Open Access Journal of Economic Research
ISSN: 3065-9035 | DOI: 10.64030/3065-9035
Vincent English and Iain Brunskill
In the fiercely competitive and multi-billion-pound global football industry, the key strategic challenge is maintaining a sustained competitive advantage. This paper employs the Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm to shift the focus on managing «fringe players»—those who are not regular starters—viewing it as a central strategic priority rather than a peripheral concern. By synthesising findings from a foundational mixed-methods study on fringe player motivation (Brunskill, 2022)
with the theoretical frameworks of the RBV and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this paper argues that fringe players constitute a valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN) human capital resource. The original research combined a quantitative analysis of the Big Five personality traits of 32 professional footballers with in-depth qualitative interviews with six fringe players. Reinterpreted through a strategic perspective, the findings highlight three essential organisational capabilities to unlock this resource’s potential: effective strategic communication, a differentiated training and development infrastructure, and a cohesive, inclusive organisational culture. These capabilities, by fulfilling players› basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, can foster the motivation and growth necessary to turn fringe players into sources of on-field success and long-term financial value. The paper concludes with practical strategic recommendations forfootball club management, providing a novel, evidence-based framework for harnessing squad depth to sustain competitive
advantage.