Direct football close to perfection (3)
I believe the answer is:
run
'direct' is the definition.
(running is a kind of directing)
'football close to perfection' is the wordplay.
'football' becomes 'RU' (rugby union - type of rugby football).
'close to' indicates one should take the final letters (the close of something is the end).
The final letter of 'perfection' is 'n'.
'ru'+'n'='RUN'
(Other definitions for run that I've seen before include "Administer" , "Unbroken series" , "Take flight" , "trip" , "Ladder - manage - sprint - flow" .)