In Part 1, I tackled some of your questions about Nottingham Forest, including Glasner's tactics & selections. Today, I'll look at more general scouting & data questions.
Nice insight Will. How do analysts gel with ex-footballers who are scouts in your experience? Have you discussed that aspect with your fellow Forest Focus associate, James Perch?
Thanks! That’s a great question, from talking to others I think it is a lot easier now to be listened to as someone without a playing background, than it perhaps was only a few years ago. Although in my limited experiences I haven’t had any real issues, and where I am now we have a pretty healthy split which seems to work really well.
As for James Perch, I was lucky enough to catch up with him very briefly over the summer where he was kind enough to give up 5 mins or so of his time in passing. As the season kicks off and I start going to games, I’m sure these types of conversations will happen more often.
I think no matter the background of a scout though I think everyone will ultimately agree that eye test has to form part of the final decision, I find it very hard to believe anybody (at least at high levels) seriously signs a player purely on data.
What a guy!
Nice insight Will. How do analysts gel with ex-footballers who are scouts in your experience? Have you discussed that aspect with your fellow Forest Focus associate, James Perch?
Thanks! That’s a great question, from talking to others I think it is a lot easier now to be listened to as someone without a playing background, than it perhaps was only a few years ago. Although in my limited experiences I haven’t had any real issues, and where I am now we have a pretty healthy split which seems to work really well.
As for James Perch, I was lucky enough to catch up with him very briefly over the summer where he was kind enough to give up 5 mins or so of his time in passing. As the season kicks off and I start going to games, I’m sure these types of conversations will happen more often.
I think no matter the background of a scout though I think everyone will ultimately agree that eye test has to form part of the final decision, I find it very hard to believe anybody (at least at high levels) seriously signs a player purely on data.