What Are the Main Types of Football Coaches?

To become a football coach is crucial in honing players’ capabilities, including their approach and tactics on the field. Depending on the level at which the game is played and the specialisation of the coaching, football coaches might work in any of the following capacities. Here are the main types of football coaches:

• Youth Football Coach: Youth football coaches coach children and teenagers on the basics of the game and try to teach them how to compete, be sporty, and work in teams. They tend to work in schools, academies, or youth clubs and are more interested in developing players than winning.
• School/College Football Coach: Coaches at the school or college level typically oversee student-athletes who have other responsibilities to attend to, such as their academics. These coaches focus on refining skills, tactics, and physical conditioning, emphasising discipline and teamwork.
• Amateur/Non-League Football Coach: These coaches charge amateur teams or semi-professional clubs. They manage these teams that compete at non-league levels, which are less competitive than professional leagues but still require dedication, performance, skills, strategy, and training.
• Professional Football Coach: Professional football coaches manage teams at a professional level in professional leagues such as the Premier League or EFL Championship. They are tasked with formulating the tactical and game plans, developing the players individually and collectively, and ensuring the team delivers on a matchday. Professional coaches operate under significant pressure to get results and will, as a general rule, have extensive coaching experience.
• Assistant Coach: The assistant coach works alongside the head coach in developing a team, often focusing on specific aspects of the game, such as defence or attack, although they can also specialise in areas such as fitness, set pieces, goalkeeper training, and technical skills. They assist in the development and organisation of training sessions.
• Head Coach/Manager: In professional football, the head coach or manager is the ‘boss’ of the team. This person is responsible for all of the team’s football matters and decides who plays in what position, how we will play our football, and who we will buy and sell. Managers are usually the club’s public face and are often in contact with the club’s executive board.
• Technical Director: Deals with the long-term development of the club or team, in charge of the club’s entire footballing strategy, including youth development, scouting, and implementing the playing philosophy. They’re usually linked to the head coach to ensure continuity between the first and youth teams.
• Goalkeeper Coach: The goalkeeper coach works specifically with goalkeepers, devoting their work to shot-stopping, positioning, distribution, and other goalkeeping-specific skills. Goalkeeper coaches must possess a specialised knowledge of goalkeeping techniques and tactics and often work closely and individually with goalkeepers.
• Fitness Coach: A fitness coach is a trainer in charge of the players’ physical conditioning on a particular team. Fitness coaches create training programs that help players improve their strength, endurance, agility, and overall fitness. Fitness coaches ensure the players’ bodies are in perfect shape so they don’t get injured and can play their best for the entire season.
• Tactical Analyst: Tactical analysts, or performance analysts, study match footage and statistics to identify strengths, weaknesses, and tactical trends and provide recommendations to the head coach or manager to help formulate the team’s game plan and strategy.

What Does a Football Coach Do?

Football coaches are responsible for maintaining and developing a football team’s performance. Their duties vary depending on the level of football they are involved in, but their primary goal is to help players improve their skills, develop winning strategies, and ensure the team performs at its best. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what a football coach does:

• Design and Deliver Training Sessions: Football coaches plan and deliver training sessions to improve players’ technical, tactical, physical, and mental abilities. These sessions are structured to meet the team’s needs in ball control, passing, shooting, defending, and set pieces.
• Develop Game Strategies and Tactics: A football coach’s most important task is to devise game strategies. This includes evaluating the relative strengths and weaknesses of the team and its opponents to devise a tactical plan to maximise the chance of victory. Within an overall strategy for the game, coaches will select players’ positions in formation, set up a defensive or offensive plan, and make on-the-fly adjustments to instructions as conditions change.
• Motivate and Manage Players: Football coaches are responsible for keeping players motivated and focused, both on and off the pitch. They work closely with individuals to improve their confidence, manage egos, and maintain team morale. Good coaches create a positive team environment where players feel supported and encouraged to perform at their best.
• Assess Player Performance: Coaches assess their players’ performance throughout training sessions and matches. They give feedback on improving, monitoring progress, and deciding what players are eligible for selection, considering their form, fitness, and attitude.
• Understanding How Opponents Play: To develop winning game plans, coaches break down the opposition’s style of play, formations and tactics, and critical offensive and defensive players. Coaches will watch match footage, study statistics, and look for patterns in the opponents’ style of play. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition will aid coaches in developing game plans.
• Oversee Player Development: Football coaches, especially at the youth level or in academies, play a key role in player development, aiming to improve technique, tactics, and general athleticism, as well as building these players’ personal qualities (character, perseverance, teamwork, emotions, etc.).
• Operate Match Day Activities: Match days are where the coach will need to make crucial decisions about which 11 players will be selected to start each match, in addition to substitutions and tactics. During a game, the coach will have to make split-second decisions on what will work best in terms of formation and play styles, either based on the flow of the game or how the opposition is performing.
• Coordinate with Backroom Staff: Coaches coordinate with backroom staff, including assistant coaches, fitness coaches, physios, analysts, etc. They make sure everyone is on the same page and that the players are fully prepared in all aspects—physically, tactically, and technically.
• Media and Public Relations: On the highest levels, a football coach must be able to give interviews post-match, go to press conferences, and handle public relations. It is essential to have a good communicator on the team who is not thrown off-balance easily, especially in the face of critical remarks.
• Keep Players Fit and Avoid Injuries: Fitness is an essential factor in playing football, and keeping players fit is one of the primary responsibilities of the head coach. He must regularly meet with the fitness trainers and the medical staff to keep track of players’ fitness status and avoid any injuries if possible. At the same time, he needs to observe the players to identify their injuries and fatigue, control the training load, and provide rest when necessary.

