko – the boxing academic Klitschko could in no way be described as a bad guy. He is almost the antithesis of a stereotypical boxer. An incredibly smart and articulate man, the Ukrainian who usually calls Germany home, speaks four languages. Aside from being a master of ‘the sweet science’, he earned his PhD in Sport Science in 2001. He enjoys chess and has long been committed to humanitarian causes, lending support to UNESCO over the years and vocally supporting his older brother and former boxing champ Vitali in his political career. He was a pleasure to work with, friendly and respectful at all times. Unfortunately – and his mild, measured manner may have contributed to this – Klitschko has often been criticised for being “boring”. His boxing style didn’t do him many favours in the popularity stakes either – a fairly calculated, technical boxer, he would slowly grind opponents down with his rock hard jab, usually winning an unspectacular fight in the latter rounds. Despite his enormous success in the ring (Olympic champion and long-time world heavyweight champion), he never won over mainstream sports fans outside Germany and Ukraine, especially in the key hunting ground of the United States. After some interest from US pay per view TV early in his career, he was largely forgotten between 2008 and 2015, when he didn’t fight in the USA at all. In terms of marketing himself, did Klitschko’s good, uncontroversial nature lead him to miss out on millions? Could he have been a superstar who transcended sport globally? Did he not ‘play the game’ right? The answers to the above are 1. Probably 2. Possibly 3. This depends on your perspective and values. What’s important to Wladimir Klitschko is not
“HAYE WAS OFTEN A MARKETER’S DREAM TO WORK WITH” Hayemaker: David Haye’s savvy self-promotion secured him big fights 38 | Future Sport
necessarily the same as what is important to many other sports superstars. He and his brother have long run their own promotional company, K2 Promotions, with a firm and dependable businessman as their chief dealmaker, Bernd Bonte. They never cared for a loud ‘hype machine’ type promoter. In fact, after visiting legendary but controversial promoter Don King at his house early in his career, Klitschko was immediately put off by his gut instinct that King was untrustworthy. He has done things his own way and built a successful business David Haye – the talented, savvy troublemaker As good as a polar opposite in terms of media persona is David Haye. His occasional antics in the press should not be confused for ignorance though – this man is no mug. With my agency working alongside him to promote a few of his fights, I admired his media savviness. If he wasn’t born a natural talker, he sure learnt the craft well. He is wise to the risks of boxing. He always made public his intentions in the sport to win world titles, secure himself financially and then retire when he was 30 (he would later come out of retirement). He knew that he needed to make a big splash both in the ring and in the media in order to rise quickly through the ranks and fight the biggest fighters, for the biggest payday. He was often a marketer’s dream to work with. I credit Haye’s promotional – and troublemaking – skills with securing him a Klitschko world title fight sooner than many thought he deserved one. After first signing on the dotted line in 2009, Haye proceeded to wear a t-shirt depicting him holding both Klitschko brothers’ decapitated heads at one of their prefight press conferences. Klitschko called it “unspeakable,” but the fight immediately became must-see TV in Germany and in the UK. As his career has gone on and Haye has suffered a few setbacks along the way in the ring, he has kept up his vocal nature and stirred much controversy along the way. Despite some negative backlash, many would suggest that Haye’s ability to consistently sell out arenas and generate large TV audiences against sometimes mediocre opponents is down to his gift of the gab.
