Sports are as much about what happens on the field as off of it. The connection fans have with their teams is reinforced weekly by sports journalists who continue to work long after the players disappear down the tunnel after the final whistle. Sports can be a profitable career, but to do it successfully, individuals need to learn a range of skills, especially when working in European sports like football, where fans are more passionate, and the agenda against players and clubs is more emphasised. Arguably, one of the most important skills to acquire as a prospective football journalist is to have a deep-rooted knowledge of the sport.
Be A Walking Encyclopedia
What method does Marcelo Bielsa use at Leeds United? Why did Jose Mourinho’s tactics fail at Tottenham? These are both questions prospective football journalists should be able to answer. Individuals need to have extensive knowledge of the game, meaning not just players/clubs but tactics, psychology, and strategy. Football journalists also need to have a strong understanding of the legal and financial side of football. This aspect of the game has become more visible over the years, as demonstrated by the recent £305m takeover of Newcastle United.
Similarly, journalists need to know the different components associated with football. Social media is a big one, with platforms like Twitter the go-to place for fans to communicate directly with players and clubs. Instagram is also big among football fans, considering Ronaldo is the most followed person on the app. As a football journalist, it’s important to watch these channels to see player/club reactions to particular events since they can be used as an additional source of information.
Lastly, it’s crucial for football journalists to understand country-specific cultures around the sport. For example, the online sports betting industry in the United Kingdom plays a significant role in how the country views football. Fans wager on weekly Premier League fixtures, and as such, it’s not enough to just report the headlines of matches. A great example is Mark Langdon, who is a football journalist that covers both football news and offers betting tips and is also a regular pundit on talkSPORT. Journalists like Langdon demonstrate that while football reporters have to be objective, they also have to expose themselves to every possible angle in the industry.
In fact, some of the best commentary on football in recent years has come because journalists played the betting angle. For instance, when Leicester City won the Premier League in 2015/16, half of the shock factor was that sportsbooks gave the Foxes 5000-to-1 odds to win the title at the start of the season. This angle was used heavily by the media and made Leicester’s comeback seem even more incredible.
Leicester City. Champions of England. pic.twitter.com/WRwfysTn2N
— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 2, 2016
There are so many different skills individuals need to make it as a football journalist. While degrees and writing skills arevital qualifications, nothing beats having extensive knowledge of sports/football. Degrees can be obtained, and people skills can be developed, but that passion for football sets a journalist apart because they will be the ones watching different angles in the industry even when no one asks.