Back in January, I read The Nowhere Men.
Having never heard of this book, I acquired it in a random way, by sheer serendipity.
In December, when Jan was in Waterstones buying a Xmas gift for somebody else, she saw this paperback by Michael Calvin and got it for me as a surprise present.
The Nowhere Men The Unknown Story of Football’s True Talent- Spotters takes us inside old-fashioned scouting and inside the data analytics revolution.
Fascinating stuff about Damien Comolli, Terry Burton, Billy Beane, plus a lot of other people I had never heard about.
One such is Mark Warburton, a guy who set up David Beckham’s academy, developed an innovative academy for Watford, and became sporting director at Brentford, where he oversaw the scouting network, found first team players for manager Uwe Rosler, and liaised with owner Mathew Benham.
Warburton was also involved in the NextGen Series, a kind of Champions League for under-19 teams like Ajax, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Marseilles.
As a scout, he says, you see things that grab your attention in an under-14 game, a boy just does something: “It might just be a first touch. It might be a little turn of pace, or an unusual type of pass. Now he’s got your eye….You are ticking off your mental boxes. Does he receive the ball well? Is he two-footed? Does he move quickly? Has he a low centre of gravity?”
When you see something special, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up:
“I remember seeing Sterling for the first time. We played at QPR with Watford. I was with Andy, the academy manager, and we didn’t need to say a word. We simply looked at each other. The pace, the sheer, frightening pace. Combined with an end product. That was a fuck me moment, and Liverpool moved faster than anyone to get him.”
Last season Liverpool were very exciting, Luis Suarez was the hottest warrior in the Premier League, and young Raheem Sterling could sparkle by playing energy football at Suarez’s pace.
In 2014, Raheem got into the World Cup squad for Brazil, started games and looked our best player.
But Engerland limped out of Brazil without a win, Liverpool sold Suarez, got bounced out of the Champions League by Real Madrid and, then knocked out of the Europa Cup, and are fighting hard to get back into the top four again.
A win against Man Utd at Anfield will take them above their rivals.
Coutinho and Henderson are playing well but Sterling isn’t.
He’s still agile, brave, fast and two-footed, still ticks all the boxes Warburton mentioned. But he’s not doing it. He’s not producing, not scoring, doesn’t look the same player.
He looks inhibited, cramped, not as confident, not as free.
Maybe he is stressed and conflicted by what his agent is telling him.
His agent, Aidy Ward, has already upset Jamie Carragher and Brendan Rodgers. Stevie G said that what Liverpool have offered Raheem is “an incredible contract for a young player.”
TOO RIGHT IT IS.
OK, Raheem has done very well for Liverpool but the club has worked well for him too.
It’s a tragic that the kid cannot see what he should do. The answer is five yards away from him every day: his mate Coutinho. Having signed a new five year contract, the little Brazilian is playing very well and scoring wonderful goals.
But Raheem won’t discuss a new contract until the end of the season. That’s a great shame.
Because, at 20, he is far too immature to go to a bigger club. He wouldn’t adapt, he wouldn’t cut it.
Manager Brendan Rodgers gave Raheem a week off in Jamaica but the kid hasn’t been sharper since he came back.
Can Liverpool beat United today without Raheem playing well? No way.
No, they can’t beat United today if Raheem doesn’t play well. They might draw but a draw won’t put them above Rooney & Co.
United will hit Fellaini with big diagonals and make Liverpool’s back three wobble and scramble.
Since big keeper David De Gea is good at saving shots from distance, Liverpool will need to create chances inside the box.
It’s mega-match for both teams because it comes so late in the season, when games are running out and every point is vital.