There are few who know how challenging the role of Sporting Director is better than Mike Rigg. Having worked the role at a number of clubs including Man City, Fulham, QPR and Burnley, Mike is now educating the next generation of the perils and prospects involved alongside his colleagues at the Association of Sporting Directors.

Fit & alignment in finding the right job, being able to link the business with the football, managing player recruitment amidst the noise, you can tell it is not easy to go travel this path which often changes. However with a bit of purpose and clarity you might just not only survive but triumph. What we discussed included;

- How has the role of Sporting Director evolved over the years?

- The three different hats of a Sporting Director.

- What Mike's apprenticeship looked like at Blackburn in the pre-data age?

- Fit & Alignment in finding positions.

- Which two things are important to succeeding in the job?

- Playing long term but being judged short term.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:20 - What is the role?

06:21 - 11:16 - Apprenticeship

11:17 - 20:36 - Fit & Alignment

20:37 - 27:06 - Income v Outcome

27:07 - 33:12 - Recruitment

33:13 - 37:09 - Advice

Association of Sporting Directors; https://associationofsportingdirectors.com/