BOXING
Respect: Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko broke records and showed each other respect in and out of the ring
Joshua and Klitschko both appeared in the Forbes list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes in 2017. Each fighter was estimated to have earned $44m for the year through prize money and endorsements. In a list dominated by NFL, NBA and MLB stars, the only other boxer on the list was middleweight Canelo Alvarez, whose estimated earnings are $57m. Interestingly, UFC golden boy Conor McGregor’s earnings were estimated to be $68m, even before his mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather was announced. So nice guys finish last financially? David Haye – let’s call him the bad guy in this context, but don’t forget he donated almost £100,000 to coma victim Nick Blackwell – has probably exceeded what would be expected financially from someone with a similar boxing CV. A mixture of his outgoing and occasionally menacing personality, marketing brain, ability to play on the public’s emotions and undoubted business savviness has got him there. Many ‘nicer’ world champions don’t earn nearly what he has to date. Joe Calzaghe, the slightly shy and softlyspoken but highly accomplished British boxing great who finished his career undefeated at 42-0, proved hugely frustrating for his globally recognised promoter, Frank Warren, to sell. The Welsh warrior arguably secured less than a handful of top-notch fights, all in the final years of his career, often because the big names of boxing did not see him as a good ‘payday’. But where does Anthony Joshua fit in? The 27-year-old has certainly captured the British public’s admiration and is possibly en route to global stardom after only 19 fights and less than five years as a pro. He and his team have carefully portrayed him – and he is widely acknowledged – as being a good guy, living a relatively humble life with his mother after overcoming a few indiscretions in his youth. He recently gave his first boxing coach a car as a thank you present. Being marketed as a nice guy has not stunted his income so far. He made at least £15m from his Wembley mega fight with Klitschko, and he has 13 sponsors bringing in further millions. It remains to be seen whether Joshua secures the world’s attention over his career, but all signs are positive
“IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER JOSHUA SECURES THE WORLD’S ATTENTION OVER HIS CAREER” with both Showtime and HBO showing his fight against Klitschko in the US, quite a rare feat. The bottom line is that there are options for a boxer when approaching how they wish to promote and portray themselves in their career, depending on their priorities. Whilst there are many nuances to a person’s personality, a fundamental fact is that generating headlines is an integral component of your job description if you wish to succeed financially in this sport. Success in the ring will lead to some of that, and having an understanding of marketing and media yourself or through a talented team around you will do the rest. Although not the richest or most famous man in boxing, I am sure that when Wladimir Klitschko decides to hang up his gloves, he will be able to sleep easily knowing that he did everything in his own dignified way. And let’s be frank, he is not a poor man – ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ has featured on Forbes’ 100 Highest Paid Athletes list and has exciting career options ahead of him upon retirement. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 39
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PARTNER CASE STUDY
UCFB partners with… Blackpool FC
Brad’s tangerine dreams Blackpool’s promotion at the end of the 2016/17 season brought relief to the Lancashire seaside town following years of relegation and struggle. UCFB student Brad Lucken was there the whole way beside the club’s chief executive Alex Cowdy, seeing just what it takes to run a professional football club…
“BRAD HAS REALLY IMPRESSED ME WITH HIS WORK ETHIC AND ABILITY TO THINK ON HIS FEET”
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Mentor: UCFB student Brad reported directly into the Blackpool CEO Alex Cowdy.
phrase often heard during football commentary is “he’s really put in a shift today”. More often than not it’s to commend a young player for a great performance. The same can be applied off the pitch, too. The individuals leading businesses, football or otherwise, around the world will have put in a similar ‘shift’ to get to where they are now. For UCFB students and individuals who aspire to work in the ever-evolving football industry, they’re required to put in those hard yards through a variety of placements and internships. Taking this on board, student Brad Lucken is going about the right way of making himself known to the right people, having spent the majority of the 2016/17 season with League One newbies Blackpool as assistant to the club’s chief executive Alex Cowdy. Ending the season with a play-off win at Wembley was an added bonus to a vital part of Brad’s professional development. In his wide-ranging role, Brad has been helping Cowdy with the day-to-day tasks that come with running a football club. His main project though has seen him helping the club with its equality compliance, as instructed by the Football League. “I’m really enjoying seeing how a football club operates from within,” Brad said. “I’ve learnt a great deal during my time here so far.” And his work hasn’t gone unnoticed by Cowdy. “Brad has really impressed me with his work ethic, proactive nature, ability to think on his feet, and his willingness to get stuck in to any task presented to him.” Cowdy’s glowing praise of Brad isn’t uncommon of UCFB students. UCFB’s Complementary Curriculum and Employability team, led by UCFB graduate Danny Stroud, are continually seeking out new opportunities
for its students by engaging with clubs, organisations and individuals in the football industry. By setting up these partnerships, the benefits are double headed – not only do students expand their CVs, but employers are gaining knowledgeable and highly motivated individuals working within their business. Brad landed the Blackpool job via such a partnership. As with all work experience opportunities at UCFB, he had to apply and go through an interview process with the employer, in this case Cowdy, to get the job. Brad said: “The networking skills and other skills I have learnt during the Complementary Curriculum helped me get the placement in the first place, and have since helped me during my time at Blackpool.” UCFB’s approach gives its partners in the football and sport industry the peace of mind and reassurance needed to know they’ll be employing skilled, competent individuals. Cowdy added: “Danny and his team at UCFB ensured the management of the application process, and sending across a range of candidates with different skills for consideration gave us a real depth of candidates to choose from.” Brad studies BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing at UCFB Etihad Campus.
Experience: Brad helped to play a part in Blackpool’s promotion last season Tomorrow’s talent, today | 41
TESTIMONIALS
Winning partnerships UCFB students and graduates have been a driving force at a variety of clubs, organisations and businesses across a number of different sports in recent years. Here is just a small selection of their thoughts and comments, as well as praise from the partners and employers UCFB has had the pleasure of working with…
Claire Norman
Michael Tattersall
Freyja Talbott-Haworth
“We’ve been really impressed with the performance of the students we’ve had working with us over the last few months and are looking to employ some of them full time once they have finished their studies. Danny and his Complementary Curriculum and Employability team has been great at getting us candidates with relevant experience and skill sets.”
“Our partnership with UCFB represents a great opportunity for all 68 of our clubs and the students. Not only do our clubs benefit from added behind the scenes assistance and guidance from a number of skilled and willing individuals helping take our leagues to the next level, students learn and adapt vital skills crucial to the football industry and their future careers.”
“The UCFB students we have taken on have been working incredibly well, picking up on and developing their new skills rapidly, and have become an important part of the team in a very short space of time. They are personable, hardworking and dedicated and we are happy to have found such brilliant students.”
David Dale
Kait Ludwig
Ben Beer
“The relationship we have with UCFB is a significant one. The students have been a fantastic addition to the team and have all displayed a very professional attitude in understanding our events and the relationships we have with our club partners – many of whom are regarded as the most powerful brands in world football.”
“All of us at the Rugby Football League have enjoyed working with UCFB and their students and we’re very pleased to be an official partner. Previous students we’ve welcomed to the Rugby Football League have been a huge help to the organisation and we look forward to welcoming more individuals in the future.”
“UCFB students’ fantastic approach to coaching and their ability to enjoy new and different cultures has made them stand out. Their delivery on the field and their enthusiasm and personalities have made them a great fit with Challenger Sports.”
HR manager at Dugout
Chief executive officer of Football Aid & Field of Dreams
42 | Future Sport
Chief executive of The National League
Club marketing & business operations manager at the Rugby Football League
Events coordinator at The Football Association
Senior recruitment manager at Challenger Sports USA
TESTIMONIALS
Lewis Cherry
Leah Jakeman
Josh Arnold
“Being at UCFB helped me learn that if you want something you’ve got to go out, find it and take it yourself. If you don’t, there are plenty of other people who will. I went that extra mile and got that job, and I take a lot of pride in that.”
“I have shown what a personable and adaptable individual I am and that has gone a long way. Juggling study, a part-time job and experience in the profession I wish to pursue has been difficult but the hard-work has certainly paid off.”
“UCFB has opened up these opportunities that I would not otherwise have found. I feel a crucial part of gaining opportunities is the contacts that I have gained, and the constant networking.”
Jacob Weaver
Sharon Hoyos-Martinez
Thomas Freismuth
“Make sure that you utilise UCFB’s vast network of contacts inside and outside of the industry, and particularly seek out work placement opportunities with football clubs at all levels of the professional game.”
“The experience was great as it gave me an insight into how international tournaments operate. All TLOs worked closely with Stuart Brown, who’s an England Team Operations Coordinator, and so got to help out with logistics. This involved picking the team up from the airport and getting them from A to B throughout the week.”
“My CV was almost empty before coming to UCFB but after just a year my CV is packed full with work experience. From the placements I also received very good reference letters from my employers, which will definitely help me in the future.”
BA (Hons) Football Business & Media graduate – In-ground data analyst for Opta
BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance graduate – Financial advisor at PwC New Zealand & video and opposition analyst for Waitakere United
BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance graduate – Legal secretary at Ramsdens Solicitors
BA (Hons) International Football Business student - Team liaison officer at the UEFA U16s Women’s Development Tournament
BA (Hons) Sports Business & Coaching student - Academy performance analysis and academy youth scout at Burnley FC
BA (Hons) International Football Business student – Marketing officer at the Austrian F1
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 43
NFL IN LONDON
New York, Miami, Los Angeles… London? American Football has caught the imagination of the British public over the last decade following the success of the NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium. Ever since the first touchdown on these shores, talk has intensified over the likelihood of a London-based franchise becoming a reality. Here, we take a look at the logistics behind the idea and just how the once-pipedream could work…
“WHATEVER IS DONE IN THE UK NEEDS TO BE THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY PLANNED” 44 | Future Sport
NFL IN LONDON
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t was originally billed as a 15-year project with the aim of having a fully established franchise based in London by 2022. Now ten years into the plan, and with London having just hosted a further four successful NFL International Series matches, it looks increasingly likely America’s national game will soon have a team with a distinctively British identity. What started as an international gamble, when the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins played the first game at Wembley in 2007, has become one of the shrewdest business moves in modern sport. One game a season became two, then three, then four, and now the NFL has deals in place to use three London-based stadiums in the coming years. Twickenham is in the middle of a three-year deal to host at least three games a season, and Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium will play host to at least two
games a season from 2018 over a ten-year period. Undoubtedly the appetite is there from the British public. International matches over the years have consistently sold out, and around 40,000 fans bought ‘season tickets’ for all three London games in 2016. A visit to any NFL game in the UK and you’ll see fans sporting every single one of the 32 NFL teams’ jerseys. But could fans’ loyalties to other teams be a stumbling block to a UK team having a dedicated fan base? How likely is a supporter, who has followed the New Orleans Saints for 20 years, to switch allegiances and buy a UK team season ticket and jersey? Deepak Trivedi is an international sport consultant and an expert in the American sport market, previously working with the NFL, as well as the NBA and US Open. He said it’s difficult to really know how support would play out for a UK based team until it becomes a reality.
