An Interview With Thomas Hengen (Germany, Netherlands And Belgium Scout)

[Louis]

www.az-web.de/artikel/1119004

 

 

Google translation:

 

Aachen, a beautiful life this man has always a passage ticket to the stadium, getting the best grandstand seats, Games at European and national top-level, and the greatest thing: what others would pay, which brings this man some money. "This is a full-time job," says Thomas Hengen, "the great fun."

 

Since last spring the 35-year-old full-time scout in Everton, the accident resulted, as so often directed. trainee at Real Madrid , a licensed soccer coach Hengen was after his departure from Alemannia Aachen and the league amateurs, first as a trainee on the road. "You have at a young age as much as possible to absorb ", and the ex-pro looking Felix Magath at VfL Wolfsburg on the shoulder, in the next week Martin Jol at Hamburg, and later Ralf Rangnick in Hoffenheim and Juande Ramos at Real Madrid - had Christoph Metzelder contact mediated. In early 2009, during a "home game" at Bayer Leverkusen in Dusseldorf, Thomas Hengen got to know Robbie Cooke, Chief Scout of Everton FC. One said, "what are you doing this?" Cooke, a man was missing in the area West-Deutschland/Niederlande/Belgien. Hengen, who still lives with his family in Aachen, and his skills were now of interest to a traditional club in the Premier League. It was agreed a trial period of four weeks, Hengen watching players who have been scouted. "Everton wanted to check just if they send out as a full-blind or who has a clue." quickly became clear: it fits, the handshake agreement will initially run until June 2010. 18 Scouts are on behalf of Everton FC on the road, a dozen alone distributed to the European leagues. "For the Premier League you have totally different outlook," says Thomas Hengen, "This league is very physically demanding."

 

Straight close games, where there from the 80th Minute "comes to doing down will then grow even faster. When one sees a Wayne Rooney "- who began his professional career as a 16-year-old in Liverpool -." As the graft to the rear must be "quickness, athleticism," Frank Lampard is the prototype of what is asked. "

 

In David Moyes Everton created the profiles, the coach, who is here as Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, "manager" and leads the team in its eighth year. Moyes will decide ultimately on the obligations, will be responsible if they reject someone who strikes elsewhere, or by pulling a transfer, have advised against the five of his scouts. Hengen and his colleagues give from a purely athletic assessment, these days they work a from list of candidates for the second transfer phase. "If one plays in Belgium for ten years, there's a reason", the attention is more young professionals like the Dutchman Eljero Elia, who transferred ultimately to Hamburger SV. "But any player that no one knows that there are not any more."

 

Everything in English

 

When Thomas returned from an observation Hengen, he maintains his impressions in the "detailed report" an association of software. Each player will be graded, who receives special notice, in a separate template is a more accurate assessment. Everything in English: ". I could indeed very well in school, but was in the first two months, one, dictionary 'next to the laptop" The Scottish accent by David Moyes is now no longer a risk to abuse or lack of understanding . The Scouts meet regularly with their boss and the manager Cooke and add their findings into an overall picture, an observer judges never alone when it comes to the decision. "You have to be careful however not to make too much. Otherwise you lose the look. " It happens that Thomas sees Hengen on one day two games. "Afternoon in Cologne, in the evening Twente Enschede, which is to create." Champions League final in Liege, Europe League in Heerenveen, most recently, the U20 in Hoffenheim v Austria, the day after Belgium beat Hungary in Ghent, on Tuesday in Rotterdam, the Dutch U21 (EM qualifier against Spain) and finally in Gelsenkirchen, Germany against the Ivory Coast. a tight schedule is starting next weekend Hengen back on the island, Everton in the "three-pack" at United, at Hull City (League Cup), against their great rivals Liverpool FC . The classics at the Merseyside - which would be a lot for that!

 

From November 2009, but it hadn't been posted before.

[rubecula]

Not sure if it just me, but I find that article almost impossible to follow. I think something is lost in translation.

[Steve_E]

Good to know we've got 18 scouts. I think a club like Ajax only has 7. Too bad ours can't seem to dig up a Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

[Romey 1878]

Too bad ours can't seem to dig up a Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

 

 

Good. I'd rather them find a Seamus Coleman than that over-rated arsebag.

[SimonButtle]

Good. I'd rather them find a Seamus Coleman than that over-rated arsebag.

they aint digging up fuck all at the moment though

[Romey 1878]

they aint digging up fuck all at the moment though

 

 

I highly doubt that.

 

I reckon we'll have spotted 10's of quality players but without the money to go and get them then it makes a bit difficult.

[Hafnia]

Bit like having a super team of car experts travelling round auctions with nothing but £10 and a pay as you go mobile in their pockets.

[SimonButtle]

I highly doubt that.

 

I reckon we'll have spotted 10's of quality players but without the money to go and get them then it makes a bit difficult.

yeah more than likely, but we got coleman for next to nothing, not every player has to cost multiple millions of pounds

[Lowensda]

But those that are young and highly rated on the continent will.

 

No offense to the irish league but i can't see many european scouts turning up to their games. So at best you may get a handful...on the continent there are 10's of team scouts looking for the next best thing at each game.

Edited July 26, 2011 by tenaciousj

[SimonButtle]

But those that are young and highly rated on the continent will.

 

No offense to the irish league but i can't see many european scouts turning up to their games. So at best you may get a handful...on the continent there are 10's of team scouts looking for the next best thing at each game.

surely thats where a good scout earns his money though?

[Romey 1878]

We're not the only club with good scouts.

