Football Dynasty-Chapter 17: Tactical Scout

Manchester City: Steve Crompton (GK), Steve Mills, Andy Hinchcliffe, Ian Brightwell, Steve Redmond, Andy Thackeray, David White, Paul Moulden, Paul Lake, Ian Scott, David Boyd.

Sub: Steve Macauley.

Richard was speechless looking at the list. He raised his head, eyes scanning the names again, his voice barely above a whisper, "Are they the only ones in the A-team now?"

Book, feeling just as helpless, raised his hands in defeat. "Yeah, it's beyond our control. The club's in a tough spot right now."

He sank into the chair, then a sigh escaping him. "We can't count on the club anymore, not with most of the funds getting swallowed up by transfers every summer."

Richard frowned, thinking about it from the perspective of someone looking ahead.

If the club continued on this path, he realized, Manchester City wouldn't be competitive in the next two decades. No, in fact, Manchester City will fall behind the top teams for at least the next two decades—at least, until Sheikh Mansour arrives.

If they wanted to change the current trajectory, they needed to start running the club like a business. Relying solely on the existing funding model wasn't a viable solution, especially for short-term growth.

So, what revenue streams could a club tap into? The answer was clear: player scarcity effect.

The formation of the English Premier League in 1992-93 marked the beginning of an era of fierce competition, not only on the pitch but off it as well.

Clubs found themselves trapped in an ongoing cycle of spending, trying to keep up with rising player wages and the pressure to attract the best talent.

As the competition for players grew, fueled by the Bosman Ruling in 1995—which allowed players to become free agents after their contracts expired and removed restrictions on foreign players—the financial landscape changed dramatically.

Football clubs suddenly had access to a much wider pool of talent, but this also meant they had to outbid each other for top-tier players, often leading to astronomical transfer fees and soaring wage demands.

With player costs escalating, clubs began to feel the squeeze. Attendance figures plateaued, and while television deals were lucrative, they weren't enough to cover the rising financial demands of running a club.

This is where the business side of football became crucial. Yes, of course. To stay competitive, clubs began exploring new revenue streams.

Sponsorships, merchandising, broadcasting rights—you name it—became the lifeblood of many teams as they raced to secure additional funds to stay afloat amidst rising player salaries and transfer fees.

Still, as far as he knew, all those revenue streams typically came in the form of deal packages with terms and conditions.

There were requirements the club had to meet—like qualifying for the Champions League, winning domestic titles, or leveraging a star player to enhance the brand's appeal and attract bigger sponsorships.

In the end, Richard racked his brain and came up with only one answer: human traffi—Wait, no, scratch that. 'I mean buying and selling players.'

As someone with knowledge of the future, what else did he need, aside from using that advantage to secure talent as early as possible?

What was the most profitable way to run a football club?

What was the quickest, most cost-effective way to generate money?

For current football clubs, buying and selling players can indeed generate massive profits, but the problem is, it's not always the most consistent or reliable revenue stream.

That's different for him, however.

Just think about it—buy a player who's still a diamond in the rough, spend less than a million pounds, and then flip him for twenty, fifty, or even a hundred million.

And you can do it twice a year. Doesn't that sound like the most profitable strategy ever?

Forget the rest, this is the future of football!

"Becoming a scout could be a good choice..."

"What?"

Book frowned, taken aback by Richard's sudden bluntness.

Richard was also snapped back from his thought. He hadn't noticed the others around him, so he quickly shook his head. "No, I mean... I guess becoming a scout is also a good option for me."

"Aren't you aiming to be a coach?"

"Can I be both a coach and a scout at the same time?"

"Well... yes and no. There's no rule against it, but if you want to be a coach, you have to commit. The roles can overlap, and balancing scouting with coaching duties can be really demanding.

"There are also confidentiality concerns," Pardoe chimed in. "If a coach is scouting players from other teams, they might have to be discreet to avoid any conflicts."

But Richard wasn't giving up. "Isn't there another way? The roles seem pretty similar, don't they? From a professional standpoint, finding talent and coaching them go hand in hand."

For many football fans, being a football scout is a dream job. Not only do you get paid to watch football, but it's also exciting to attempt to predict which players would make a good signing for your club.

"Well..."

Book and Pardoe nodded silently. Honestly, he wasn't the first to think this way. They had considered it too, but in the end, both roles were too demanding to manage simultaneously. While the club didn't specifically forbid it, balancing both jobs would still be a challenge.

Richard, however, had already thought it through. Back in the Pre-Bosman Era, when the football transfer system was dominated by player contracts and transfer fees, player movement was strictly controlled by the clubs.

His main concern was likely rooted in the ethical implications surrounding the discovery, recommendation, and poaching of players. There were also numerous rules to consider, including FA policies, contractual obligations, potential role conflicts, and FIFA regulations.

Ultimately, to avoid any ethical dilemmas, he could easily seek clarification from the club and the staff he is working with to ensure there are no conflicts of interest or breaches of contractual obligations. Well, it would be a simple matter for him to do so.