Tomorrow’s talent, today | 45
NFL IN LONDON
“WHAT REMAINS CONSISTENTLY HIGH IS THE WILLINGNESS OF UK FANS TO ADOPT THE NFL”
Flock: The popularity of American football in the UK has rocketed in recent years
“Fan loyalty is an interesting conundrum and we are yet to see how fan motivations will affect behaviour in the way in which they may consume games from a regular team and how they place their loyalties”, he says. “Whilst the true outcome remains unknown, what does remain consistently high is the willingness of UK fans to adopt this US sport.” Jacksonville Jaguars have long been touted as the team most likely to move across the pond, having been a designated ‘home team’ since 2013 and with a deal in place to remain so until at least 2020. However, Jags owner Shahid Khan has said he has no plans to relocate the Florida-based team. The tried and tested American method of a franchise uprooting from a city and relocating hundreds of miles away makes a London team feasible. In the last 12 months alone, the Rams and Chargers have moved to Los Angeles from St. Louis and San Diego respectively, and the Oakland Raiders recently announced that they’re off to Las Vegas. A London franchise was never going happen before Los Angeles had a team once again. But now that hurdle has been cleared the path is clear for the capital. But where would the team play, and how would it work? The American format of alternative home and away games could effectively see a London team play in San Francisco and Seattle either side of a UK game. Consistent flights across the Atlantic and the effects of jetlag will challenge any athlete. Wembley has been an unprecedented success, but is there room in a busy stadium calendar for at least eight weekends between September and January? Twickenham is highly unlikely, and the RFU have broken tradition as it is by chasing a quick buck with their short term deal. The most likely scenario is the new White Hart Lane. The 61,000 seater stadium would be the smallest in the NFL, but has been designed to include a retractable artificial pitch specifically with gridiron in mind. Tottenham and the NFL worked together to design the stadium, which includes dressing rooms large enough for an American 46 | Future Sport
football team’s entourage and public space for the traditional pre-game tail gate parties. The NFL are also reported to have invested £10million in the project. NFL chiefs have previously said the White Hart Lane deal is as significant as the original Wembley one, and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has gone on record saying he wants the stadium to be the home of an NFL franchise. The dedicated NFL facility would also allow a team to have a permanent base that would feel like ‘home’. Deepak, who’s also a representative on the diversity and inclusion task force for the United States Tennis Association, said: “While the marketing teams at the NFL have done a tremendous job in influencing fan behaviour in the UK, a big question mark hangs over how successful having an NFL facility in London would be. Will the players embrace this new home and location, and would it really ‘feel’ like home?” The biggest issue, which shamefully hasn’t been raised as a concern, is the life-changing affect a move would have for the American-based players and supporters. Despite the untold riches bestowed upon NFL professionals, is it fair to tell a player that when they return for pre-season training it’ll be in London and not sunny Florida? What does the player, who has two children in a top east coast school, do? But a move to the
Sell out: Wembley Stadium has been an unprecedented success for the NFL since 2007
NFL IN LONDON STUDENT SUCCESS
Kerry Russell, UCFB student, and Lewis Payne, UCFB graduate, media assistants at NFL International Series
Understanding the NFL and its travelling army When the NFL comes to London you can guarantee it’ll be the biggest show in town. For two UCFB students, the chance to work behind the scenes of the annual International Series was a chance they couldn’t miss…
Access: UCFB students go behind the scenes at a Colts press conference
The NFL International Series matches at Wembley Stadium have become some of the most anticipated sporting events in the UK over the last decade. 80,000 fans regularly flock to north west London to see their favourite gridiron stars and get a true taste of America’s Game. But it’s not just fans who get to soak in the unique carnival atmosphere of the NFL when it hits the streets of the capital. UCFB’s close ties with Wembley Stadium, as well as the wider sport industry, has enabled students to gain valuable work experience opportunities with the NFL when it comes to town. With teams regularly arriving a full week before they run out at Wembley Stadium, it’s not uncommon for the players’ week to be filled with numerous media duties. For NFL fans and UCFB students Kerry Russell and Lewis Payne, the opportunity to immerse themselves in the media production of the NFL and one of the busiest weeks of the organisation’s season was something they could only have dreamed about before starting higher education. “I found the experience invaluable to say the least,” Kerry said, after filming some of the league’s biggest stars. “To be stood watching the teams train and being present at the exclusive press conferences was so surreal.”
UK would hurt American fans the most. Even the most dedicated fan isn’t going to follow his team to London. In its current format, the International Series sees four teams give up a home game to play in London, leaving thousands of American fans short changed. Not upsetting a dedicated US fan base is key to any potential franchise relocation. “Whatever is done in the UK needs to be thoughtfully and carefully planned,” Deepak says. “The NFL do not want to upset the US fan base, and season ticket holders will not want to miss out on any more games than are now already being played overseas.” American football, despite its worldwide appeal and ability to print money, is still a very insular sport.
