A shared dream of many, and possibly even yours, is to enter the realms of professional football. Boys and girls will grow up idolizing their favourite players and wishing to emulate their success. Sadly, for many these dreams will never become a reality.

This, however, doesn't have to be the end of your footballing journey. For those looking to work in the footballing world, there are numerous opportunities to be involved with some of the best clubs. The football industry is thriving with the European football market being worth £21.9 billion. This article will explore some of the top jobs available to you.

Performance Analyst

Performance analysts are essential for athletes looking to take their game to the next level. As a performance analyst, you will be responsible for gathering data via various methods and then presenting the information to players and coaches to highlight key performance indicators. You will look at top footballers and see what they are doing to be successful and compare them with the players in your team to try and help them to develop to the elite level.

You will be required to:
• Record and analyse data
• Present information to players and coaches
• Have good IT skills
• Communicate with all team members
• Analyse opponents

To become a performance analyst, you will need to complete either an undergraduate or post- graduate degree. There is a range of degrees focusing on performance analysis so make sure you choose a course that focuses specifically on football.

As part of your degree course, you will likely complete a placement where it may be possible to secure a job with the placement team after you have completed your studies. If you are not offered a job in the end, this is still a great way of gaining vital experience that will help you in securing another position. As you grow in experience, you will be able to find work at higher-level clubs.

As a performance analyst, you will gain insight into the footballing world, and for some, this creates an opportunity to segue into football journalism.

Chris Barry currently works with the GB judo team. He is a great example for those looking to get into the world of analysis as he has worked for the Glasgow Warriors as well as the Scottish national team.