You pay peanuts...you get...one of us?

[Ginger Ninjas]

Following Madejski's comments re: Thatcher, another small PR hiccup from Reading FC...

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/unpaid-bad-hours-and-you-have-to-watch-reading-is-this-the-worst-job-in-football-8569387.html

[Stuka]

Some rich kid will get the job, probably somebody already associated with the Club is lined up, but they have to advertise it because of policy.

[peterroyal76]

left wing newspaper in dig at club with Chairman who was friend with Thatcher Shocker!

[PieEater]

Shameful exploitation of someone desperate to get on in life.

Bastards.

[peterroyal76]

Shameful exploitation of someone desperate to get on in life.

Bastards.

I know this sort of thing happens in business all the time, but at the very least you would think they would pay expenses.

[Christof]

They spent the money on the party for the Simod Cup 25th anniversary...oh...

[No Fixed Abode]

Some rich kid will get the job, probably somebody already associated with the Club is lined up, but they have to advertise it because of policy.

That's how it generally works at Reading. If you're ITK, you will get a job there. Remember the Youth Team when we used to play them - full of mates, rather than the most talented players around Berkshire. Suppose times have changed a little as Reading recruit from far and wide now. Although that culture remains at the club somewhat - Nick Shorey's dad being a scout for a start.

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

RFC looking for unpaid intern to provide ProZone analysis. It requires post-grad statistical qualifications, must attend all first team games, unpaid, and NO EXPENSES.

So basically - you have to be desperate to enter sports science and be prepared to be utterly exploited.

Thoughts;

a) It's shameless and shameful. Unpaid internships now considered immoral by most businesses...football in the dark ages as ever.
b) Snowball's dream job...

http://www.uksport.gov.uk/jobs/Reading- ... ern-110413

Duties:
To undertake detailed pre-match, post-match and 'during-game' analysis as directed by the Senior Performance Analyst. Main duties will include individual player and team analysis (using ProZone, SportsCode & Opta), opposition analysis, filming and coding of First Team matches and video editing.

Requirements: Applicants should:

Hold (or be in the process of completing) a postgraduate degree in performance analysis or Sports Science
Have a performance analysis background, with some previous experience of working in Professional/Semi-Pro Football
Be efficient in the use of both ProZone and SportsCode
Have some knowledge and experience of video editing software (preferably Final Cut Pro)
Hold a UK Driving License and have access to their own car
This position is full-time and will require the successful applicant to work unsociable hours from July 2013 - May/June 2014. The post holder will be required to attend all First team home games and some away games

This role is unpaid and includes no travel expenses.

[Sanguine]

I'm not entirely sure how they think they will get anyone applying for this.

Who can afford to take a full-time, unpaid role for a year?

A student, you say? What about their studies?

[Snowball]

Stinks.


well spotted

[Cobi]

It's an absolute joke. Long hours in the week and must attend all home games, some away. No pay. MUST HAVE A CAR and no expenses, but you have to somehow afford to run your car...

What a joke this club is lately.

[royal67]

Disgraceful behaviour. I cannot believe that the club won't even compensate the 'successful' applicant for their incurred expenses. Who in their right mind would take up this opportunity?

[ZacNaloen]

Stinks.


well spotted

It's been picked up in all the papers.




unpaid Interships in general suck, but they are in widespread use in all sorts of industries and it's not surprise football takes advantage of them either. Reading would appear to be implying that it's something they've done for years in their comments in the media as well.


I'm actually not sure why this is in the news unless it's part of a wider campaign to make unpaid interships illegal.

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

I'm actually not sure why this is in the news unless it's part of a wider campaign to make unpaid interships illegal.

It's this last point to me. There is definitely a shift in thinking on internships. I work in media, we now pay min £15k which whilst pretty low for London is a start. We'd still have them queuing up to work for free, but we don't think we should.

I think Premier League clubs are bound to be targeted for this questionable activity. Pay a star striker £60k per week, then get some poor sap to analyse his every pampered step at their own expense. Asking for trouble, the saps.

[MouldyRoyal]

Blimey, they set out quite a detailed list of requirements that will surely limit the applicants to a few, at best, then they think it'd be attractive enough for them to get away without paying?

Ridiculous and exploitative.

[Colin Cheeselog]

If somebody wants the job they will apply. If they don't, they won't. What's the problem?

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

If somebody wants the job they will apply. If they don't, they won't. What's the problem?

The problem is that it's immoral.

[Cobi]

Seems they're all at it.

[Colin Cheeselog]

If somebody wants the job they will apply. If they don't, they won't. What's the problem?

The problem is that it's immoral.

No it isn't.

If you go into a shop and they have a TV for sale for £10,000, but several other shops have several other TVs for sale for around £400, nobody is making you buy the one £10,000.

If somebody wants to get into sport / football badly enough then they will weigh up all the factors and make a judgement as to whether they can afford to go a year without pay, on the basis that they will be doing a job they enjoy, and will get longer term benefit from future salaries. If they don’t want it that much they won't apply, it's really very simple.

Nobody is being forced to apply for this job.

[winchester_royal]

How is it immoral? Are we forcing students to apply for this?

Being a student who recently undertook an internship in my Gap Year I can assure you that the potential fiscal benefits of an experience like this one on your CV far outweighs any minimum wage salary they could offer.