Do we need a better scouting network?

[Swartzy]

I wouldn't say it's so much 'The scouting network' I'd say it's down to taking the next step.

We pay the scouts to do there job, but once these players have been watched/scouted and put back to the club.
We panic and don't follow through with the actual signing.

Look at Onana last season, we must of obviously scouted the lad, but if West Ham hadn't put an official bid in, we would of left it at that until to late.

Not all signings of youngsters will pay off, but why are we paying these scouts to do there job if we don't trust there judgement or have the balls to follow through on there work.

 

[allen]

Everything about how we do transfer business has been wrong.

Literally everything - and I wouldn’t even stop there, either. It’s the whole club.

It’s not even just on the football side that we’ve been doing things wrong. The entire organisation is rotten to the core. It needs deconstructing and putting back together, starting at the top.

There’s no point in improving scouting in isolation if the decision making system higher up ignores their recommendations.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Yes. Our Academy has been disappointing in recent years too.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Yes

 

[Goat]

Yes. Our Academy has been disappointing in recent years too.

Cant do much about that, we have 3 of the biggest clubs in the Country in our catchment area, we are always going to be 4th choice.

 

[Rita_Poon]

yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and YEEEEESSS.

I'll have what she's having.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Cant do much about that, we have 3 of the biggest clubs in the Country in our catchment area, we are always going to be 4th choice.

I take that point mate, but there's no-one at all looking like breaking through at the moment (to my knowledge).

Maybe academy isn’t quite right. A few of our more recent young players transitioning to the full team were purchased at a young age and spent time in the u23s. Stones, DCL, Holgate, (I know I'm risking a pelting naming him), Branthwaite.

So what I more meant was our overall development strategy. The latter pathway being linked to scouting and recruitment. Again, we've got tough competition, but we always have. It's something that's been neglected in my view.

 

[Liam-EFC]

We need a better everything

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

We need a better everything

Just do better Everton,just do better.

 

[Goat]

I take that point mate, but there's no-one at all looking like breaking through at the moment (to my knowledge).

Maybe academy isn’t quite right. A few of our more recent young players transitioning to the full team were purchased at a young age and spent time in the u23s. Stones, DCL, Holgate, (I know I'm risking a pelting naming him), Branthwaite.

So what I more meant was our overall development strategy. The latter pathway being linked to scouting and recruitment. Again, we've got tough competition, but we always have. It's something that's been neglected in my view.

But are the local clubs round here bringing players through?

City have Foden, Big Red TAA, United Rashford.

But other than that?

 

[allen]

Cant do much about that, we have 3 of the biggest clubs in the Country in our catchment area, we are always going to be 4th choice.

I don’t think there’s any reason why we ought to surrender, though.

Choosing the right club at youth level isn’t about how successful the club is at senior level. Or at least, it ought not to be for right-thinking kids and their families.

We should aim for the best youth system, with the clearest pathways, in the region.

In many ways, having a smaller and less talented first team squad is advantageous in that respect.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

But are the local clubs round here bringing players through?

City have Foden, Big Red TAA, United Rashford.

But other than that?

True, true. On the other hand, do they need to?

 

[The binman chronicles]

We bought Onana who was effectively a step above bringing in a really raw young talent into the club and half of the fanbase want him gone. I'd love to see the reaction if we buy in 3 or 4 hot prospects and play them for the season.

Kean was another example.

 

[Chegsy]

It's easy to say yes but we do quite often get linked with a few rando's (were even close on Caicedo at one point).

We might have a decent scouting network that is not assigned properly or their ideas are restricted etc. It's hard to say too much with little knowledge.

Seem to remember credible links to Kim Min-Jae as well when he was in China and in Turkey. Napoli bought him a year later and now he’s off again this summer to Bayern by the looks of things. Caciedo, Luis Diaz and Matheus Nunes all been linked heavily as well in the last few years to name a few. All a game of ifs and buts and who knows how much interest there actually was (although in the case of Diaz it’s common knowledge we were looking to make a deal) but do we seem to let a few slip through the net.

 

[TGW89]

Anyone who thinks that we don’t need better scouting is just trying to be an edge lord.

Isn't that what you become on your 50th visit to a Warhammer convention?

Seriously though, our scouting stinks. In lieu of actual scouts, I still genuinely believe we should employ Moyes on the sly as a transfer consultant to get us more ballers on the cheap from Sligo, Millwall, Wigan et al.