Football Scouts Information Guide for the PFSA Scouting Network
Welcome and thank you for your participation onto the PFSA Scouting Network. The PFSA is currently working with several leagues including the Championship, Football League and the Non-League in providing newly qualified PFSA Football Scouts with the opportunity to gain real experience by working closely with clubs in generating opposition reports in preparation for their upcoming fixtures.
Below you will find all the information you need to take on your assignment with your chosen club including additional information for those new on the football scouting network or looking to participate. Please note to maintain a positive relationship with the club; we do politely request you commit to at least 4/5 fixtures over two months.
To participate in any of the fixtures above as either a football scout or opposition analyst, you will need to sign up to the PFSA Scouting Network and hold a minimum of a PFSA Level 2 Talent Identification In Football Certificate. If you do not have a PFSA Level 2 Scouting Course Certificate we run regular courses across the UK. Head on over to the PFSA Education’s homepage for the latest available course.
If you are not on the register or PFSA Level 2 Certified, then, unfortunately, you are not able to generate player, team or match reports for League or Non-league clubs on the PFSA Scouting Network.
If you are available to cover any games, please reply with your availability in order of preference, if you are able to cover more than one fixture. If you are new to the PFSA Scouting Network, then please do not worry, once you have confirmed your availability we will provide you with ALL the information you need to complete your first assignment.
Creating Assignments and Report Templates
Once you have been allocated a fixture through the PFSA Scouting Network your coordinator will share with you the specific requirements from your football club. The PFSA work with over 15 clubs from the Championship to the National League each with their own specific requirements for either football scouts or opposition analysts.
We currently work on three main types of reports; General Scouting, Individual Analysis and Opposition Reporting.
The PFSA work with several clubs on a general scouting basis as high as the Championship. The reports are for first-team managements recruitment strategy and usually consist of wide-spread talent identification with the intention of then generating more detailed individual analysis reports highlighting specific players.
Individual Analysis reports make up over half of the assignments we conduct for clubs on the PFSA Scouting Network. Each task can vary depending on the club, however, typically we report on loan performances for clubs, recruitment strategies for the upcoming window and opposition analysis on players they are due to face.
Templates
Different clubs use different templates depending on their requirement. Most individual reports are based on the 4-corner model with detailed analysis and conclusion points towards the end. We work on different Keys from 1-10 to A-D with some clubs preferring only detail reporting rather than systematic numbering.
The PFSA Scouting Coordinator will share information on the template to use with further details on the assignment. Once you have completed various assignments both football scouts and opposition analyst will then work directly with the football club for a period of time.
We also have 2 standardised PFSA Individual and Opposition reports which we will introduce onto the PFSA Scouting Network during the 2019/2020 season. You can download both templates below which you can use during assignments.
Completed Reports
Once you have completed your scouting report, your coordinator will share with you the upload link which will enable you to submit your report for review. All reports are first proofread by the coordinator and then released to first-team management.
The reports will then be available to download by the club with the allocated football scout or opposition analysis name on the front page. It is common for members of first-team management to call and go over the game you attended on the weekend, which gives the football scout the opportunity to talk through what they’ve seen and gain some valuable feedback.
Matchday Tickets and Expenses
The PFSA provide both complimentary football scout access to all games applied through the official channels. Seats can vary from the main stand to hospitality suits. We have even had scouts allocated the Royal Box at Wembley. The PFSA Scouting Network also cover travel expenses upto £15-£20.
The PFSA Opposition Zone
The PFSA opposition Zone is a new premium service which is due to arrive early 2021. The Opposition Zone will give prospective football scouts, and opposition analysts access to professional opposition and individual analysis reports created using tools such as Scout7, InStat and Wyscout. You will also be able to access monthly white papers produced by Premier League Elite Opposition Analysts giving their top tips directly to the PFSA Opposition Zone sharing information on the latest technology, best practices within the industry and advice on how to create elite standard reports.
