JonnyLove Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 A friend of mine is a football scout among other things and we were having a chat as I was discussing some of our players and possible transfer targets and he gave me a scout report to look through, I asked how he compiles such a huge dossier of information and one of them was he goes to games and just watches just one single player, he suggested I try it sometime. So the last couple of home games I have selected a couple of players to watch and nothing else (well almost nothing it's quite hard actually just to focus on one player). I have to say my opinion of players changed massively and I started seeing so much more of our game. An example gaston Ramirez against Chelsea was possibly the best player on the park literally playing box to box, looking to and being at everything we did well *****il 60 minutes when he was pushed out to the right and was then non existent as he did not get the ball). Other players in different games Jack cork, excellent player tries his utmost but just seems to just run and run and not think about what he is doing (poor distribution). One reason I feel that Wanyama is preferred an she is a little more assured in the role as opposed to the headless chicken that jack seems to be (not a bad thing just could do with taking a more calmed approach) Morgan, a very very cool, calm and collected player who only commits himself when he needs to, some stray passes but easily one of the best players on the pitch. So tomorrow night I am going to take a full look at jay rod over the time (as long as he plays I guess). I suggest you guys try doing the same and really getting to know players (especially before you all shout he's ****e). Be interesting to know if you are goi to do the same and we should pop our collective reports here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pangy Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 I see what you are saying,but I would find it impossible to watch one player the whole game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLove Posted 27 January, 2014 Author Share Posted 27 January, 2014 It's hard and you do wander (hence why scouts are normally pros) but it does bring a new dimension to the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpturner Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 Mmmm, something I would like to do, but I don't think I would find it possible when Saints are playing. Watching a game as a neutral would be much easier - but I would probably get bored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelvinsRightGlove Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 (edited) A friend of mine is a football scout among other things and we were having a chat as I was discussing some of our players and possible transfer targets and he gave me a scout report to look through, I asked how he compiles such a huge dossier of information and one of them was he goes to games and just watches just one single player, he suggested I try it sometime. So the last couple of home games I have selected a couple of players to watch and nothing else (well almost nothing it's quite hard actually just to focus on one player). I have to say my opinion of players changed massively and I started seeing so much more of our game. An example gaston Ramirez against Chelsea was possibly the best player on the park literally playing box to box, looking to and being at everything we did well *****il 60 minutes when he was pushed out to the right and was then non existent as he did not get the ball). Other players in different games Jack cork, excellent player tries his utmost but just seems to just run and run and not think about what he is doing (poor distribution). One reason I feel that Wanyama is preferred an she is a little more assured in the role as opposed to the headless chicken that jack seems to be (not a bad thing just could do with taking a more calmed approach) Morgan, a very very cool, calm and collected player who only commits himself when he needs to, some stray passes but easily one of the best players on the pitch. So tomorrow night I am going to take a full look at jay rod over the time (as long as he plays I guess). I suggest you guys try doing the same and really getting to know players (especially before you all shout he's ****e). Be interesting to know if you are goi to do the same and we should pop our collective reports here. The problem is people on here don't game to games*, some do, but a lot don't - hence them being on here. Myself firmly included in this. It's very hard to watch just one player on an internet stream. *Edit: re-reading that it seems wrong. What I meant was go to games regularly. Hence I agree with Turkish, when I do go, which isn't as often as I would like, I'd rather just enjoy the game. Edited 27 January, 2014 by KelvinsRightGlove Clarification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 If youre only watching one player how do you know he is better than the others? Only fair way would be to watch the game 10x once for each out field player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 Why don't you just go to a game to enjoy it? Its entertainment isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 I spent a few games watching with a mate of mine who scouted for a PL team; he was typically watching 2 or 3 players in a game, and more often than not just generally watching for any stand-out performances with no pre-planned watching brief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLove Posted 27 January, 2014 Author Share Posted 27 January, 2014 Why don't you just go to a game to enjoy it? Its entertainment isn't it? I do but have found watching just certain players has enhanced my enjoyment especially if they surprise you and do things your not expecting. I was just saying it's something interesting to try out I'm in no way forcing you all to do this, but have put a suggestion to people it's something they may consider doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roosk Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 A friend of mine is a football scout among other things and we were having a chat as I was discussing some of our players and possible transfer targets and he gave me a scout report to look through, I asked how he compiles such a huge dossier of information and one of them was he goes to games and just watches just one single player, he suggested I try it sometime. So the last couple of home games I have selected a couple of players to watch and nothing else (well almost nothing it's quite hard actually just to focus on one player). I have to say my opinion of players changed massively and I started seeing so much more of our game. An example gaston Ramirez against Chelsea was possibly the best player on the park literally playing box to box, looking to and being at everything we did well *****il 60 minutes when he was pushed out to the right and was then non existent as he did not get the ball). Other players in different games Jack cork, excellent player tries his utmost but just seems to just run and run and not think about what he is doing (poor distribution). One reason I feel that Wanyama is preferred an she is a little more assured in the role as opposed to the headless chicken that jack seems to be (not a bad thing just could do with taking a more calmed approach) Morgan, a very very cool, calm and collected player who only commits himself when he needs to, some stray passes but easily one of the best players on the pitch. So tomorrow night I am going to take a full look at jay rod over the time (as long as he plays I guess). I suggest you guys try doing the same and really getting to know players (especially before you all shout he's ****e). Be interesting to know if you are goi to do the same and we should pop our collective reports here. Have you been reading 'The Nowhere Men' by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 For those interested in scouting & it's logistics read 'The Nowhere Men' great little read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolution saint Posted 27 January, 2014 Share Posted 27 January, 2014 Of course the problem with fans doing this is that you come away with an opinion which is still subjective - example in point (and we've all done it) is watching an England game with a Saints player in it. You only watch the one player but you only look for the good things. I suspect the same would be true when watching just one player for us - you'd either want to see the good things or the bad things.......and you'd kid yourself afterwards that you were being fair minded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazlo78 Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Very interesting "experiment" by the OP, and an important point is raised; the impression of a player varies greatly from watching the game in its entirety to focusing on the player. This should be taken into consideration when people write "X is the worst player ever at Saints", "Y was invisible today", "Z looked uninterested today" etc. - maybe the verdict would be different if the sole focus had been on the particular player's performance?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint si Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 This is exactly what I do when there are Saints players playing for their national team ... and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Far more interested in their individual performance than the overall game. Makes it harder when we have multiple internationals in the same match :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoneuelllfanclub Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 A friend of mine is a football scout among other things and we were having a chat as I was discussing some of our players and possible transfer targets and he gave me a scout report to look through, I asked how he compiles such a huge dossier of information and one of them was he goes to games and just watches just one single player, he suggested I try it sometime. So the last couple of home games I have selected a couple of players to watch and nothing else (well almost nothing it's quite hard actually just to focus on one player). I have to say my opinion of players changed massively and I started seeing so much more of our game. An example gaston Ramirez against Chelsea was possibly the best player on the park literally playing box to box, looking to and being at everything we did well *****il 60 minutes when he was pushed out to the right and was then non existent as he did not get the ball). Other players in different games Jack cork, excellent player tries his utmost but just seems to just run and run and not think about what he is doing (poor distribution). One reason I feel that Wanyama is preferred an she is a little more assured in the role as opposed to the headless chicken that jack seems to be (not a bad thing just could do with taking a more calmed approach) Morgan, a very very cool, calm and collected player who only commits himself when he needs to, some stray passes but easily one of the best players on the pitch. So tomorrow night I am going to take a full look at jay rod over the time (as long as he plays I guess). I suggest you guys try doing the same and really getting to know players (especially before you all shout he's ****e). Be interesting to know if you are goi to do the same and we should pop our collective reports here. IMO this is rubbish. Cork is very calm and assured with the ball. Doesnt offer much going forward but keeps us ticking. Whereas Wanyama is not assured on the ball at all. Protects the back four wonderfully well but Cork the superior footballer from a technical standpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonb Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I'd love to be able to do this but my eyesight is shocking (even with prescription specs). I struggle to make out our players at the best of times. I suspect many others do too as you do hear some funny abuse directed at the wrong player.. Makes me laugh that. For this reason I refrain from shouting out anything for fear of mistaken identity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Sanchez Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 If he thinks Wanyama is a woman I suggest we need to replace not only our commitee but our scouting network................................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 tbf wanyama "injury" coinciding with serena williams playing australian open was... suspicious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Lion Tamer Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 So was Jermaine Wright good after all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derry Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Sometimes I follow the ball but often I watch ahead of the play when a build up is starting and try to see the next moves by tracking the runners and reacting defenders movement off the ball. It really does pick up the committed, those ahead of the move and especially the players letting runners go and not tracking all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farawaysaint Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 So was Jermaine Wright good after all? We will never know because who would take the time to video tape his performances? To be fair, I quite liked Jermaine, he made 100 appearances for us and put in a good shift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farawaysaint Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Sometimes I follow the ball but often I watch ahead of the play when a build up is starting and try to see the next moves by tracking the runners and reacting defenders movement off the ball. It really does pick up the committed, those ahead of the move