Introduction:
In every street, nooks and crannies of Nigeria, great talents are flooded everywhere. Football is a very powerful sport that may be highly skillful when it comes to showcasing talents. But even with these skills and individual potentials, one must be able to know all that it takes to be the chosen one whenever football scouts come around to source for the best talent. This article will show you the inevitable pathways you must follow to get your way into the world of riches.
Football as a High-Paying Sport
Football is no doubt one of the highest paying sports in the world. With players like Christiano Ronaldo earning £173m per year in Al Nassr, Neymar Jr- £86m per year in Al Hilal, Karim Benzema- £85m per year in Al Ittihad, and Lionel Messi- £55m per year in Inter Miami, great talents in football gets attracted by clubs around the world. The moment you can shine with what you have, your value increases and of course an increase in value, will prompt an increase in earnings.
How Players are Scouted in Nigeria
It will interest you to know that in Nigeria, players are scouted regularly. So long as there is an organized competition taking place, local national leagues, football academies, etc, scouting of talents will never cease to stop. Nigeria has a vast pool of talent and its passion for football attracts everyone in need of great talent. Here are some of the ways players are scouted in Nigeria:
- European Club Scouts: These scouts visit Nigeria roughly every 6-12 months yearly to identify the best and sign them.
- Football Academy: Scouts visit football academy to track the progress of every identified talent and this can be every month or as they see fit.
- National Team Trials: Various coaches in charge of the Nigerian National Teams e.g., U17, U20, U23, and the senior national team, do organize trials to identify potential players who will later represent the country for international competitions.
- Local Tournaments: Football tournaments are always organized almost everyday in different t parts of the country and scouts are always moving around to see if they will find any asset in these organized tournaments.
- Scouting Camps: Scouting camps are organized especially when there is a need to gather the best. This can be done twice in a year according to the organizer’s discretion.
What do Football Scouts Look For in a Player?
- Speed and agility
- Strength and power
- Endurance and stamina
- Flexibility and mobility
- Heights
- Ball control and dribbling skills
- Passing accuracy & passing range
- Shooting technique and power
- Heading ability
- Defensive and tackling skills
- Positioning and awareness
- Focus and concentration
- Discipline
- Resilience
- Leadership
- Attitudes towards the game
- Health history (injury, disease)
- Multi-position playing ability
Processes involved in Scouting players in Nigeria
During trials, there are processes scouters use during the exercise. They include:
- Discovery: The discovery process involves attending locally organized scouting environment like competition.
- First Assessment: After the talent discovery phase, discovered talents are made to undergo a first assessment process. This process is to help them further filter out population and get those who can keep up for a more rigorous decision.
- Suggestions: Scouts will further seek the help of local coaches or maybe other officials that came together with them, to hear their opinions on picking a player. This could be on discipline, and other qualities.
- Interviews: Players will then have to be interviewed to get info about their knowledge of the game, motivation and in some cases age range.
- Medicals: This stage involves screening a player to undergo health checks. Sight problems, injury history, blood genotype, and other health related issues are meticulous checked. This is for the safety of the club’s investment and also for the well being of the player.
- Data Analysis and Video Reviews: Analytic tools are used to gather information about a player. This tool is capable of using the data inputed by the scouts and come up with a summarized data that will easily help them take decisions. Recorded videos of the players on the pitch when playing can be reviewed to further access player’s ability.
- Negotiations and Offers: One a player passes all the rigorous processes, the monetary value is then discussed and player valuation is made so as to seal the deal.
- Signing of Contracts: Once the negotiation process is complete, the player signs a contract with the club’s agent and he or she is taken to the Club for integration and further career development.
Conclusion:
As a footballer, there are certain skills you must build to stay ahead of the game and be irresistible to football talent seekers when they come searching. The pathways to becoming a professional is not an easy task but one that you must fight your way through.
As you prepare for any next available opportunity, be very sure that you possess what it takes to be that player who will become the next world most wanted.