And while the pair can now put the prestigious NFL on their CV’s, as well having gained invaluable advice from the pros on vital skills such as camera handling, there is one major aspect of the hugely competitive media field Kerry in particular found out about. She said: “Being at a major event such as the International Series taught me a lot, especially how to think on your feet to solve problems and how brutal the broadcasting field is.” Kerry added: “No one moved out my way just because I was a student, it was every camera man and woman for themselves!” Kerry studies BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting at UCFB Wembley, and Lewis is a graduate of BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing.
Touchdown: UCFB graduate Lewis Payne with New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
NFL bosses are desperate to take their product abroad and give it a global footprint. A regular season game is also scheduled for Mexico next season featuring Super Bowl winners New England Patriots, and it’s looking increasingly likely that Germany could soon play host to an International Series game. Other sports are following suit too as the appetite for American sport in the UK grows. The NBA has a regular season game at the O2 Arena in London, and talks are progressing about bringing Major League Baseball to the capital and the Olympic Stadium. The NFL though have led the way from the start, and it seems it’s now only a matter of time until London becomes home to the other football. Tomorrow’s talent, today | 47
MAURICIO POCHETTINO
Follow the leader Mauricio Pochettino is one of the brightest young managers in football. While his rivals have spent millions, the Argentine has promoted young, English talent to turn Tottenham into one of Europe’s most exciting sides. We travelled to Hotspur Way in Enfield to meet the man who believes education is essential for a modern day coach in discovering future talent…
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t’s a rare commodity in 21st century football for players to commit to a club because of the manager. Money and a real chance to win trophies are often all that matter. But that’s exactly what the likes of Premier League top goal scorer Harry Kane, and the brightest young talent in Europe Deli Alli, have done in recent months. Both could possibly double or treble their wage at other top six sides, let alone elsewhere in Europe, but they’ve committed to Tottenham Hotspur because of one man – Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs are a coming force in English football and for the first time in over 30 years will go into the 2017/18 season as genuine title challengers. Pochettino is the darling of N17, and the young, dynamic and exciting team he’s produced – made with a core of English talent – have been the most consistent performers in England over the last two years. No longer the fragile side of old, Spurs combine eyecatching football with muscle, endless energy and ruthless efficiency. Even with nothing left to play for, they finished the 2016/17 season with 6-1 and 7-1 victories away at Leicester City and Hull City. The players, as well as the board, have well and truly bought into Pochettino’s methods. “Football is a universal language so it is easy to communicate,” Pochettino told UCFB. “Communication is key in life, not just football. Whether it’s in the changing room or on away trips in restaurants – it’s
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everywhere. That’s key to develop your philosophy.” The former Southampton manager is quick to describe himself as a passionate man. However, it’s a rare occasion he’ll show that famous Latin passion in the public eye. In the sanctity of the dressing room and training ground however, it’s different. He added: “All coaching staff set different principals on communication, but for me it’s easy – I communicate how I feel.” As a player Pochettino was a bruising centre half, beginning his career at Newells Old Boys where he was coached by Marcela Bielsa, who he and Pep Guardiola would later cite as major influences on their coaching styles. A move to Spain and Espanyol was next where he became a cult hero, before a spell in France at Paris Saint-Germain. He also played for his country at the 2002 World Cup where he infamously conceded the penalty that led to a 1-0 loss to bitter rivals England. When he hung up his boots in 2006, he went to university. Not always the common route for just-retired pros. “When I finished my career at 34 I needed to be mature and have an idea of what I wanted to do,” he says. “For me it was important to get out of the [football] bubble and share with and be around different areas of societies. I wanted to open my mind and see different aspects of life. So for me it was very important to be in education and be around people who wanted to build their future.”
