Scout (association football)
Encyclopedia
A football scout attends football matches on the behalf of clubs to collect intelligence. Primarily, there are two types of scouts: player scouts and tactical scouts.
Player scouts or talent scouts evaluate the talent of footballers with a view to signing them on a professional contract for their employers. Some scouts focus on discovering promising young players and future stars, others are employed to run the rule on potential signings. While smaller clubs might only scout within their own country or region, larger, richer clubs can have extensive international scouting networks.
Tactical scouts assess the matches of upcoming opponents of the club and prepare dossiers for their teams' tactical preparations. Instead of identifying talent in these matches, the scout assesses the team and each individual player to identify the relative tactical threats and weaknesses in the opposition. Tactical scouts are typically full-time employees of clubs as their knowledge and findings are considered precious to clubs.
However, relatively few football scouts are employed full-time, even in the largest professional clubs. By and large, their numbers are made up by talent scouts, the vast majority of which work part-time, and a club may hire several hundred - it has been reported, for example, that the Spanish Primera Liga
team Sevilla FC
has a global scouting network of about 700 player scouts.
Not all scouts are actually employed by football clubs. For example, the makers of the Football Manager
computer game have their own international network of scouts, and in 2008 signed an exclusive deal with Premier League side Everton
to provide early access to their database
of statistics and ratings.
Once a player has been recommended to a club, the club may continue to monitor his progress over a period from as little as a few months to as many as a few seasons. Scouts continue to evaluate whether a player has turned in consistent performances, if he has retained his appetite for team responsibilities, and so on.
When the club is satisfied that a player fits the requirements of the club, the club may extend the invitation to the player to attend a trial at the club, where scouts and coaching
staff evaluate the player's suitability for the club in terms of his personality and training attitude. Clubs also tend to perform background checks on the player. A trial at the club allows the club to evaluate the standard of the player against players already on its roster. However, in the top leagues, players are typically not allowed to leave training to undertake trials unless they are already out of contract and need to prove their fitness and ability to any clubs interested. Smaller clubs in need of the cash for transfers may also be more amenable to allowing their players to leave on trials.
Once the player has passed these evaluations, the club then starts negotiations with a view to a transfer
, either a permanent transfer, a loan
, or co-ownership (as is common in the Italian leagues).
In major clubs, it is typical for scouts to assemble specific reports and DVDs on specific opponent players. These DVDs and reports are watched, read and reviewed by players a few days before the game. Nearer towards the game, it is typical for coaches to convene meetings to summarise the findings of these reports and the approach recommended to the players.
More specifically, tactical scouts:
is reported to have used a database containing up to 77,000 players while working there. It has also been reported that home games of the French second division club Tours FC
are attended by an average of 15 to 20 scouts per game.
The importance of scouting offers football clubs with several distinct advantages:
Player scouts or talent scouts evaluate the talent of footballers with a view to signing them on a professional contract for their employers. Some scouts focus on discovering promising young players and future stars, others are employed to run the rule on potential signings. While smaller clubs might only scout within their own country or region, larger, richer clubs can have extensive international scouting networks.
Tactical scouts assess the matches of upcoming opponents of the club and prepare dossiers for their teams' tactical preparations. Instead of identifying talent in these matches, the scout assesses the team and each individual player to identify the relative tactical threats and weaknesses in the opposition. Tactical scouts are typically full-time employees of clubs as their knowledge and findings are considered precious to clubs.
However, relatively few football scouts are employed full-time, even in the largest professional clubs. By and large, their numbers are made up by talent scouts, the vast majority of which work part-time, and a club may hire several hundred - it has been reported, for example, that the Spanish Primera Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
team Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
has a global scouting network of about 700 player scouts.
Not all scouts are actually employed by football clubs. For example, the makers of the Football Manager
Football Manager
Football Manager is a series of football management simulation games developed by Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The game began its life in 1992 as Championship Manager; however, following the break-up of their partnership with original publishers Eidos Interactive, Sports Interactive...
computer game have their own international network of scouts, and in 2008 signed an exclusive deal with Premier League side Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
to provide early access to their database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
of statistics and ratings.
Finding players
A player scout typically attends as many football games as possible to evaluate targets first hand. Scouts who wish to identify promising young players typically attend lower-league club games, where their talent can be compared to older peers, or under-16, 18 and 21 international tournaments. Scouts may also receive tips from agents, peers and club colleagues.Evaluating players
On the first evaluation, player scouts determine whether a player has the desired technical attributes to succeed at the sport. They then highlight this player to the club management. Some of the desired attributes that scouts look in players include:- Goalkeepers: good reflexes, communication with defence, one-on-one ability, command of the penalty area and aerial intelligence.
- Centre-backs: good heading and tackling ability, height, bravery in attempting challenges, concentration.