Average Football Coach Salary

A football coach in the UK can earn a different salary from when they start working to the experience they get and the type of football they coach. Football coaches who work with youngsters or amateur teams usually earn less than coaches who work in professional or senior teams. The table below illustrates some typical football coach salaries.

• Youth or Amateur Football Coach: Youth and amateur coaches earn between £18,000 and £30,000 annually. They often work part-time or full-time and have extra roles like teaching or administration. They focus on developing the game and grassroots football.
• School/College Football Coach: Many school and college football coaches are also teachers or athletic directors, earning between £25,000 and £40,000 annually. They are also responsible for coaching student-athletes, maintaining an academic schedule for students, and running school sports programs.
• Non-League or Semi-Professional Football Coach: At this level, coaches earn £20,000 and £40,000, depending on the club’s budget and the level of football played. Most coaches at this level work part-time or have other jobs to supplement their income.
• Football Coach: A football (soccer) coach in the lower leagues, such as League One or Two, will likely earn £50,000-£100,000 yearly. Coaches in the higher divisions (such as the Championship and Premier League) will be paid much more, with top-level managers earning millions per year.
• Elite-Level Football Coach: A top football manager in the Premier League or national football team can earn from about £1 million to £15 million a year, depending on the club, the coach’s success, and the worth they add to that team. Top-level coaches usually negotiate contracts with hefty performance bonuses, endorsements, or media appearances.
• Bonuses and Perks: Besides base salaries, football coaches receive bonuses for winning matches, qualifying for tournaments, or securing promotions. At the highest level, coaches are also provided luxury cars, accommodation, and travel allowances.

Football Coach Skills

A good football coach requires technical knowledge, outstanding leadership, and communication skills. A football coach should be able to coordinate and monitor the players’ behaviour and assign them game strategies that will enhance their performance. Here are some of the relevant skills for a football coach.

• Tactical Knowledge: To be a good coach, one must have deep tactical football knowledge. This involves knowing the game’s nuances, such as formations, strategies, and play calls, to plan an effective game strategy based on objectively analysing each team’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Communication: A good coach must communicate well, whether giving instructions to the players, delivering a team talk, providing feedback during training, or giving interviews to the media.
• Leadership and Motivation: Football coaches are leaders on and off the pitch. They have to motivate the players, discipline each player, and create a good atmosphere simultaneously. A good coach knows how to take full advantage of each player’s strengths and maintain morale among the team, even in bad games.
• Player Development: This refers to your work in teaching players new skills, helping them to improve fitness, and increasing their knowledge about the game. A good coach needs to be able to identify each player’s strengths and weaknesses and devise a more personalised training plan to facilitate progress.
• Problem Solving and Decision-Making: Being a fast-paced contact sport, football demands constant decision-making from coaches during the match (tactical decision-making, substitutions, formation changes) or in training sessions. Every decision made by the coach has to be an informed and immediate decision. The coach needs to solve all sorts of problems, both in and out of matches, concerning player performance, team dynamics, and long-term development plans.
• Adaptability and flexibility: The beautiful game constantly moves and evolves, and new formations, techniques, and training methods have become commonplace. Successful coaches in football must be adaptable and flexible in their approaches, ready to learn new methods and adapt their strategies depending on the strengths and weaknesses of their players and those of their opponents, as well as dynamic changes within a match or season.
• Fitness and Conditioning Knowledge: Many coaches work with fitness trainers and support staff, but it is helpful if the coach also has some knowledge of fitness and conditioning. Coaches need to ensure that the players can meet the physical demands of the season; they also need to know how to prevent injuries through training loads and recovery.
• Scouting and Talent Identification: Football Coaches—incredibly professional and semi-professional—are often required to scout new players. Identifying up-and-coming players and integrating them into the team is essential. Coaches must assess players not only on their current abilities but also on their potential for growth.
• Organisational skills: Running a football team entails a lot of logistics, ensuring the training sessions are organised, determining who is travelling when and where, keeping track of all equipment necessary, managing player schedules, etc. It is crucial to have strong organisational skills to ensure that the team and the back-office coaching staff are ready to go for training and match days.
• Patience and Resilience: Coaching is an incredibly tough and stressful job. Day in and day out, coaches deal with the pressure of winning, trying to ease friction between teammates, or just having to handle poor results. Coaches must be patient and resilient, ready to bounce back from adverse outcomes and maintain a long-term view of organisational success.
• Media and Public Relations Skills: Coaches at the professional and elite levels are often the face of the team. They are responsible for organising media appearances, end-of-match interviews, and other public relations activities. The ability to handle the press professionally, particularly following losses, is becoming increasingly important in modern coaching.

