Everybody on social media is an knowledgeable.
Or so they might have you ever imagine. However every now and then, that may simply be the case.
Serie A aspect Como 1907 actually appear to assume so, having just lately employed 20-year-old Felix Johnston as a first-team scout.
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It’s a outstanding step for Johnston, who till just lately was a Chelsea content material creator on X, highlighting and offering evaluation on the brightest stars on the membership’s academy.
Now he’s serving to discover gamers to enhance a aspect managed by former Chelsea, Arsenal and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas in Italy’s high flight.
“It has been an extended journey,” Johnston informed BBC Radio 5 Dwell’s Monday Evening Membership.
“It began with my buddy messaging my throughout lockdown saying ‘it’s essential get on Twitter, that is the place everyone seems to be speaking about soccer’.
“I took it form of significantly, constructed up a following and the place it actually began was once I found the Chelsea academy.
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“I fell in love with watching the academy video games, seeing the younger gamers come by means of. It was what I used to be recognized for, my area of interest on Twitter.”
From there he started to do his personal scouting of gamers, and Chelsea’s youth-focused switch technique gave him loads to get caught into.
“Instantly their mannequin was all about signing younger gamers so I used to be staying up till 2am watching Kendry Paez on the Beneath-17 World Cup, Estevao, then discovering skills of my very own,” Johnston added.
“I bought a little bit of recognition, together with from some folks within the recreation, and that made scouting a actuality to me. Previous to that, it was simply really a ardour.”
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It’s previously six months that issues have actually moved on for Johnston.
His first step into skilled soccer got here in April when he was employed by Danish group Vejle as a scouting advisor earlier than, on the finish of July, Como bought in contact.
“The director of recruitment [at Como] reached out to me on Twitter saying he favored what I used to be tweeting and that he wish to do an internship and discover some fashionable, youthful scouts to convey into the membership,” Johnston stated.
“I used to be clearly very comfortable to associate with that and 9 weeks later, I bought the job.”
So having bought the dream job, what’s Johnston – who’s combining the function together with his college research in Milan – being tasked with at Como?
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“The director of recruitment who employed me was the top of information at his earlier membership, AZ Alkmaar, and is a really data-focused man,” he stated.
“My function, primarily, is that I get handed down information gamers, watch them on the attention and do a report.
“I take a look at the gamers they ask me to take a look at. Nevertheless it’s an all-encompassing function, not restricted by any area or place.”
5 full video games is normally thought-about sufficient for Johnston to compile an preliminary report – though that may differ.
“In the event that they play for a low possession aspect and so they’ve not likely touched the ball, then I am going to want to observe extra only for extra proof,” he defined.
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His just isn’t the standard manner into the sport, however Johnston says Como are a “very forward-thinking membership” who “need to get the brand new expertise on the scene”.
With the membership seventh in simply their second 12 months again in Serie A, it’s an strategy that appears to be working.
In the meantime, Johnston’s large tip for the long run is 16-year-old Deinner Ordonez.
“[Ordonez] is a centre-back at Independiente del Valle in Ecuador – the academy that Moises Caicedo got here by means of. They’ve had plenty of skills and he is very proficient.”
Be aware of that as a result of, to any extent further, Johnston’s evaluation and opinion will probably be despatched to Fabregas reasonably than the social media plenty.
