Scouting for football managers

THERE was a commotion as they watched the TV screen.

It was that good. It might have been an outrageous bit of skill or a wonder goal. I can't remember.

Tony Mowbray popped his head around the door to see what the fuss was about as his coaching staff watched the football match.

It was, in fact, a DVD which a contact had passed onto him, featuring an overseas midfielder.

The coaches had got to it first.

Mowbray decided he needed a better look. He took the DVD home, watched it. Watched it again. Went back to it and watched it again. Further inquiries were made, more questions were asked.

And Filipe Teixeira signed within a week or two.

So this is why people should not worry unduly when Tony Mowbray admits that he hadn't watched Juan Carlos Menseguez in the flesh. (By the way, he's unlikely to play much part this weekend due to logistical reasoning - he only joined on Monday, Albion played on the Tuesday, players had a day off on Wednesday and trained on a reduced pitch today due to the weather. Thursday being the day when Mowbray starts work on tactics, team shape and formations. Plus he's not played since mid-December.)

I digress.

One caller on a radio phone-in suggested that the Albion boss must be desperate to sign a player on the basis of a film?

But that misses the point.

He wouldn't be the first to sign a player based on a video.

I somehow doubt Arsene Wenger spent a week travelling to Russia and back to watch Arshavin. And I'd put good money on the likes of Ronaldo and, say, Nani or Anderson, being a result of United's excellent scouting network, rather than Sir Alex Ferguson spending long periods travelling around the world.

Players do get scouted through the aid of a video recording. The best of it is you can rewind the excellent pass or the bit where the player makes a run to link-up play. Menseguez came from a recommendation from one of the club's trusted South American contacts.

It's the way clubs operate these days. Albion are not trying to split the atom.

Football management is becoming a 24 hour job. Mowbray and his scouts spend enough time driving up and down motorways watching English-based players.

Should Mowbray have abandoned his team and their preparations for the next match by jetting over to Argentina to watch some one who may or may not be worth signing?

I think not.

Imagine the outcry if he'd gone and done that....