Football Coach Tips

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• Start Coaching Young: Most of the best coaches get started before they’ve quit playing. Coaching while you play is an excellent opportunity to learn how teams function from the inside, from both perspectives.
• Get Your Football Coaching Qualifications: If you’re in the UK, you should look into getting your football coaching qualifications via the FA’s coaching pathway. Start with FA Level 1 in Coaching Football and work up the levels. If you want to be coaching at the highest levels of the sport, you’ll need to keep progressing right up to UEFA A and UEFA Pro licence.
• Build Experience at Lower Levels: Coaching youth or non-league teams is an excellent place to gain experience. You can practise your game-teaching and personality-management skills and enjoy the different levels of play.
• Study Good Coaches: Good coaches learn from good coaches. Read books by and about successful coaches. What were the styles and leadership philosophies of great managers like Sir Alex Ferguson? What are the philosophies of current great coaches, such as Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp?
• Watch and Analyze Matches: Watching and analysing as many matches as possible will enhance your tactical knowledge. You will become more aware of formations, transitions, and how teams change the game based on what they see. This will help you become more aware of the decisions to make in a game.
• Develop Your Philosophy: As you mature, your philosophy for how you want your teams to play, your approach to player development, and your general leadership style. Having this clarity will help you make decisions and can provide a guide or framework for how you want to be as a coach.
• Network in Football: Networking is vital in football coaching—network with other coaches, scouts, and players by attending coaching workshops, seminars, and industry events. Relationships are essential in football; the more you know people, the more your chances of getting a new job offer or partnering with another coach increase.
• Keep Abreast of Coaching Trends: Football is a dynamic sport, and staying updated on trends in tactics, training, and technology often gives successful coaches an advantage over their competitors. Attend CPD (continuing professional development) and read relevant publications, keeping up-to-date with the latest research on sports science and performance analysis.
• Be Patient and Trust the Process: Believe in the process, and believe in each other. Coaching is a long-game career, and sometimes the rewards of success don’t come quickly. Stay patient and take each step of the process seriously. Believe in your skills and experience, and trust that the end goal will come.

Football Coach Requirements

In the UK, to become a football coach, you will need a mix of qualifications, practical experience, and an ongoing commitment to your personal development. Here are the most common prerequisites for becoming a football coach.

• FA Coaching Qualifications: The Football Association (FA) provides a structured coaching qualification pathway, beginning with the FA Level 1 in Coaching Football and moving progressively upwards through the levels, concluding with either the UEFA A License or UEFA Pro License, which are the requirements to coach at the highest levels of the game, including professional clubs.
• Experience of Football: Many coaches have played football before. However, you don’t have experience as a football player. Football players often have a deeper understanding of the football game. However, having experience as a football player is necessary to become a successful coach. It’s essential to get an education and experience in coaching football.
• First Aid and Safeguarding Certification: Coaching roles (football especially) require first aid certification and safeguarding training. This ensures that you can create a safe environment for athletes and react to injuries during training or matches.
• DBS Check: Any coach working with under-18s or so-called ‘at-risk’ groups will need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before commencing work. This is now a mandatory requirement for all coaches working in youth football in the UK.
• Coaching Philosophy: Write a coaching philosophy to guide how you approach training, matchdays, and player development. As a coach, have a clear vision of how you want your team to play, what they will look like, and how you want them to improve as individuals.
• Good Communication Skills: As we have already seen, good communication skills are essential, whether giving instructions from the bench, in the dressing room on the pitch, or speaking to the media.

