The single biggest investment opportunity in football is one I've written about for years.

PUT MONEY INTO SCOUTING/TRIALING/SIGNING YOUNG AFRICAN PLAYERS.

Nothing else comes close in ROI terms but, with few exceptions, most clubs "don't have the budget for it"

Liverpool have found themselves in a position where they'll potentially need to replace several world-class players in a short space of time. Better they start soon. This weekend's Morning Star column.

Most requests for investment at clubs follow this sort of pattern

"We need a new data system in the scouting department"

X for Y problems.

But when you drill down the issue is normally "we need to get better at signing players."

Buying X won't solve the issue if the problem is elsewhere.

The good thing about the January transfer window is that it’s typically a good way of telling which clubs have smart, long-term plans and which ones will just panic buy and throw money at a short-term fix to their problems.

Clubs have to stick with something.

Yes adapt to circumstances but you need to know what you are building and stick with it.

You ultimately want to end up good at everything but pick a route of possession or pressure and get good at one of them quickly.

Takes 3-6 windows of good recruitment.

Getting inspired by @afhstewart.bsky.social with #FM24, decided to post the progress of my save, starting with leaving Trastevere FC (with an extended Italian league DB down to Serie D) after four seasons with them.

I figured after 3x Serie C playoffs and no promotion, it's time to move on.

The more I play FM the more I realise the key for good development is no dickheads, cool facilities, and great coaching staff, and that’s basically like real life

Last week it was Timo Werner, this week it's "unfair" questions from a reporter. Eventually Postecoglou will have to accept that Tottenham are in a predicament of their own making. He's stubbornly marching through this season with Frank Sinatra's "My Way" playing in his head. And it's not working.

This is the real reason European clubs are against the Club World Cup (whether involved in it or not). They tried to pretend it's about player welfare, but it's about them wanting their own pre-season and, increasingly, post-season cash grabs during the summer.

The best three football books of all time, if you want to cover the heart, the head, and the soul, are The Ball is Round by @davidgoldblatt.bsky.social, Inverting the Pyramid by @jonawils.bsky.social, and Football in Sun and Shadow by Eduardo Galeano. Read those three and you basically get football

Idk if anyone had Elversberg hitting first.

Last year was their first ever season in the 2. Bundesliga and a year later they're fighting for promotion.

3 points between 1st and 10th currently. Goal difference is about to be insanely important.

The math reveals that it's deserved for Messi:

M - 19 matches, 20 goals, 11 assists

Cucho - 29 matches, 19 goals, 11 assists

The biggest question will be whether Cucho will leave in the winter window or not as European/Brazilians are linked with him, he's valued at $15 million.

#MLS

major challenge the RL campaign has is it has been subsumed by very big picture religion v sexuality arguments. But the fundamental point of the campaign is that men’s football is seriously lagging on the trends of British society when it comes to gay representation, inclusion and safety.

The advertised role of a sporting director is to look after the long term of the club, building up systems and processes.

In reality every time a sporting director changes so do most of the staff (recruitment, data etc). I know of clubs on the third rebuild in 5 years, building up from scratch.

Asking for #travel and #sports fans:

I'm planning a week trip in the U.S. or Canada in June 2025 for my birthday and I wanted to watch a match as well.

Also I'm a gay deaf solo traveler and I don't drive a car so I rely on public transit. I'm wondering if you have any suggestions at all? 🙂

For #footballdata peeps -

If I want to identify early talents with a standard of 1,000 minutes and the age of 20 or less in a league, which tool or website would be good for me to check out?

I'm interested in starting in data analysis of sports by utilizing my research skills instead of videos.

If you want to break into football scouting/player recruitment get good at spotting early talent in obscure places.

There is enough free data and video.

Don't worry about "giving names away." Build up a track record of getting things right and then remind people about it.

If you signed up to The Athletic on a Black Friday deal now is the time to make sure you aren't autorenewing on the £60 rate.

Just renewed for £18 for the year by cancelling and taking the "stay with us" offer

Hello!

I moved from X for football #transfer news but also try to learn about the art of #recruitment in #football because ideally I wanted to leave my current job as a data entry clerk.

I also possess a B.A. degree in #History so my research skills hopefully will help me in the career change.