Our scouting network

Buzzer · May 21, 2017

Beanstalk said:
Yeah, to return to the original point it's probably why Football Manager (and therefore prozone is respected in the game). They use real scouts to piece together real data.

Fascinating little clip. I did once meet a friend of a friend back in the early 90s who was a member of the association of football statisticians or somesuch organisation and these blokes were proper football geeks, turning up at matches with all sorts of charts and I guess that a job as a scout for Football Manager is tailor-made for them. I've got a mate who swears blind that Ken Brown when he was chief exec made all his decisions based on Football Manager.

Knocky's Nose · May 21, 2017

darkwolf666 said:
Are you insinuating that as Mr(s) Bloom(s) are Jewish that they must have contacts in Israeli football?

I used to know a comedian called Adam Bloom, who was Jewish - but that's the extent of my Sherlock-ery I'm afraid. I cannot help you any further with your enquiries.

AZ Gull · May 21, 2017

Buzzer said:
Is there anybody on here who can shed a bit of light on how big a setup it is esp. in Europe and the amount of interaction with the algorithms from Tony Bloom's Lizard gambling syndicate? Also, does Tony or Darren Bloom have a specific contact in certain leagues, for instance Israel? I ask because there's strong and credible rumours about this Senegalese chap and on looking him up I see he's yet another with an Israeli connection. We've not done too badly from that league of late with Hemed, Kayal and Garcia all having obvious ties.

I'm genuinely curious about the process esp. in light of how we appear to have nabbed what must be one of the top transfer targets from the Bundesliga last week. We must be doing something right!

I have no inside knowledge, but various items have been reported in the Argus in the last couple of years that might shed some light:

* As of August 2015, Johnny Metgod as a member of Albion's European scouting team.
* In December 2015 Darren Wrack (who had joined Albion full-time in April 2012 and was their northern scout) departed and southern-based Ian Pearce would play a more prominent role in a restructuring of the UK scouting team.
* Chief scout Ewan Chester left Albion in June 2016; in December 2016 the Argus reported that his departure had been motivated by a clash of recruitment styles - "old school" Chester was used to working more closely with the manager whereas (in Chester's words) "At Brighton what the owner has done is outstanding. His philosophy on recruitment is based on technology."
* As of December 2016 Albion's European scout Jamie Johnson (son of renowned former Liverpool scout Mel) was leaving (for Rotherham) and serving out his notice period. He was being replaced at Albion by Phil Chapple who had been chief scout at Charlton from January 2007 to October 2015 before moving to Fulham as senior scout.

Buzzer · May 21, 2017

Knocky's Nose said:
I used to know a comedian called Adam Bloom, who was Jewish - but that's the extent of my Sherlock-ery I'm afraid. I cannot help you any further with your enquiries.

I think I read that Adam Bloom is good mates with comedian and Brighton fan Stephen Grant although I don't think Adam Bloom is local - he is definitely Jewish, very funny and very fidgety.

Knocky's Nose · May 21, 2017

Buzzer said:
I think I read that Adam Bloom is good mates with comedian and Brighton fan Stephen Grant although I don't think Adam Bloom is local - he is definitely Jewish, very funny and very fidgety.

He's played at Krater plenty of times, which Stephen is MC for. Last time I spoke to Adam he lived in Central London and had done for a few years. Lovely bloke, but yes - the fidgety isn't an act, his head is a blender full of things going on!

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 21, 2017

Hughton said recently that we started our recruitment process for next season at the start of 2016-17 season. Presumably a two track process. I don't know how we do it, and I really do not want to know (if I knew, someone may have to kill me). Whaterever it is, we have some very clever boys.

Knocky's Nose · May 22, 2017

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
.....Whaterever it is, we have some very clever boys.

I still wouldn't put to bed the idea that Mr Bloom's algorithm boffins don't have a hand in anything... With all that technology at your disposal, and quite literally hundreds of millions of pounds at stake, why wouldn't you seek to take advantage of this?

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 22, 2017

Knocky's Nose said:
I still wouldn't put to bed the idea that Mr Bloom's algorithm boffins don't have a hand in anything... With all that technology at your disposal, and quite literally hundreds of millions of pounds at stake, why wouldn't you seek to take advantage of this?

Er.... that was what I meant. I wasn't suggesting they have hired a BG figure to mastermind it, based on football rumours and whispers from the Stoke lad at the Argus . . . . :shrug:

GT49er · May 22, 2017

AZ Gull said:
I have no inside knowledge, but various items have been reported in the Argus in the last couple of years that might shed some light:

* As of August 2015, Johnny Metgod as a member of Albion's European scouting team.
* In December 2015 Darren Wrack (who had joined Albion full-time in April 2012 and was their northern scout) departed and southern-based Ian Pearce would play a more prominent role in a restructuring of the UK scouting team.
* Chief scout Ewan Chester left Albion in June 2016; in December 2016 the Argus reported that his departure had been motivated by a clash of recruitment styles - "old school" Chester was used to working more closely with the manager whereas (in Chester's words) "At Brighton what the owner has done is outstanding. His philosophy on recruitment is based on technology."
* As of December 2016 Albion's European scout Jamie Johnson (son of renowned former Liverpool scout Mel) was leaving (for Rotherham) and serving out his notice period. He was being replaced at Albion by Phil Chapple who had been chief scout at Charlton from January 2007 to October 2015 before moving to Fulham as senior scout.

