Scouting prep: Getting ready for the new season

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What is the scouting equivalent of pre-season training?

The new season is fast approaching. Next week pre-season fixtures begin. Pre-pre-season training is well underway. Fixture lists are not far off.

What does that mean for me?

I’ll be skipping the rondos in favour of my desk, and a few ideas I wanted to try out. Things that might help make things smoother when the season begins.

I have five things in mind as preparation. Some are analysis-based. Other are those things that will make life easier when it gets busy.

Here’s the list. If you’re interested you can read more on each below.

  • Getting a close look at every team
  • Getting the right tools
  • Getting the right process in place
  • Getting to know players
  • Getting the right templates

Here’s what I mean by each…

Getting a look at every team

This goes back to something I wrote about a few weeks ago. Studying a team in detail unit by unit. Going through video multiple times to understand how a team works. You can read about what’s involved in that here.

Start with looking at every team for ten minutes in detail.

But to take the idea further, I’m thinking whether I can apply this to every team in our league next season.

There’s an obvious problem with this approach. There’s such a churn of players at this level that a team can be unrecognizable from one season to the next. Trying to analyze how a team will play this season will be impossible if based on how they played in the last.

But there is still the manager to factor in. Yep, there’s churn with them too, but less so than players. So how did a manager organize his side last season? That might provide some insight into what to expect in this one.

Keep reading this post, completely free, over on my Substack page.