Who will I work with?

In the role of Team Manager, it is important to understand who you will work with and, along with your job description, you should have a clear understanding of other roles within the team. 

A Union’s High-Performance (HP) Director is usually responsible for the strategic leadership of the performance programme, and it is most likely that the Head Coach will report to the HP Director. Other members of the management group may also report to the HP Director including the medical, analytical services and operations department. Regardless of reporting lines, it is generally accepted that the Head Coach directs the team on a day-to-day basis. A strong relationship between Head Coach and Team Manager will strengthen the unity of the team, and is, therefore, important to your success in the role. 

As Team Manager, players (and management, collectively the squad) will rely on you to keep them informed of all team activities, to direct them to the right place, at the right time, in the right clothes! You will also have to gather significant amounts of information on each squad member from passport numbers to height and weight. Along with doctors, physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches, as Team Manager, players will see you as a confidant and you will become an important figure in their lives. It is important to cultivate those relationships while ensuring that boundaries remain. Your priority is always the welfare of the  players.  

It is likely that you will be involved in every aspect of team planning including training sessions and camps at home, along with all aspects of travel to, and accommodation at, a match or tournament. You will have an in-depth knowledge of the Laws, Regulations and Tournament rules to ensure all the requirements are met and will be able to inform the rest of the team of any obligations. 

Add in budget management, kit management, safeguarding, commercial obligations, media requirements, down-time activities and catering requirements, as Team Manager you are the central source of information to and from the team and its stakeholders. Maintaining effective and positive relationships will ensure the smooth running of the team and ultimately, its success. 

Most, but not all tournaments provide a Liaison Officer (LO). If provided, as you get closer to a tournament or match, you will be introduced to your Liaison Officer. This person is likely to be local to the country or city you are visiting and will speak both the local language and yours. 

Your Liaison Officer will become hugely important and will help you navigate a new environment for you and your team. Ask if it is possible to meet them online prior to arrival into the country. 

Get as much information from the Host Union as possible about the hotel, city and venue as you can, and be clear what areas you will need help with while you are with them. While the LO will be dedicated to you and your team, remember they work for the tournament and generally meet tournament organisers every 24/48 hours. This can be useful in reinforcing areas of the tournament management that might be causing concern.   

Below are some of the stakeholders you can expect to interact with as part of your role as Team Manager: