Football League Scout

[irishred]

With three of our best performers from the Man City match coming from clubs in the lower leagues (Allen, Shelvey and Sterling), and the majority of the site claiming to have discovered Allen several seasons ago but in reality it was one or two, it got me thinking, and some people pride themselves and are trusted by all on seeking out talent in the Football League. Which players should we be looking out for? The names Jordan Rhodes and Matt Phillips are always banded about...Thomas Ince has begun the season superbly aswell.

 

[moron]

With three of our best performers from the Man City match coming from clubs in the lower leagues (Allen, Shelvey and Sterling), and the majority of the site claiming to have discovered Allen several seasons ago but in reality it was one or two, it got me thinking, and some people pride themselves and are trusted by all on seeking out talent in the Football League, which players should we be looking out for? The names Jordan Rhodes and Matt Phillips are always banded about...Thomas Ince has begun the season superbly aswell.

Difficult - the one lesson we should learn from last season, is that good young talent may never be able to play well for us if their not mentally strong. A few things can help in that search for strong mentality which is to also examine the life of the young potential outside of football and assess how intelligent he is. I don't think skill alone is enough of a factor to determine if they can grow up to be a success at LFC, maybe Stoke, or Swansea but its different for the bigger clubs. I just learnt that Raheem Sterling watched his father get murdered - now that's a pretty tough thing to witness.

 

[irishred]

Difficult - the one lesson we should learn from last season, is that good young talent may never be able to play well for us if their not mentally strong. A few things can help in that search for strong mentality which is to also examine the life of the young potential outside of football and assess how intelligent he is. I don't think skill alone is enough of a factor to determine if they can grow up to be a success at LFC, maybe Stoke, or Swansea but its different for the bigger clubs. I just learnt that Raheem Sterling watched his father get murdered - now that's a pretty tough thing to witness.

It was always debatable whether those players had real talent in the first place but I think some of that mentality you speak about is formed outside the top division because it makes players hungrier to show that they are good enough to play at Premier League level. I believe with most lower league players it's just a question of talent whether they can cut it at a higher level or not, so they're already half way there if you like.

I read that he was raised by his grandmother, never heard about his father, that's horrifying and probably forced him to grow up faster in terms of his personality than he really should have and seize opportunities when they came his way.

 

[moron]

It was always debatable whether those players had real talent in the first place but I think some of that mentality you speak about is formed outside the top division because it makes players hungrier to show that they are good enough to play at Premier League level. I believe with most lower league players it's just a question of talent whether they can cut it at a higher level or not, so they're already half way there if you like.

I read that he was raised by his grandmother, never heard about his father, that's horrifying and probably forced him to grow up faster in terms of his personality than he should have and seize opportunities when they came his way.

It was on the radio after the game regarding Raheem, I was driving at the time, and almost drove into a van just listening to that !!! But if you look at many of the players that do end up doing well at ANY club, there are three types:

1) really determined individuals who want to continuously improve from lower to middle class backgrounds and have an appetite to become the best and stay at the top - i..e your Beckham's, Lampards, Gerard types

2) really poor backgrounds, love playing football and know the harsh realities of life that has moulded them to have a strong mentality - i.e. - your C.Ronaldo, Messi, Maradona, Pele, Suarez

3) The intelligent kid who follows the instructions of his coaches and applies what he knows to the letter, and develops his talent and is not fazed by who he plays for :- e.g. Xabi Alonso, Allen, Leonardo (Brazil - 94).

Somehow - as part of that scouting process or development process of a player, they need to have some of the characteristics that those players above have.