Top headhunter sees clubs moving into a new era – but they face difficult search for the leadership skills that all other industries are also seeking

Tony Simpson from headhunters Savannah Group, whose clients include some of the world’s biggest broadcasters, sport franchises and governing bodies, sees a clear trend towards clubs becoming content providers.

Not all clubs are on this journey yet, but according to him the front-runners in the industry have steered this path, and they are looking for a new type of executive to drive the changes needed.

Clubs find themselves in another ballgame when looking for the best talents out there to make this transition – because the skills required are wanted in industries all over the world.

According to Simpson, some clubs need to realise that they would have to spend more on executives who could execute these changes – but the football industry often tends to look within the sector for executives. That is a problem.

Some ownership groups need to see that they haven’t purchased a “normal” asset – a football club is something special that needs a well-balanced strategy in order to respect the value behind the brand.