Video and live scouting both have their unique pros and cons. They should be combined to get the best results. At the same time, we truly believe that video scouting is a very undervalued scouting method. In this article, you’ll find 13 reasons why.
Obviously, live scouting also has its upsides. You can connect to people around the pitch to gather inside information, oversee the whole pitch to observe off-the-ball behavior and get a better perspective on the physical and mental traits of a player.
On the other hand, it’s very old school to keep relying on live scouting only. Video scouting has proven to be a very good addition to any scouting setup in the world. We’ve listed 13 clear advantages of video scouting compared to live evaluations of players.
#1. Save money
Compared to live scouting, video scouting is way cheaper. You can save a lot of money on travel, hotel and restaurant costs.
#2. More efficient
It’s also way more efficient. You save valuable time, mainly because you don’t need to travel to matches.
#3. Faster follow up
If you want to follow up on a player quickly, you don’t have to take a look at the match schedule to find out when the next game is. You can create a report immediately.
#4. More sustainable
Traveling by car and plane causes CO2 emissions, which contributes to global warming. Video scouting is way more sustainable.
#5. Evaluating subs
Video scouting is way more suitable for scouting substitutes. When you attend a match, you only get to see them for a short period. With video scouting, you can watch footage throughout several matches easily.
#6. Create own schedule
For live scouting, you rely on the match calendars created by the federations. Starting times might conflict. With video scouting, you can create your own schedule.
#7. Pause match
Suppose you want to look up more information about a player on the internet. While video scouting, you can just pause the game, which is not possible with live scouting.
#8. Skip match breaks
Within a match, effective playing time is only about 55 minutes per match. With video scouting, you can easily skip VAR checks and injury treatments, which saves a lot of time.
#9. Reevaluate interesting situations
In some situations in matches, a lot of things are going on at once. This applies to goals and many other situations. With live scouting, you have to assess all of that information at once, whereas with video scouting, you’ll find new information even the fourth or fifth time you watch it.
#10. Watch individual clips
Thanks to platforms such as Wyscout, video scouts can create playlists of individual events of players, which provides many advantages.
#11. Better circumstances
Live scouting can be influenced by circumstances such as very bright sun, low temperatures, and bad pitch overview. With video scouting, you can create your own ideal scouting circumstances.
#12. Decide own shifts
A live match typically takes place in two times 45 minutes. You need to be very concentrated for 45 minutes, can switch off a bit for 15 minutes, and then need to focus again for 45 minutes. This doesn’t align with every scout’s personal preferences. With video scouting, you can decide your own shifts and breaks, which increases your productivity.
#13. Discuss clips
In scouting meetings, it’s effective to not only discuss players verbally but also discuss video clips. Video scouting allows you to directly select suitable clips for discussion.
Want to know more about video scouting?
Video scouting has many advantages and, especially when smartly combined with data and live scouting, highly effective. But also highly undervalued. And we want to change that: Our services share a commonality – we employ advanced video scouting to thoroughly evaluate players, providing additional manpower for clubs in their recruitment processes. Contact us for more information on how we can help your club leverage the power of video scouting.
