Being young and my early days in football

Throughout my career I’ve enjoyed engaging with students and young people entering into the sports industry. Always got much to say on the matter (!), having been on "both sides" ⤵️

As a lecturer, I have designed modules like:

- Sport and Innovation at emlyon business school

- Economics of Professional Soccer at The Institute for Study Abroad

- Football and Social Responsibility at Ahead In Sport and The University of Salford

And....

- Delivered many guest lectures at universities in Europe and the US.

- Curated Twitter/X conversations throughout lockdown on the future of football via Evolve.

- Was part of the ideation phase of SZN ONE, the alternative university of football.

- And awarded the 2023 Everything in Sport“Contribution to Education in Women’s Sport” Award for education initiatives on emerging technologies and women’s sport!

⚽ 💭 I often reflect on my early days entering the industry, circa 2004 – 2009.

- Volunteering with Coaching for Hope.

- Navigating websites and formulating what I thought were eloquent emails.

- Proposing to have coffee with others in more senior positions to me.

- Reading academic journals and publications.

- Luck – being in a World Cup host country (🇿🇦!)

- And more luck – entering into emerging and exploding fields of women’s football, internationalization, and football for good (and, honestly, without $$$ sports business degrees as the main gateway to getting a job...)

.... Fast forward to 2026. Entering the sports industry (and the workplace generally) today is different.

What do you think? 💭

And if you’re breaking into the industry – how are you going about it? And what are your tactics?