The Scouting Game brings us the inside story of the hidden world of top-level football scouting from a man with 30 years’ experience in the professional game, and more than a decade in the recruitment team at Chelsea FC’s renowned academy.

Chris Robinson reveals how scouts work, what they look for and how they report on players, giving practical examples. He sets out the ideal characteristics that scouts search for in every position, and examines scouting at all levels – grassroots, academy, first team and opposition scouting.

Chris explains how scouts interact with agents and what parents can expect from scouts and the professional academies, including how trials work and the developing role of data in scouting. He also considers scouting as a career, pointing out the pros and cons and explaining how to get started.

With a fascinating insight into one of the hidden corners of the game, this book lifts the lid on the secretive world of top-level talent-spotting.

Chris Robinson has worked in football for more than 30 years, coaching in the UK and abroad, and managing Cheltenham Town, among other teams. He has worked in recruitment for 15 years, including nearly 12 years in the recruitment team at Chelsea FC’s academy. His previous book, Over, Under or Through: My Story So Far, chronicles his life journey from being homeless as a child in London through to adventures all over the world.