"Actually, I don't recommend this, though, especially if you're thinking of joining my team," Book said, wanting to make his point clear. "I mean, listen carefully—if you want to take on dual roles, how can I be sure that you'll be able to work effectively as a coach?"

Sensing the tension, Pardoe interjected, "Or here's another idea, Richard: How about you take a look at your contract first? Are you sure there's no breach of contract there?"

"Actually, when I was recruited, what the higher-ups wanted most was for me to replicate the way Sheffield identified me back then. Also with my understanding of tactics. I mean..." Richard paused, then thought of something.

'Wait, actually, being a scout and a coach, isn't being a tactical scout just the same thing?'

A tactical scout is a type of scout who focuses not only on identifying talented players but also on evaluating how players fit into specific tactical systems or styles of play. Or they could also study the opponent's tactics, not just focusing on the players.

Simply put, tactical scouts do more in-depth research and analysis. This allows him more time to learn coaching management, search for players who will become expensive and access the club's databases at the same time. Isn't that killing three birds with one stone?

Scouting in the 1980s was very different from modern scouting. Since agents weren't as popular, most players at the time were represented by their family members. This made the scout's job to reach out, so most of the time, club databases stored information like addresses and family situations.

Excited, Richard slapped the table and stood up. "How about this—I could start as a volunteer or part-time first, then see where it leads me. Think about it—it might be better for me not to disturb the team in the middle of the season, right? Later, whatever role suits me, I can just resign from the other one. Isn't that a good idea?"

Book and Pardoe exchanged a glance, silently communicating through their eyes. If things went this way, they would certainly have no problem with it. They didn't mind it; in fact, they preferred it!

Bringing in a new coach often shifts the entire dynamic of the staff and the team—affecting training methods, tactics, and player management. This could lead to a reassessment of roles and responsibilities within the staff.

Still, they couldn't be too obvious about pushing him in that direction, right?

"But this is just between us, right? We haven't talked to the scouting team yet. I mean, they haven't agreed to anything, have they?" Pardoe asked, his face tinged with uncertainty.

"Don't worry," Richard replied confidently, patting his chest. "I'll talk to them. You just need to introduce me."

Eventually, an agreement was reached.

Tony, Glyn, and Richard found themselves sitting on the sidelines of the lush green field, gazing out at the empty red stands.

Three cleaners moved methodically through the seats, sweeping up debris, while a few turf maintenance workers in the distance trimmed the grass, ensuring the pitch was in perfect condition for the upcoming showdown between the two Manchester clubs next week.

The three of them waited patiently for the current chief scout to arrive at six o'clock. It was a September evening, and although the hour was growing late, the summer sun still lingered in the sky.

The Eastern and Western horizons painted two completely different scenes. On one side, the night sky was speckled with the first hints of starlight, while the other glowed with a delicate sunset, its colors stretching thin like chiffon across the horizon.

The two worlds met in the middle, blending into a surreal, almost dreamlike canvas—an evening suspended between reality and fantasy.

The team currently had only two full-time scouts, both of whom were constantly on the road, searching for talented young players across Britain and doing their best to recruit them for the youth training camp at Maine Road.

One was the chief scout, while the other focused mainly on player area analysis. There was no one else to assist them with the workload.

When the person they had been waiting for finally arrived, the three of them wasted no time and went straight to the point.

"Volunteer?" Ken Barnes raised an eyebrow, giving the three of them a questioning look, his face filled with doubt.

"Yes," Richard replied eagerly, nodding. "If I could also work part-time as a scout, even better. You don't need to pay me—just let me tag along, observe, and learn. That's all I'm asking."

'Who is this young man?' Barnes thought, eyeing his two colleagues with skepticism.

Ken Barnes, Manchester City's current chief scout and a member of the 50s Cup-winning team, studied Richard closely, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"Hmm..." Barnes rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's not every day someone offers to work for free just to learn. But tagging along isn't as simple as it sounds. Scouting is more than just watching matches—it takes skill, instinct, and experience."

Had Richard come alone and made such a bold request, Barnes would have dismissed it on the spot. But since he had arrived with the manager Book and assistant manager Pardoe, it felt like a silent endorsement, and he knew he had to be tactful.

It was a quiet misunderstanding between the three parties, but for Richard, the situation was working in his favor.

Richard smiled slightly. "I understand scouting isn't easy, but I'm willing to start small—local youth matches, lower leagues. No, in fact, I won't aim for the first or second divisions. I want to focus solely on grassroots."

At first, Barnes hadn't taken him too seriously, but hearing this made his expression grow serious. "You said you only want to scout at the grassroots level?"

"Yes, just teach me how to create the report card and how to access the databases, and everything will be fine on my own."

Standing beside Barnes was another scout, Ted Davies—the kind of man who wore multiple hats at the club.

Academy scout, first-team scout, tactical analyst—you name it, Ted did it. He was stretched thin, the weight of his many roles showing in the tired lines on his face.

When Ted Davies heard there might be new blood joining, a wave of hope washed over him. He and Barnes had just spent the day visiting three local schools, searching for homegrown talent, and the exhaustion was starting to show.

If someone could take that load off his shoulders... He shot a hopeful glance at Barnes, silently wishing the chief would give his approval.

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