and especially the players letting runners go and not tracking all the way. I've started doing this as well, it is a whole different view of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Anyone interested in the art of talent spotting - feel free to pm me http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?47729-Talent-Spotting#.UueKF3_fWSM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild-saint Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 so whos up from watching boruc in tonights game? could be awesome entertainment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4INT Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 tbf wanyama "injury" coinciding with serena williams playing australian open was... suspicious fantastic xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I do it with Ant and Dec, I chose one of them to watch and don't watch the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halo Stickman Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 When I lived in Somerset, I sometimes concentrated on watching just one player at Bristol City or Yeovil matches; I was surprised by how few touches some players got. There was an article in last week’s New Scientist featuring a theory as to why some teams do better when their main play-maker gets injured – something to do with his team being forced into using different attacking options and having to bring more of their own players into the game, especially if the opposition haven’t expected or prepared for these different options. The article cited some examples in basketball, but I suppose it could apply to football matches as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bad Bob Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I do it with Ant and Dec, I chose one of them to watch and don't watch the other. I do the same, except I choose not to watch either of them, I go and do something less boring instead.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halo Stickman Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I do the same, except I choose not to watch either of them, I go and do something less boring instead.. You can't say that about Ant and Dec, Bob! - they're a national treasure... or something like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonb Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I do the same, except I choose not to watch either of them, I go and do something less boring instead.. You'll NEVER see them standing in any other order than Ant, on the left (as you look at the tele) and Dec, on the right (as you look at the tele). It's written in their contracts.. they have to stand that way contractually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holepuncture Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 A friend of mine is a football scout among other things and we were having a chat as I was discussing some of our players and possible transfer targets and he gave me a scout report to look through, I asked how he compiles such a huge dossier of information and one of them was he goes to games and just watches just one single player, he suggested I try it sometime. I suggest you guys try doing the same and really getting to know players (especially before you all shout he's ****e). Be interesting to know if you are goi to do the same and we should pop our collective reports here. Good effort JonnyLove. Talk to Glasgow_Saint, he knows all about scouting, from grass roots straight to the top of the global game. He is a shy, modest and humble character, so be delicate at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLove Posted 28 January, 2014 Author Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Good effort JonnyLove. Talk to Glasgow_Saint, he knows all about scouting, from grass roots straight to the top of the global game. He is a shy, modest and humble character, so be delicate at first. Don't bring me into your GS bashing thank you. (He does so well on his own ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsdinho Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 If youre only watching one player how do you know he is better than the others? Only fair way would be to watch the game 10x once for each out field player That's not how scouting works though is it, I doubt a scout is given the assignment "go and watch X club, and tell me who their best player is". Scouts are usually sent to watch a specific player / players. The only way to compare who the best is at the club is to compare the different scouting reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 That's not how scouting works though is it, I doubt a scout is given the assignment "go and watch X club, and tell me who their best player is". Scouts are usually sent to watch a specific player / players. The only way to compare who the best is at the club is to compare the different scouting reports. Scouts are often given the remit to go watch games... Especially lower leagues, non league, scotland etc. This is the tough bit and where only the skilled succeed. Thats my area of expertise, spotting talent before anyone else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nta786 Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Scouts are often given the remit to go watch games... Especially lower leagues, non league, scotland etc. This is the tough bit and where only the skilled succeed. Thats my area of expertise, spotting talent before anyone else Arrogance at its finest from none other than GS. We all know you're more likely to spot a Forren rather than a Bale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kraken Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 That's not how scouting works though is it, I doubt a scout is given the assignment "go and watch X club, and tell me who their best player is". Scouts are usually sent to watch a specific player / players. As I said earlier in this thread, my mate used to scout for a now PL side, and I went with him from time to time. Speaking to him about it, it seemed that as often that not he was just on a general watching brief, with no pre-defined player to run an eye over, and provide recommendations for further viewing by the chief scout. So yes, that often is the way scouting works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convict Colony Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 I was most disappointed when I found out this thread wasn't about stalking players ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted 28 January, 2014 Share Posted 28 January, 2014 Scouts are often given the remit to go watch games... Especially lower leagues, non league, scotland etc. This is the tough bit and where only the skilled succeed. Thats my area of expertise, spotting talent before anyone else Your priceless, you really have no ****ing clue. Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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