In May 2024 IPSO had the privilege of training Top Romanian side Rapid Bucharest Staff and students from around Europe and Romania. Colin Chambers the Education Director had the honor of delivering the Level 4 First Team Scouting Course. Combined with a couple of top level games taken during the weekend. It was a great success for all who participated.

Spotting talent is a skill. It’s not easy to identify potential young players who can progress further in the game.

This course designed to build on the foundations you’ll have developed on the Introduction to Talent Identification in Football, as well as from further learning you have done, to help increase your ability to recognise talent in the game.

In this course we introduced the students to the key principles of scouting in and around the first team, including player reporting.

You’ll also be introduced to more sophisticated scouting strategies and how to effectively manage the talent identification environment at your club. Statistics and how data-driven scouting has made an impact in the game.

This two-day course focussed on critical areas of talent identification – the key principles of scouting, the importance of relationships, the latest methods of recognising a player to suit your club and the complex governance procedures surrounding talent identification.

A course designed to support scouts working in or aspiring to work in the professional game.

What were the learning outcomes?

After the students completed this course they had a much better understanding of what makes an effective scout at first team level.

After this course, the students now:

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of the scout, developing an awareness of good practice within a talent ID department
• Be able to perform the role of a scout, undertaking designated responsibilities within a talent ID department
• Develop an awareness of good practice within talent identification department at first team level.

The course is aimed at supporting scouts that work within the professional game. The basis of the course requires knowledge of the professional club’s recruitment strategy that the learner currently scouts for, along with the ability to draw upon previous experience in the role. A great weekend had by all and new scouts with the right knowledge to make a difference.