Our scouting network

[Buzzer]

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!

 

[darkwolf666]

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

 

[severnside gull]

No idea about the scouting networks although in Europe at least they seemed to have been depopulated a few years ago which lead me to suspect that TB's gambling algorithms were of more significance than previously at least in identifying who to focus resources on.
As for Israel, I suspect you are over thinking it by a long way. Kayal came via Scotland. Hemed came via Spain. This supposed target comes via Russia and Switzerland more than Israel. Interesting one though. Half the PL seem to have looked and been linked then walked away. Something there? If we are interested must be close odds it'll go nowhere.

 

[Lush]

They watch the Football League highlights, see who's played really well that week, then phone up the local sports journalist to get an idea of his character.

 

[Buzzer]

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

I'm not insinuating anything. We've had a lot of business via the Israeli leagues (albeit indirectly) and it seems a little strange as it's not the most obvious place to go hunting. But now you mention it, I would be astonished if the Bloom family didn't have strong connections with friends in Israel and if so, they'd be stupid not to take advantage of that.

And I don't even that's in any way controversial. It's no different from when we got Garcia as manager and we were hoping for an inside track to a Barcelona loanee. likewise from Liverpool when Sami became manager.

 

[Bry Nylon]

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

 

[Petee]

Football Manager.

 

[easynow]

They watch fan-made footballer videos on youtube 24/7

 

[Buzzer]

They watch the Football League highlights, see who's played really well that week, then phone up the local sports journalist to get an idea of his character.

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

Football Manager.

They watch fan-made footballer videos on youtube 24/7

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

 

[Buzzer]

No idea about the scouting networks although in Europe at least they seemed to have been depopulated a few years ago which lead me to suspect that TB's gambling algorithms were of more significance than previously at least in identifying who to focus resources on.
As for Israel, I suspect you are over thinking it by a long way. Kayal came via Scotland. Hemed came via Spain. This supposed target comes via Russia and Switzerland more than Israel. Interesting one though. Half the PL seem to have looked and been linked then walked away. Something there? If we are interested must be close odds it'll go nowhere.

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.

 

[Beanstalk]

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

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...-manager-scouting-tool?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Prozone is commonly used throughout professional football now.

The project lead on football manager stated that their success rate in projecting what level players will progress to is something like 96%



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NooBHA]

I would imagine and I am guessing, there is no such link and that he pays others to do the recruitment and research. After all the guy has gotta have a life of his own.

 

[Buzzer]

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...-manager-scouting-tool?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Prozone is commonly used throughout professional football now.

The project lead on football manager stated that their success rate in projecting what level players will progress to is something like 96%



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers, an interesting read. Although if most clubs have access to this then it does level the playing field. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious (I'm not a gambling man), my understanding of TB's Lizard syndicate is that he has boffins poring over data and stats looking for the patterns, strengths or advantages in sports that aren't being picked up by others (probably this Pro-Zone) and this extra little edge is what makes Bloom's syndicate so successful.

 

[Buzzer]

I would imagine and I am guessing, there is no such link and that he pays others to do the recruitment and research. After all the guy has gotta have a life of his own.

Bloody hell. Talk about stating the obvious. Did you seriously think that I meant that Tony Bloom personally liaised with scouts or sat down at a computer analysing the performances of every striker in the Spanish leagues?

 

[NooBHA]

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

You were correct after all about Grandad of Ben

To ensure authenticity, Sports Interactive has spent the last 22 years building its own network of “scouts”, dedicated Football Manager fans who attend real-life matches and training sessions, and then file detailed reports on players so that the game’s database is authentic

 

[Beanstalk]

Cheers, an interesting read. Although if most clubs have access to this then it does level the playing field. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious (I'm not a gambling man), my understanding of TB's Lizard syndicate is that he has boffins poring over data and stats looking for the patterns, strengths or advantages in sports that aren't being picked up by others (probably this Pro-Zone) and this extra little edge is what makes Bloom's syndicate so successful.

Absolutely TB's betting business is completely different, I'm no betting man but it was once explained to me as finding patterns that the normal person wouldn't be able to see or find and betting on them.

I'm not entirely sold on the idea that Bloom or his company would be involved directly in scouting or finding players though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NooBHA]

Bloody hell. Talk about stating the obvious. Did you seriously think that I meant that Bloom personally liaised with scouts or sat down at a computer analysing the performances of every striker in the Spanish leagues?

No

I just don't think he is involved at all until it's time to write a cheque. Or todays equivalent of and then he says Yay or Nay, after the Manager and recruitment team have put their case as to why they need that particular player.

 

[Buzzer]

Absolutely TB's betting business is completely different, I'm no betting man but it was once explained to me as finding patterns that the normal person wouldn't be able to see or find and betting on them.

I'm not entirely sold on the idea that Bloom or his company would be involved directly in scouting or finding players though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you're right. I'm sure the spreadsheets help but I don't think there's a substitute for a scout watching a player, not least to get a better idea on whether he's the right sort of player for the club. I can't see how any computer program can easily identify who is and who isn't a big time Charlie.

 

[Buzzer]

No

I just don't think he is involved at all until it's time to write a cheque. Or todays equivalent of and then he says Yay or Nay, after the Manager and recruitment team have put their case as to why they need that particular player.

You're missing the point entirely. We know pretty much for certain that Brighton has taken advantage of the info from Bloom's syndicate to help in either identifying players or in reviewing their suitability. We also know that Darren Bloom, Tony's brother plays a role in recruitment. Bobby Zamora said in an interview that it was specifically Darren Bloom who got Zamora back at the Amex. We also know that you are wrong in saying that the club are completely reactive when it comes to scouting players. They don't wait until the manager and recruitment team go to the board and ask for a new left back before they start a hunt for one. No club works on that basis. There's loads of stories of players we've tracked for ages covering multiples transfer windows before we've put bids in.

 

[Beanstalk]

I think you're right. I'm sure the spreadsheets help but I don't think there's a substitute for a scout watching a player, not least to get a better idea on whether he's the right sort of player for the club. I can't see how any computer program can easily identify who is and who isn't a big time Charlie.

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.

https://youtu.be/4zY9eZJPlGQ


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk