I have covered the issue of our soccer needing to employ a higher calibre of managers and leaders so that they can raise their profile as corporates and becoming preferred destinations for top graduates. I was impressed to see that the PSL are starting to take the first tentative steps towards addressing this.
I happened to be watching the PSL Kings programme on DSTV when I caught a very proactive scheme that the PSL is championing with the help of one or two clubs. The scheme seems to have come about due to the overwhelming number of applications that they receive from graduates particularly those who have majored in Sport Management. Rather than just throw these CVs into the dustbin they encouraged the clubs to take on the cream of these students as interns.
This is a win-win situation as the club gets to train a student with potential with the possibility of maybe unearthing a gem on a fixed contract basis, whilst the intern has a chance to learn and prove their worth with the possibility of ultimately securing a permanent job, while at the same time earning a salary.
Moroka Swallows are one of the clubs that have been enthusiastic about this scheme and were filmed actually hiring the best candidate out of the 10 they had interviewed. The intern was taken in by the Swallows Marketing department to assist the club’s Brand Manager. Another positive sign was that the interviewing panel included not just the club’s representative but also present was a very senior and experienced PSL official who obviously provided meaningful input to the process. This is a great initiative but it can be extended even further.
The clubs should also start preparing high quality and very professional presentations for the top tertiary institutions in the country as well just as companies like KPMG and Investec Bank do with their graduate placement drives aimed at final year students.
The presentation should include marketing collateral such as quality brochures that can be left behind for students to be more informed about the club concerned. Soccer is a very glamorous and passionate sport that is very easy to package and present in a very dynamic format.
The recruiting team could even include one of the club’s star players it schedules or they could have a former great such as Doctor Khumalo as far as Kaizer Chiefs is concerned. Having said that the internship programme is a small step in the right direction now we hope to see giant strides being made in this regard.
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May 14, 2009 at 12:59 pm
It is conforting to see someone who shares the same kind of thinking that I do. I am a believer in the employing the best that we have on offer both on and off the sporting field. The difference being off the field we need a pedigree of a higher education qualification in whatever field that would be of particular interest and benefit to the local teams in the PSL. I mean as a marketer there are certain things that one could do with a club to uplift the profile of that team that comes with having not just experience but a qualitification to support that which we are proposing to better the corporate quality of our local team brands. I am a believer in that there are leaders for various stages in a vision’s actualization. For instance there is a period whereby we need a leader who will develop the vision, then followed by another leader to implement the developmental plans and lastly another to grow, better or sustain that dream. For some strange reason it seems as though the entire PSL seems to be still stuck in the developmental stage of their visions for their clubs and are not doing much to try to move into the next stage. There are clubs such as Swallows (internship programs), Supersport (allowing Coach Gavin Hunt to further his coaching qualification anually through his visit to Europe) as well as University of Pretoria aka Tukkies (partnering with Sports Science Institute, PTA) football club whom have all should signs of a gradual progression from developmental into setting ourselves up for greatness. My desire is to see more of such mentalities being adopted by all the local teams so that we can and will see a quality of football operation that is able to compete with the rest of the world both on and off the field of play.
May 14, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Tshiamo, there is just a lot of work that has to be done by the clubs to reach their full potential. Take one communication tool, which all the teams within the PSL are dismally failing to stretch it to its maximum potential…a website.
The marketing/PR department are not exploring all the possible avenues that such a tool could be utilised to grow their supporters and tap into new revenue streams.
Will soon be introducing a feature to expose such possibilities.
May 15, 2009 at 9:17 am
Howzit Muzi,
In which ever way I could add my assistance to that you please do not hesitate to let me a shout. I am fully Marketer with a Business Science Honours degree. So, in which ever you may need some assistance or contributions I am available.
The most disheartening aspect to all our local teams is exactly what you are talking about. There is so much potential but it seems as though they are oblivious to it all. At times I feel that I should come up with a basics in brand management for our local PSL teams:-) You know exactly what you are referring to, something that will open up their eyes to what is possible but importantly available to them if only they would open their eyes to it.
Keep me posted with regards to what you are working on and once again, wherever I can be of some assistance please just give me a shout.
Regards,
Tshiamo
May 15, 2009 at 9:25 am
Great to know you’re available to offer assistance. Quality content is very important for a new blog like ours. Your educated contribution will go a long way into opening the eyes of those in authority and hopefully they take notice. Will drop you am email shortly.
March 21, 2010 at 9:42 am
Some soccer clubs are very good, they train and overall support the player and some not.