How to Become a Football Coach

Becoming a football coach requires a mix of education, experience, and passion for the sport. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started on your journey to becoming a football coach:

• Gain Playing Experience (Optional): While not essential, many football coaches begin their journey as players. Playing the game gives you a deep understanding of tactics, team dynamics, and player development. If you don’t have playing experience, focus on developing your coaching skills through education and practice.
• Pursue Coaching Qualifications: Start by obtaining coaching qualifications through The FA’s coaching pathway. Begin with the FA Level 1 in Coaching Football and progress through higher levels, including FA Level 2 and the UEFA A License. Advanced licences are required for coaching at professional levels.
• Gain Practical Coaching Experience: Start coaching at the youth or amateur level to build practical experience. This will allow you to develop your skills in managing teams, planning training sessions, and developing players’ abilities. Volunteering at local clubs or working with school teams is a great way to start.
• Develop a Coaching Network: Networking is key in the football world. Attend coaching seminars, workshops, and events to meet other coaches, club officials, and scouts. Building relationships with other professionals in the industry can lead to job opportunities and valuable mentorship.
• Study the Game: Continuously study football by watching matches, reading coaching books, and following the work of successful coaches. Stay updated on the latest tactics, training methods, and sports science to enhance your knowledge and effectiveness as a coach.
• Apply for Coaching Positions: As you gain experience and qualifications, start applying for coaching positions at clubs or academies. Initially, you may work as an assistant coach or youth coach before progressing to more senior roles. Build your resume by working at different levels and taking on increasingly responsible positions.
• Pursue Continuous Professional Development: Football coaching is a career that requires continuous learning. Stay informed about new coaching techniques, attend advanced coaching courses, and participate in ongoing professional development to ensure you remain at the top of your game.

Get Qualified as a Football Coach

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Become a Football Coach?

A career as a football coach means having the best of both worlds. You can share your passion for football with others and help them develop their skills. It’s a fulfilling job because you get to work with players and inspire them to be leaders and be a leader yourself. It’s a dynamic, fast-paced job with plenty of opportunities to use your tactical and strategic skills. A football coach has the chance to shape the future of the game.

Is Being a Football Coach a Good Career Choice for You?

If you like sports, specifically football, are a strong leader, and get a sense of satisfaction from helping others reach their full potential, becoming a football coach could be right for you. While you may experience the excitement of watching players grow and teams win, the job also comes with some stress and disappointments.

Football Coach Salaries

As the competition level rises, the salary increases for UK football coaches from between £18,000 and £30,000 for youth coaches to over £1 million a year for those in the Premier League. Success, experience, and reputation are essential factors in determining a coach’s salary.

Which Qualifications Can Help with a Career as a Football Coach?

The FA’s coaching pathway, including qualifications such as the FA Level 1 in Coaching Football, FA Level 2, UEFA B, UEFA A, and UEFA Pro License, are essential qualifications required to become a football coach to coach at different levels, including grassroots and professional football. Other valuable qualifications are first aid, safeguarding, and sports science.

Do I Need to Be an Experienced Football Player to Get Started?

No, playing football to coach it is not a prerequisite. Playing experience certainly helps, but lots of great coaches never played. What’s more important is your enthusiasm for the game, passion for learning, and ability to lead and teach.

Football Coach Career Outlook

The need for qualified coaches at grassroots and youth levels continues, and the professional academies have increased the opportunities for coaches, along with a surge of development within women’s football. Experience, learning, and networking are key to success as a coach, as is being prepared and willing to continue progressing. Coaches can move up the pyramid to manage semi-professional or professional teams.

Football Coach Hierarchy and Progressing Within the Role

Coaches begin at the bottom of the pyramid as youth or assistant coaches and work their way up the line, potentially to head coach or manager. As you build your résumé and qualifications, you can progress up the pyramid from youth coaching to semi-professional and eventually professional levels and from manager to technical director to head of football operations if you are successful.

Football Coach Exit Options and Opportunities

It is common for a football coach to leave the coaching position for various reasons and go on to work in a different field. Many of them move into football administration, scouting, or performance analysis. Some move into the media and become football pundits, commentators, or analysts. Others focus on training and development, becoming coaching instructors or opening football academies.