Although elements of science are involved in the soccer scouting process, it still is a guessing game. This article will delve into finding from studies in scouting procedures and methods. It is impossible to predict future professional soccer players. By reading and understanding this article, you can increase your chance of being scouted. Read what you need to know about scouting in soccer.
The Official Way
Some professional players become professional soccer players via contact they have. This can be a coach that was a former professional soccer player, one of the relatives that played high-level soccer or a relative that is a scout for a region or soccer club. Many players don’t have any contacts and can become part of a soccer academy by the official route.
This route consists of being scouting. The scout reports to a professional club of a potential player. Many scouts based this opinion on the needs of the club, not necessarily the skils of the player. The club will observe the player for multiple matches before contacting the relatives of the player and offer a trial. If you perform accordingly to what the club wants, you are able to sign a contract and be part of a professional soccer academy.
What Does A Scout Focus On
Below is a scouting form (in Dutch) used by the Royal Dutch Soccer Union for the talented player. This form is used for under 10’s. Even at this young age, scouts are looking more for tactical insights than physical ones. The form is divided into 3 sections, which are attacking, defending and the transition from ball control to ball loss. Even at the under 10’s tactical qualities like positioning, basic control, and creating space is looked after.
Focus On This To Get Noticed
About 1/3 of the attention of the scout involves adaptation. Every time a ball gets intercepted or is out of play, there is a new situation. Scouts focus on this situation. Players that can read situations in soccer are sought after. Whether you are a defender, midfield or attack, a new situation means an opportunity to get noticed. When there is a change of ball possession, scouts will take notice of which player takes advantage of the new situation.
For a defender
- What is your position when your team (re)gains the ball
- What do you do while a team-player loses the ball
- Are you focused while the ball is on the other end of the field
For the midfield player
- Are you creating plays
- are you creating space
- What is your focus
For the attacker
- Are you creating space
- Where is the focus on
- What is the player doing when the ball is on the other side
Learn From The Super Scout
Piet de Visser is an internationally renowned scout. This former player and coach has scouted the likes of the Brazilian Ronaldo, van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam and many more. De Visser focusses on 4 areas, technique, tactical, physique and personal qualities. Piet de Visser will visit your practices and talks to your family members. Like other scouts, he tries to look at whether the player fits in a certain club. Some clubs will give you time to adjust and prove yourself, while others don’t. Matching a club with players with the right culture and attitude is more like an art than a science. See the scouting rapport from de Visser when he saw Ronaldinho. Below the scouting rapport, de Visser writes;
- Superbly talented, especially technical
- Ronaldinho is not a real target man
- He is best when he plays around the striker
- He became a goal scorer in this tournament
While You Are At A Soccer Academy
While you are at a professional soccer academy, there are many systems in place to monitor progress. In England, there is the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). This plan measured the productivity of an individual player
“a points-based system which accurately measures the development journey of every professional player and makes it possible to measure the successful production of players at each Academy and Centre of Excellence”
While in other countries there are more individual progress methods implemented at clubs. Below you can see a scouting rapport from a Russian professional soccer club. This rapport goes into physical and mental attributes. The rapport are divided into technical, tactical, physical, personality and lifestyle.
Different Clubs Different Scouting Methods
To increase your chance of being scouted, you have to find clubs that focus on scouting. Overall, clubs can focus on 3 different approaches. These are
- Defender; this approach focuses long term trajectory and intensive training programs. Little money is spent on buying players. The club culture is usually one of patience and familiarity. Usually, these clubs have a limited budget. These clubs can buy players when they are young (17-22 years) or buy older players that can aid young players in their development.
- Prospector, a prospector club focusses on buying players. These types of clubs want quick results and don’t plan for the long term. These teams tend to flexible and can adjust quickly to new rules and new situations. Most of these clubs have a large budget and buy players at their prime (between 22-27 years).
- Analyzer; an analyzer approach is a combination of defender and prospector approaches. There is a reasonable budget and a mix of buying players and player development. Players are bought at all ages, but usually between 20-25 years).
Don’t Take It Personal When You Are Not Scouted
Interviews with scouts show that scouts realize that they make mistakes. A lot of times players might not fit within the club culture. Some competitors might be better at the time, and sometimes the scouts are just wrong. Don’t take it personally and keep on training.
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