MAURICIO POCHETTINO STUDENT SUCCESS
Chloe Briggs, UCFB student and reporter at Tottenham Hotspur U23
Press box action at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane White Hart Lane as we know it might be no more, but for a number of UCFB media students it offered them an inside look at how the press operate on a match day… A unique agreement between Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur and UCFB has enabled students the chance to gain invaluable work experience at the London club. Attending under-23 fixtures at White Hart Lane before it was flattened this summer to make way for the club’s new stadium, students were granted unprecedented access to write match reports and film interviews with players to gain real life experience of covering senior football matches. The experience also meant players got a taste of the media spotlight they could face if they make it to the first team. Jonny Davies, media relations manager at Tottenham, said: “Working with UCFB has been mutually beneficial as we have been able to assist with the education of budding journalists, as well as developing the media training of our younger players” Like all aspects of classroom and on location training, the exercise is to ensure students are equipped to handle the fast-paced nature of sport multimedia. “The connection we have with the Tottenham U23’s squad is such a privilege,” added UCFB student Chloe Briggs. “It allows us hands on experience in both written and radio match reports, pre and post-match interviews and is a great insight into what working with a professional football club and players is like. The experience is vital in this industry and I learn more and more each time we visited.”
Deadlines: UCFB students in action in the White Hart Lane press box
“WORKING WITH UCFB HAS BEEN MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL” Jonny Davies
Media relations manager at Tottenham Hotspur
Chloe studies BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting at UCFB Wembley.
His first taste of senior management was a baptism of fire. Taking over bottom of the table Espanyol half way through the 2008/09 season, Pochettino had only two days to train his players ahead of their next fixture – a 0-0 draw against Guardiola’s mighty Barcelona. His side went on to finish the season in mid-table. How did he have such an impact in such a short period of time? Pochettino says the time he spent out of the game at university between playing and coaching was vital in helping him adapt to his new role. “Education is very important. When you’re a player at 17 years old you think it will be easy to coach and manage people. But when you finish your playing career and you start to prepare for your career in management, you realise it is important to have knowledge not only about the game but outside of the game as well. It’s important to learn and improve yourself before you start your career as a manager.”
Star: Dele Alli has thrived at Tottenham under Pochettino
Pochettino goes on to stress that management isn’t just about looking after players, but having an understanding of the whole club. “You are not just a manager or a head coach at the club, you are a leader,” the Spurs manager says. “You need to be clever and sensitive in your approach and vary it from person to person. It’s important to manage, not just players, but your staff and people around the club.” Next season will be Pochettino’s biggest challenge in management yet, with expectation currently sky high at Tottenham. But as Spurs fans point out, the man from Argentina is “magic”, so don’t be surprised if his Latin quality lights up Wembley’s famous arch over the coming months. Watch UCFB’s full exclusive interview with Mauricio Pochettino at www.youtube.com/ucfbuk
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PICTURES
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Snapshot There are around 450,000 jobs in the sport industry in the UK. The following pages demonstrate the diversity and variety of experiences in the world of sport and events… Captions 1/ Student Charlene Oliver spent two weeks as a volunteer at the Rio 2016 Olympics
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2/ Ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman, who has been a visitor to UCFB, went from pro to TV pundit 3&4/ Student Chloe Briggs behind the camera at an event with UCFB partner the League Managers Association 5/ Students behind the scenes at the old White Hart Lane covering a Tottenham Hotspur under 23 fixture
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6, 7, 8 & 9/ Hospitality and events is a major part of 21st century sport. Wembley Stadium, part of UCFB Wembley, regularly hosts conferences, award ceremonies and concerts 10/ Graduate Joe Thompson spent time at the French Open studying fan behaviour and analysing the sponsorship and marketing of the event
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11/ UCFB students enjoying ‘pitch day’ at Wembley Stadium 12, 13 & 14/ Huge music events are part and parcel of modern day stadia in ensuring they remain open for business when the season is over. 90,000 people regularly fill Wembley Stadium to see the likes of The Killers (13) and Muse (14) 15/ Work experience and job opportunities are available for students at the likes of Sky Sports 16/ Behind the scenes at the New York Giants press day ahead of a NFL International Series match in London
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Captions 1/ Wembley Stadium in its full glory during the summer gig series. The arch has become an iconic symbol of the stateof-the-art facility 2/ UCFB’s Danny Stroud, left, with Jonathan Dobkin of Connections Recruitment – just one of UCFB’s many industry partners 3/ UCFB and Sky Sports held a Women in Sport Media event to promote careers in the sector 4/ Austrian student Thomas Friesmuth has shown willingness and initiative during his time at UCFB and is now the host of Liverpool FC camps in his home country and Slovenia after signing an exclusive deal 7
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5/ The NFL International Series in London has been a huge success, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the capital every year 6/ Corporate hospitality is now big business and accounts for a large proportion of major football club’s revenue in the modern game 7/ Graduate Tom Jarvis has gone on to become the media executive at League One side Southend United 8/ Broadcasting students getting to grips with equipment and interview techniques
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9/ The Etihad Stadium in Manchester is at the heart of the UCFB Etihad Campus
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MARK IVES
IN CONVERSATION WITH...
