The football market is relatively large, with numerous opportunities. Other industry specialists work behind the scenes to improve the game’s appeal. In addition to the real footballers we watch and admire, this includes operating a football club, putting the correct policies in place for the game and all stakeholders, and scouting for players.
A football scout or agent is one of those professionals whose names you are unlikely to hear. An agent works in the background to manage a player’s transfer from one club to another. As a manager, an agent represents a player and seeks to sign them to lucrative contracts and deals. Fortunately, unlike the player, who must retire before the age of 50, an agent can stay in the field for a long time since he can work until he is elderly.
Football players with talent and skill are multiplying in Nigeria. These local players prefer better playing conditions outside of Nigeria, notably in European clubs, because the world’s top football leagues are in Europe, and hence all local footballers in Nigeria aspire to play in Europe. This means that Nigeria will never be short of top-tier football players to send to Europe. Football fans who wish to be a part of these young players’ success stories may take advantage of the circumstance and establish jobs in Nigeria for themselves. Being a licensed football agent in Nigeria is a wonderful opportunity that you should treasure because many players have been exploited and abandoned by self-centered or unscrupulous agents.
How Do You Become A Professional Football Scout In Nigeria?
If you want to work as a football scout in Nigeria, follow our guide below.
1. Apply To The NFF To Become A Football Agent In Nigeria
To become a football agent or scout in Nigeria, you must first register with the Nigerian Football Federation. Your birth certificate, state-issued identification card, and any (academic and otherwise) credentials must be sent with your letter. The First School Leaving Certificate is the needed academic level. Remember to pay an application fee and include your payment receipt with your letter of application. Your name will be given to the EFCC, NDLEA, CPC, and other bureaus and agencies to establish whether you have ever been involved in any financial or drug-related crimes prior to your application. You will be invited to take a test if your initial background investigation is successful.
2. Take The Necessary Examination
You must pass a written test provided by the Nigerian Football Federation under the supervision of FIFA. NFF normally administers exams twice a year. FIFA has established a pass mark for the test, which contains of multiple-choice questions. If the minimum mark is not met, a second and perhaps a third try is attempted. If a candidate fails the exam on the third attempt, he or she cannot retake it for two years. After passing the written exam, you will be needed to obtain professional liability insurance from a reputable insurance firm in Nigeria to cover any risks that may arise while doing your duties.
3. Get An NFF License
Before you may work as a football scout in Nigeria, you must first receive a license from the NFF. Please keep in mind that this license only allows you to practice in Nigeria and cannot be used to scout for players outside of the country. To be a good football scout or agent, you must first establish your credibility and competence to represent players in front of prominent football clubs and get advantageous contracts. Patience is another quality required for success as a football scout. Your honesty and patience will win you more players who want you to be their agent or manager.
How Much Do Football Scouts Get Paid?
As a football scout, you might work full-time for a club team. You will be in charge of ensuring that the club recruits the greatest players for their team. You can earn 10% of the contract cost for each player you sign. You are also paid by the club side for whom you work.
Football scouts are paid differently depending on a variety of factors, including the popularity of the team for which they work and the specific roles they do. As a football scout, your primary task is to locate possible recruits and, ideally, to unearth a hidden diamond.
Football scouts in the United Kingdom make around £20,000 per year, according to Glassdor. As previously stated, scouts are awarded with bonuses if a player they scouted is signed by the club, and even if the player is not signed due to factors beyond the scout’s control, they still receive a mark of appreciation for their efforts.
Football Scouting Job Description
If you want to work as a football scout full-time, this is the job description:
- Watch various sports games and identify talents
- Attend professional matches
- Identify players with high potential and outstanding skills and style
- Network with agents, venue managers, and coaches who can introduce you to new talent
- Reach out to talented players and conduct preliminary interviews to understand their motives and professional goals
- Arrange meetings between players and coaches or team managers
- Coordinate contract negotiations between players and the team
- Watch game footage to gather players’ performance stats
- Gather and share with coaches and team managers the new players’ data (like medical history, athletic background, and contact details).
Licensed NFF Agent vs. Licensed FIFA Agent
As an NFF licensed agent, you can only practice in Nigeria, however as a FIFA licensed agent, you can practice anywhere in the world, albeit you may need additional certification from the country where you want to practice. For example, if you want to work as a football scout in the EPL, you must be accredited by the English FA.
How Do You Become A FIFA Licensed Agent In Nigeria
If you want to begin the application procedure for a FIFA agent license in Nigeria, you should contact the Nigerian Football Association (NFF). A official application should be sent to the NFF after paying an application fee at a recognized bank. The needed contribution amount is made available to interested parties via the Federation’s website or any of its local offices. When you visit the office, bring the payment receipt and any other essential educational documentation with you.
FIFA will conduct an extensive background study to ensure that the application is a credible candidate. Following their inquiry, the applicant must write an exam to verify their level of understanding with FIFA laws and regulations. The pass mark and application deadline are set by FIFA. Successful candidates are given the green light to begin planning for their final licensure. Candidates who do not receive the required exam points may reapply to retake the exam. Candidates may retake the tests a maximum of three times; after that, they must wait two years before trying again.