Player scouting and recruitment in English men’s professional football: opportunities for research

Abstract

This paper relates to scouting and recruitment in English men’s professional football. The article points to possible gaps in the literature and offers suggestions for subsequent studies. It is recommended that future research might usefully address perceptions of key stakeholders involved in the scouting and recruitment process to advance our understanding of the
phenomena and ultimately, to develop guidelines for professional practice.
This work examines:
 The history of scouting and the role of the scout,
 The significance of observation,
 Memory and recall fallibility,
 The use of performance analysis and data in the scouting process,
 Heuristics and decision-making,
 Technical scouting and data implementation,
 Selection criteria in football scouting,
 Practical considerations for improving traditional scouting methods,
 Club philosophy, structure and decision-making, and the
 Proliferation of the Sporting Director role.