Argyle's scouting network

HerthaBSC · Jan 20, 2020

In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact. Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.

So, my question is, how can those free resources, us the fans, be put to good use, to help our Club?

Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

HerthaBSC · Jan 20, 2020

How about a closed (password secured) youtube channel, which clips of potential players can be uploaded to ?

xmastree · Jan 20, 2020

HerthaBSC":3t236i2g said:
In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

Some foreign players did have an impact for us in the Championship (the 3 Hungarians, Nalis and Seip), but not all did (West, Mpenza, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Djiordic, Nuno Mendes etc.). Where do you get the idea that it's "almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club?". There are masses of foreign players taking a wage from a British club without the club having a chance to recoup any value. If the "almost always" bit was true, why haven't we got more foreign players?

The scouting proposal is well meaning, but impractical. Do you really think Lowe wants several hundred amateur scouting reports on his desk every Monday morning from people who haven't a clue how to spot a player. He's then got to arrange for a trusted scout to view each of these - almost all of which will not be what he wants.

Finally, Youtube clips are not the answer. Any remotely decent player should be able to cobble together a few minutes of highlights.

HerthaBSC · Jan 20, 2020

xmastree":3q49ip0b said:
HerthaBSC":3q49ip0b said:

In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

Click to expand...

Some foreign players did have an impact for us in the Championship (the 3 Hungarians, Nalis and Seip), but not all did (West, Mpenza, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Djiordic, Nuno Mendes etc.). Where do you get the idea that it's "almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club?". There are masses of foreign players taking a wage from a British club without the club having a chance to recoup any value. If the "almost always" bit was true, why haven't we got more foreign players?

The scouting proposal is well meaning, but impractical. Do you really think Lowe wants several hundred amateur scouting reports on his desk every Monday morning from people who haven't a clue how to spot a player. He's then got to arrange for a trusted scout to view each of these - almost all of which will not be what he wants.

Finally, Youtube clips are not the answer. Any remotely decent player should be able to cobble together a few minutes of highlights.

Well, Xmas tree, I think it would be interesting to see the financial stats for these transactions, I would be surprised if the Halmosi, Buszaky, Bolasie sales didn't turn a profit.

Of course, I would agree that say West was way off, who wouldn't

Looking at Championship teams, they do tend to have 2 or 3 foreign players.

So, are you saying we won't?

HerthaBSC · Jan 20, 2020

xmastree":2palqxi2 said:
HerthaBSC":2palqxi2 said:

In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

Click to expand...

Some foreign players did have an impact for us in the Championship (the 3 Hungarians, Nalis and Seip), but not all did (West, Mpenza, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Djiordic, Nuno Mendes etc.). Where do you get the idea that it's "almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club?". There are masses of foreign players taking a wage from a British club without the club having a chance to recoup any value. If the "almost always" bit was true, why haven't we got more foreign players?

The scouting proposal is well meaning, but impractical. Do you really think Lowe wants several hundred amateur scouting reports on his desk every Monday morning from people who haven't a clue how to spot a player. He's then got to arrange for a trusted scout to view each of these - almost all of which will not be what he wants.

Finally, Youtube clips are not the answer. Any remotely decent player should be able to cobble together a few minutes of highlights.

Well, Xmas tree, I think it would be interesting to see the financial stats for these transactions, I would be surprised if the Halmosi, Buszaky, Bolasie sales didn't turn a profit.

Of course, I would agree that say West was way off, who wouldn't

Looking at Championship teams, they do tend to have 2 or 3 foreign players.

So, are you saying we won't?

HerthaBSC · Jan 20, 2020

xmastree":39ls26wg said:
HerthaBSC":39ls26wg said:

In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

Click to expand...

Some foreign players did have an impact for us in the Championship (the 3 Hungarians, Nalis and Seip), but not all did (West, Mpenza, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Djiordic, Nuno Mendes etc.). Where do you get the idea that it's "almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club?". There are masses of foreign players taking a wage from a British club without the club having a chance to recoup any value. If the "almost always" bit was true, why haven't we got more foreign players?

The scouting proposal is well meaning, but impractical. Do you really think Lowe wants several hundred amateur scouting reports on his desk every Monday morning from people who haven't a clue how to spot a player. He's then got to arrange for a trusted scout to view each of these - almost all of which will not be what he wants.

Finally, Youtube clips are not the answer. Any remotely decent player should be able to cobble together a few minutes of highlights.

There are 320 foreign players registered now in the Championship

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/champio ... bewerb/GB2

Drake · Jan 20, 2020

HerthaBSC":2x1wbcak said:
In my opinion, to get to where we want to be we need to emulate the success of Reading, a now stable Championship club. Lots of similarities, but I'm sure their proximity to London helps them in attracting players.

How to achieve this?

Potentially, we have about 20 000 scouts; us lot, looking at lower league, reserve, foreign matches when we're not watching Argyle. How many Bolasie's are out there now, playing in a Sunday league in Malta somewhere similar?

Looking at our past Championship period, we had 3 or 4 foreign players, who all had a big impact on the league.

The advantage with foreign players; the geography isn't an issue, they're not bothered that we're several hundred miles from some grim northern town. Also, they're an unknown quantity with opposing managers, so can have a quick impact. Added to that, it's almost always a profitable bit of business for the Club, when they come to be sold on.

So, my question is, how can those free resources, us the fans, be put to good use, to help our Club?

Is there a way that we can develop a volunteer scouting network?

Of course the Brexit debacle might have some say in this with more restrictive movement for foreign players coming into the English game, particularly from Europe/EU countries.

Keyham Pilgrim · Jan 20, 2020

I thought the scouting now comes under Neil Dewsnip remit with Ryan Lowe having the final say. Seems to be working fine at the moment although it is always fun to speculate who we might sign.