[Lowensda]

Are you saying a good scout will look in obscure places and pick up rough diamonds? If so you're right hence Coleman. Hence Abdulleyev.

 

Both came from obscure leagues and are tipped for the top.

 

Magaye is an oddity because he came from a team in Ligue 1, albeit a poor one but he was the standout. I was led to beleive there were a few teams in that league who wanted him but we concluded business the quickest (can you beleive that).

 

So that's why we got Coleman cheap, was because we found an un-earthed diamond. remember as well, he was playing out of position (entire career in the Irish league was at RB) ok we bought him in as one but when the situation arose we put him on the wing and he was a breath of fresh air. Accidental. probably. Would we be singing his praises as highly if he never tried it as a winger? debateable.

Edited July 26, 2011 by tenaciousj

[SimonButtle]

We're not the only club with good scouts.

no, we are not, but then its about convincing that player to come to the club, and lets face it, we hav'nt got much we can offer at the moment lol

 

Gueye was a reccomendation from Houllier was he not?

Edited July 26, 2011 by theprisoner

[Lowensda]

That he was but we wouldn't have bought him based on a recommendation. WE'd have scouted him after the recommendation.

[Steve_E]

Not every good young player on the continent has to cost lots of money. Ajax has got Christian Eriksen (now 19 year old Danish playmaker) for €1 million and Nicolai Boilesen (19 year old Danish left back / centre back) for €0.5 million. Both are now being linked with moves to Manchester United and Barcelona. They've just got another Dane in (Viktor Fischer, 17 year old left winger / striker) who'll no doubt be moving to England for £20 million in a few years time.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Steve_E

[Lowensda]

Steve, not saying they do. But you are more likely to pay more on the continent, in the bigger leagues. Problems also include the fact that there are multiple teams competing for all the best kids, some of them have the money to take the gamble (unlike us), so we have to do extensive scouting to make sure they're cost effective.

 

Also take into account, they could offer them first team football quicker than us. It's harder for foreign players to adapt to the style and pace of the premier league, so they'll develop faster in that league playing at a level that still suits their style.

 

I'd bet a lot of money that if some of our kids (even those deemed not good enough for our first team) could go to the Jupiler league for example on loan, they'd get far more game time than we currently give them and they'd probably develop that little bit faster.

 

To suggest we're missing out on these players is laughable, because there's probably thousands of kids being picked up by these teams like Ajax, and never making it. However they have the money to take the gamble, hoping one of them will come good and they can sell them for big bucks; then the cycle starts again!

[MikeO]

Are you saying a good scout will look in obscure places and pick up rough diamonds? If so you're right hence Coleman. Hence Abdulleyev.

 

Both came from obscure leagues and are tipped for the top.

Also potentially Vellios, Silva, Mustafi & Duffy...all scouted from around Europe

[Steve_E]

Steve, not saying they do. But you are more likely to pay more on the continent, in the bigger leagues. Problems also include the fact that there are multiple teams competing for all the best kids, some of them have the money to take the gamble (unlike us), so we have to do extensive scouting to make sure they're cost effective.

 

Also take into account, they could offer them first team football quicker than us. It's harder for foreign players to adapt to the style and pace of the premier league, so they'll develop faster in that league playing at a level that still suits their style.

 

I'd bet a lot of money that if some of our kids (even those deemed not good enough for our first team) could go to the Jupiler league for example on loan, they'd get far more game time than we currently give them and they'd probably develop that little bit faster.

 

To suggest we're missing out on these players is laughable, because there's probably thousands of kids being picked up by these teams like Ajax, and never making it. However they have the money to take the gamble, hoping one of them will come good and they can sell them for big bucks; then the cycle starts again!

 

I guess that's the biggest problem. I think we'd be able to compete financially for those younger players in Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium... But if they're smart they'd prefer to go to a team like Ajax that's renowned for playing youngsters.

[Lowensda]

Also potentially Vellios, Silva, Mustafi & Duffy...all scouted from around Europe

 

Eaxactly, Vellios was from the Greek league (Iraklis? Who were on the verge of relegation weren't they?), Silva (from the 2nd Division of the portugese league - Desportivo Das Aves) and Duffy (from Northern Ireland)

 

I guess that's the biggest problem. I think we'd be able to compete financially for those younger players in Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium... But if they're smart they'd prefer to go to a team like Ajax that's renowned for playing youngsters.

 

You also think last year (and year before) although we tied up a lot of our current first team, we made significant strides in recruiting young, promising players. We didn't spend the money on stars (as we are all to aware of) but they money went for those two reasons.

 

I think people forget that; at the time we may headways by securing our current squad to longer deals AND started to build for the future. No marquee signings, i get that but that was the compromise and at the time (unlike others) I was ok with that.

Edited July 26, 2011 by tenaciousj

[Steve_E]

I agree it's a good thing that we've signed players like Duffy and Gueye. But we still need to give them chances. I'm reading that we should get a replacement for Jagielka if he was to leave, something I don't get at all. We'd still have 3 proven centre backs and two promising youngsters in Duffy and Mustafi.

[Hafnia]

It's certainly the right approach investing in youth. However, talking to a bloke I know who coaches Crewe - the success rates are tiny in terms of percentages, they really are.

 

He thinks Everton are brilliant at nabbing the yound kids, he did tell me the name of the chap responsible, but said he has an encyclopedic knowledge of UK kids 11 and above. The reality is, someone who looks the absolute business at 14 has maybe a 1 in 10 chance of making premier league status.

 

A good youth network and ability to operate in the transfer window supplement each other as the perfect model - Barca for example.