Mark Ives Learn: The FA’s Mark Ives speaking with UCFB students
With players and managers often the ones who make the headlines, it’s easy to forget the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes by dedicated individuals into making any sport a success. For every team on the pitch, there is an even bigger one off of it ensuring finances are in place, positive media coverage is gained and hospitality clients are catered for. The Football Association, the game’s oldest governing body, is no different. They, above all bodies, must see that all aspects of the sport run as efficiently as possible, and that includes dealing with suspensions and applying the law to the game. As The FA’s head of judicial services, Mark Ives and his team play a daily role in how a season plays out, and are responsible for imposing penalties on club officials on and off the pitch. Mark, who joined The FA in 2001 as county business development manager before taking on his current role in 2008, sat down with us to talk through the intricacies of the job... What does your position at The FA entail and how does it fall into the framework of the organisation? I deal with all of the cases that The FA has decided to investigate and charge. Once an individual or club is charged they come through to my team to deal with the adjudication. I’m also responsible for football outside of The FA, so step four of the game which is managed by county associations. I’ve a responsibility to make sure they operate in a fair and consistent way as well.
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“IS THERE A GREATER PLACE TO STUDY THAN WEMBLEY STADIUM? I’M NOT SURE”
What are the typical day to day pressures of working for an organisation like The FA? Every incident we deal with is different; it has a different dimension to it and the responses are different. I know that I’m going to have to deal with the normal red and yellow cards that happen on the pitch, but we’ll also deal with hearings regarding other on-field football matters. It can also mean off-field matters such as social media, doping and anti-discrimination across the game. Another area within my team is the safeguarding of children. That affects local football and ensuring that children and young people within the game can play within a safe environment. Describe the role of law within sport, and the importance of governance at an organisation like The FA. There’s a framework that everybody who plays football has to adhere to – The FA Rules and Regulations. If you want to play football, that is a condition of your participation. We have a consistent approach across the board. There are regulations for various subject matters, but generally speaking there is an expectation of everyone who participates in the game to behave in a manner that is appropriate and proper. Players, volunteers, chairmen, secretaries – they have to adhere to our framework to make sure football is played in a fair and appropriate way. What attributes make work experience and job applicants standout to FA staff? Is there a greater place to study than Wembley Stadium? I’m not sure. If you can’t be inspired by working here, then there is something wrong. It’s a fantastic opportunity if people want to get into sport and sport law. I was very fortunate; I was in the right place at the right time when people were moving across from a volunteer workforce to paid employment. Now though, with the investment across the game, there are greater opportunities for people to get in. I don’t look at this as a job, I look at it as a real pleasure and I’m proud to work here. What are your thoughts on UCFB and the opportunities available for students? If I was a student I wouldn’t be shy in making approaches to see whether or not there’s an opportunity for short placements, shadowing people, and just getting a taster of what it’s like to work in football. Whilst you’re here if you don’t ask the question you’re not going to get the answer. So take the opportunity to knock on the door and somebody might just open it.
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Alexander Brown
@ZandaCamera
UCFB graduate VIDEO PRODUCER at The FA
Shape the future of sport. ucfb.com/future