01 Aug 2021 23:11:11
Evening Eds. Hoping you're doing well.

Can I ask if scouts get sacked, like a manager does with poor run of results, if they've recommended and filled a report on a player. Who then turns out to be garbage but is at the club for the next 5 years on £100k per week.
If that happens a second time are they gone? Are there any scouts known within the game for picking turkeys but still at that club?

{Ed002's Note - It doesn’t really work like that. Clubs will move on scouts who they are not satidfied with but it is unrelated to the signing of one or two duds.}


1.) 02 Aug 2021
01 Aug 2021 23:31:40
ED002 - Who scouts the scouts?

{Ed002's Note - Typically there are a number of people that a club retains or employs regarding the "scouting" of players including a permanent Chief Scout and a perhaps a Head of International Scouting who all will report in to the club via a Director of Football or whatever. There is also normally someone who co-ordinates all of the reports and ensures that they go to the correct person. Obviously no one at the first team level is going to see or be interested in any reports related to kids so there is a hierarchy that deals with young kids, potential academy players up to the first team squad. There are then scouts retained (sometimes on a permanent basis, sometimes on a part time basis and sometimes on an ad hoc basis) by clubs to cover specific countries and/or areas of the world - France, South America, Adriatic & Old Eastern Bloc, Iberia etc.. On top of that there will be freelance scouts (often ex-referees and amateur club staff who will stay within their particular area of expertise and region). Once a player has been looked at a couple of times and reports reviewed, then someone from further up this chain will take a look. Eventually a chief scout will take a look, or if it is a potential first team player, then perhaps a coach or a manager will take a look. Some clubs also have advisors which include, taking one EPL side as an example, ex-managers or highly respected people within the game.

There are then scouts retained by the club in specific countries and areas of the world - France, South America, Adriatic & Old Eastern Bloc, Iberia etc.. On top of that there are both formal and informal "advisors" who often have an opinion to give - some of these are very well known people.

Within the English game, particularly at lower-levels and with youngsters, scouts often include ex-coaches and referees at that level.

With younger kiddies clubs often restrict their search area by distance - Southampton has a fan shaped catchment area stretching out from Southampton and up to Swindon to the Northwest and the outer-reaches of the metropolis to the Northeast. Sunday league and youth games in this area will often see someone scouting on behalf of Southampton as they concentrate on local talent.

The London clubs, such as West Ham, have the benefit of two multi-tiered clubs that have developed numerous players who have gone on to play at the highest level - Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham have always had a good relationship with one in particular - Senrab.}


2.) 02 Aug 2021
02 Aug 2021 00:04:30
Thanks ED002. Appreciate your answer. Little surprised I’d have thought their job would have been affected by poor judgment as it obviously costs the club money.
But again thanks for your time.

{Ed002's Note - They are no more that a small cog in a much larger system.}


3.) 02 Aug 2021
02 Aug 2021 11:40:09
I know someone who scouts young kids for Everton (or on their behalf), I’m not 100% sure the full ins and outs but to my knowledge he gets sent to a junior game with a specific player to watch and he compiles a report on them. I don’t think he gets much by the way of cash if anything but I think there may be bonuses if a player gets picked up after his recommendation. He’s basically a free first line scout and then if he rates them I’m sure they will send an employed scout to look again.