- Full-backs: pace, stamina, anticipation, tackling and marking abilities, work rateWork rateIn Association Football, work rate refers to the extent to which a player contributes to running and chasing in a match while not in possession of the ball....
and team responsibility.
- Central midfielders: stamina, passing ability, team responsibility, positioning, marking abilities.
- Wingers: pace, technical ability like dribbling and close control, off-the-ball intelligence, creativity.
- Forwards: finishing ability, composure, technical ability, heading ability, pace, off-the-ball intelligence.
Once a player has been recommended to a club, the club may continue to monitor his progress over a period from as little as a few months to as many as a few seasons. Scouts continue to evaluate whether a player has turned in consistent performances, if he has retained his appetite for team responsibilities, and so on.
When the club is satisfied that a player fits the requirements of the club, the club may extend the invitation to the player to attend a trial at the club, where scouts and coaching
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
staff evaluate the player's suitability for the club in terms of his personality and training attitude. Clubs also tend to perform background checks on the player. A trial at the club allows the club to evaluate the standard of the player against players already on its roster. However, in the top leagues, players are typically not allowed to leave training to undertake trials unless they are already out of contract and need to prove their fitness and ability to any clubs interested. Smaller clubs in need of the cash for transfers may also be more amenable to allowing their players to leave on trials.
Once the player has passed these evaluations, the club then starts negotiations with a view to a transfer
Transfer (football)
In professional association football, a transfer is the action taken whenever a player under contract moves between professional clubs. It refers to the transferring of a player's registration from one professional association football club to another. In general, the players can only be...
, either a permanent transfer, a loan
Loan (football)
In sports, a loan involves a particular player being allowed to temporarily play for a club other than the one he is currently contracted to. Loan deals may last from a few weeks to all season-long....
, or co-ownership (as is common in the Italian leagues).
Tactical scouting
Tactical scouts watch the games of a club's upcoming opponents to assess their overall ability, as well as their specific threats and weaknesses. Almost every major club side in the world, including Chelsea FC, is known to employ the extensive services of tactical scouts. From these assessments, tactical scouts compile dossiers with recommendations to club coaches and players on their actions on-field.In major clubs, it is typical for scouts to assemble specific reports and DVDs on specific opponent players. These DVDs and reports are watched, read and reviewed by players a few days before the game. Nearer towards the game, it is typical for coaches to convene meetings to summarise the findings of these reports and the approach recommended to the players.
More specifically, tactical scouts:
- Offer advice on the team's general approach, for example, if the opposition team should be attacked with sustained pressure or to invite them onto the attack and strike on the counter. The scout also assesses the team's general passing pattern and playing tempo.
- Identify the opposition's key threats and ways which they can be dealt with. For instance, a right winger who is very weak with his left foot may be marked in such a manner as to force him infield towards his weaker side.
- Highlight the opposition's key weaknesses, particularly weaknesses in strength, pace, stamina and concentration that can be exploited by the team's strengths.
- Wingers are assessed according to which parts of the field they cut in towards goal or cut out to stay wide, and their preferred moves.
- Penalty kickPenalty kickA penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
takers are assessed according to which sides and corners they prefer aiming their kicks at. Famously, a scribbled scouting report on penalty kick takers aided Jens LehmannJens LehmannJens Gerhard Lehmann is a German former football goalkeeper. He was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and he has been selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning...
's Germany to a victory over Argentina in a penalty shootout during the World Cup 2006 quarter-final. - Identify the opposition team's favoured attack set piece movements, as well as their deficiencies when defending set pieces.
Importance of scouting
With the modernisation and globalisation of football and the football club economy, scouting has grown in stature and importance. Competition to search for young talents is extremely keen. Although it is difficult to quantify the prevalence of scouting in modern football, circumstantial evidence of its magnitude is readily available. The former Chelsea FC chief scout Gwyn WilliamsGwyn Williams
Gwyn Williams is Leeds United's Technical Director, and he is a former Chelsea FC chief scout who discovered John Terry and helped make a £14m profit on Tore André Flo for the London side.-Chelsea:...
is reported to have used a database containing up to 77,000 players while working there. It has also been reported that home games of the French second division club Tours FC
Tours FC
Tours Football Club is a French association football club based in Tours, the capital city of the Indre-et-Loire department. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Tours plays its home matches at the Stade de la Vallée du Cher located within...
are attended by an average of 15 to 20 scouts per game.
The importance of scouting offers football clubs with several distinct advantages:
- Global reach. Scouting allows clubs to cast the largest possible net to find players from all around the world.
- Cheap players. Players from lower leagues can be available at cheaper transfer prices, and command smaller wages. In particular, a talented cheap player can help a football club to progress in a league, knockout cup competition, or into continental cup competition, potentially even ahead of other clubs with superior financial clout.
- Specialist tactical advice. Scouting opposition matches allows clubs to build up a knowledge base about opponents that club coaches would otherwise not have the time and resources to research on their own.