Report compares ‘small’ Liverpool scout network to Manchester United

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Liverpool have had a ‘small’ scout network compared to Manchester United over recent years. That’s according to a new report on the subject.

The Athletic recently detailed exactly how the scout setup works at Liverpool, comparing to Manchester United. The two clubs have had a very different philosophy, it seems.

The report only briefly mentions United but the contrast to Liverpool is remarkable.

Liverpool have a ‘small’ scouting network of around just 12-15 full-time scouts. They don’t use freelance consultants, either, in an effort to ‘control’ things easier.

Up until last year, however, United had someone in ‘every significant football-playing country’. That came to around 80 scouts.

The ‘up until last year’ line suggests they’ve changed that but it shows just how differently the two clubs have operated in recent years.

What RTK has to say

It’s certainly clear which system worked better – which explains why United appear to have changed plans. Liverpool’s tight-nit group have consistently delivered fantastic deals, whereas United’s star-studded pursuit hasn’t brought success.

The success at Anfield will change things across the board, though. Teams will want to replicate their success – that isn’t something that just applies on the pitch.

Not that such a change would alter how things work at Liverpool. They work on the basis that they’ll do things better than the rest and progress their systems faster.

But it is a principle that they must stick to. Liverpool moved ahead of the times to get where they are now – something that is far easier to do with a small, trusted group, of course.

United, in contrast, can’t possibly have had a strong, specific way of doing things when you’re counting on 80 people.

Liverpool have to make sure they remain on the cutting edge, though. Part of being the best is seeing development before the others do.

We have absolute faith that Liverpool will continue to evolve their systems, though. They’ve been so incredibly successful over the last five years that we have little reason not to trust them implicitly.