The pursuit of wisdom in any walk of life quickly reveals that what you think you know is not nearly enough to get you to where you want to go. As I'm starting out in my football scouting journey I challenged myself to reach out to those already working in various roles in football to answer a short list of questions. My goal wasn't to get answers but relevant perspectives on the game within the game.
Here is Abdullah Abdullah:
How did your first opportunity in football come about?
My first opportunity in football wasn’t something I thought was an opportunity at first. I happened to find Total Football Analysis through googling sites to write for and just asked. They took me in and I started writing for fun. At first it was a hobby, a mere pass time. I was always interested in tactics but never enough to think I’d be able to write extensively. Progressed over time and got better and with that came more and more opportunities within the organization and here we are today. It’s now a serious career option and one I think I could just about get into.
What attracted you to data/scouting? What’s more intriguing now names or numbers?
I think I always loved player roles and how they fitted into tactical setups. I was never a numbers guy so for me it was all about the player. In recent times I’ve become more intrigued by data and use them heavily as part of my scout reports. While data has become an extremely prevalent part of football, I still feel watching a player is as important. It’s the two in tandem that intrigues me now. You cannot complete one without the other.
What type of player fascinates you? What caught your eye?
I think this is well documented in our analysts circle but I love defensive midfielders. They are the fulcrum of the team and control so much of the build up and act as the protective line in front of the defence. Ball players who have excellent defensive awareness are my favorite type of midfielders. Naturally, being an analyst in women’s football, Julie Ertz and Amandine Henry are two of my favorites. From the men’s side Marquinhos, Marco Veratti, and Joshua Kimmich are 3 world class players in their positions that I enjoy watching.
What is the biggest misconception you’ve found in this space?
One of the biggest misconceptions to me has been looking at the game and taking things at face value. Lot of beginner analysts will think they’ve found everything when they’ve only scratched the surface and struggle to find more. It’s about looking at the details and always asking ‘why’. Any time I’m talking to a new analyst, it’s always ask yourself why and you’ll automatically find something else to talk about and develop your knowledge.
If you could start over what skill would you build on first?
Oh, good question. If I had to start again then I would definitely look to improve my eye for detail in terms of both watching footage and the data. Find those underlying details that is there and learn how to unearth them.
What is more important domain knowledge or curiosity?
I don’t think you can choose between the two. You need to have both to succeed. Your curiosity will only Improve your domain knowledge. It’s a cycle that keeps moving and the more curious you are, the more you’ll learn to understand and appreciate the game more. The day you stop being curious is the day you lose out on learning something new. So I guess curiosity is key.
What is your favorite sports moment? Why?
If we’re talking about something other than football, it’s definitely American football and the NFL. I’ve been binging the Amazon Prime documentary series All or Nothing and have become very interested in the sport. Still learning the game and choosing my team but it’s between the LA Rams, Arizona Cardinals or San Francisco 49ers.
What coach or player would you give a lifetime contract to? Why?
I’d have to say Antonio Conte. His tactical acumen and sense of passion is riveting. Being a Chelsea fan, I loved every minute of his presence on the touch line, and he made the three at the back system his own and won the Premier League. He’s now made Lautaro Martinez one of the best strikers in the world and turned Lukaku into a menace. I’m sure he’ll lead Inter to a Serie A title.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into this space?
Learn, soak up everything you can tactics related and immerse yourself in writing down your thoughts. Once a week give yourself a match or player to talk about and that will give you consistency. The resources for tactical work is there in abundance now, so soak in as much as you can. Also, message analysts, you never know who’ll respond back and in reality everyone’s very keen to help and give advice on Twitter. I’ve sent messages to people I didn’t think would respond and now I’m still having chats with them regularly!
Who is your favorite athlete? Why?
I’d have to say Tom Brady. He’s been one of the NFL’s most consistent and best quarterbacks for over a decade and at the age of 40 is still playing at a high level. His dedication to the craft and willingness to learn and teach is something I aim to for myself.
What is your favorite quote or saying?
‘Everything comes to you at the right time. Be patient and trust the process.’
I’m learning to live by this saying. Things can change at any point, and you just need to get your head down and work. Every time I get a new opportunity, it comes at the right time. I don’t know it at the time but in hindsight every moment has arrived at the right time. Don’t compare yourself with someone else’s journey. They’re at a different phase of their careers, you just need to look back at yourself and see how far you’ve come.
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