I read through this post, and then thought, is this an AZ Gull post? - and scrolled up to confirm the fact! Cheers AZ!

mune ni kamome · May 22, 2017

Buzzer said:
Is there anybody on here who can shed a bit of light on how big a setup it is esp. in Europe and the amount of interaction with the algorithms from Tony Bloom's Lizard gambling syndicate? Also, does Tony or Darren Bloom have a specific contact in certain leagues, for instance Israel? I ask because there's strong and credible rumours about this Senegalese chap and on looking him up I see he's yet another with an Israeli connection. We've not done too badly from that league of late with Hemed, Kayal and Garcia all having obvious ties.

I'm genuinely curious about the process esp. in light of how we appear to have nabbed what must be one of the top transfer targets from the Bundesliga last week. We must be doing something right!

In this life one thing counts
In the bank
Large amounts

OzMike · May 22, 2017

All smoke and mirrors.............................and dirty used brown envelopes.

The Birdman · May 22, 2017

Bry Nylon said:
I believe it is a highly secretive network, headed-up by a shadowy figure who goes the uncrackable codename 'Grandad of Ben.'

I believe he meets players in Wetherspoons :facepalm:

CheeseRolls · May 22, 2017

Buzzer said:
Thanks for the reply and I take your point about the Israeli league connection being tenuous. A more likely candidate might be a scout/contact with links to Almeria seeing as we got both Hemed and Ulloa from there. They are also our two most successful foreign strikers for a long time so proof maybe that the scouting or the Lizard algorithms are getting much better.

I must admit I don't even think I'd heard of Ingolstadt before we signed this German chap but looking at his stats, I am genuinely surprised that we got him so early on as I would have thought he would have been on the radar of most of the also-ran clubs in Europe's top leagues. Let's hope for more where that came from.

Doesn't premier league status pretty much put you into the top 50 clubs in Europe by revenue? The also-ran clubs appear to be at a significant disadvantage, particularly as TV rights are not as significant and often not spread around, as is the case in Spain.

skipper734 · May 22, 2017

Paul Winstanley is the Head of Recruitment, so a lot of quodos must go to him and his team. I would say the link to Israel has been the ex National Team Coach. For a full instruction manual on Scouting please read Micheal Calvins book The Nowhere Men.

Charlies Shinpad · May 22, 2017

skipper734 said:
Paul Winstanley is the Head of Recruitment, so a lot of quodos must go to him and his team. I would say the link to Israel has been the ex National Team Coach. For a full instruction manual on Scouting please read Micheal Calvins book The Nowhere Men.

It's a good read and some stuff in there about Lewis Dunk as well

pishhead · May 22, 2017

Maybe I've missed something but who is this Senegalese chap we've been linked with?

BBassic · May 22, 2017

Buzzer said:
If just one of these is true then I'll die a happy man.

Everton used FM in 2008 to search for players. Though I think it was a marketing thing.

I've heard tales of clubs lower down the leagues using it though. Certainly cheaper to spend £40 on a game than to higher a scout if you've got no money.

Bob'n'weave · May 22, 2017

Whatever the formula is for BHA scouting, I'm happy with it! Out of the blue signing that looks just right for us, under the radar etc, love it. Apart from the databases accessed by all and sundry, we have our own network of 'warm' contacts and Blooms own stats/algorithm. I think blooms betting microscope gives us an extra set of numbers that helps source players and helps to commit before other clubs. We are all speculating on the obvious ones, Woods, Cairney etc and up pops Gross!! :thumbsup:

1234andcounting · May 22, 2017

Beanstalk said:
Prozone is commonly used throughout...uld have thought Prozac was more appropriate.

TSB · May 22, 2017

Buzzer said:
Is there anybody on here who can shed a bit of light on how big a setup it is esp. in Europe and the amount of interaction with the algorithms from Tony Bloom's Lizard gambling syndicate? Also, does Tony or Darren Bloom have a specific contact in certain leagues, for instance Israel? I ask because there's strong and credible rumours about this Senegalese chap and on looking him up I see he's yet another with an Israeli connection. We've not done too badly from that league of late with Hemed, Kayal and Garcia all having obvious ties.

I'm genuinely curious about the process esp. in light of how we appear to have nabbed what must be one of the top transfer targets from the Bundesliga last week. We must be doing something right!

Eh?

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