Football Scouting Quotes

I deal with football from a realistic, logical point of view.

I've spent my entire adulthood in pro football.

I was at a local club, Penketh United, and Mike Glennie, a Manchester United scout, came to watch me. He spoke to my grandad and offered me trials, but there was also interest from Liverpool, and I had to pick - I was only young, but obviously my heart was with United at the time.

If it wasn't for Paul Brown, I probably wouldn't have a job because he basically evolved scouting.

It's not easy to break into an Arsenal team from youth.

The manager sits down with me; I sit down with the board. We assess the success of the year. The manager assesses whose coming through the academy system. His job is to look at what is happening in European and world football.

I've not got a bad word to say about City. If they want you and sign you, then they have got intent for you.

When you hear Liverpool want you, you call your agent back in about five seconds.

I want to be a footballer. I don't want to do anything else.

When I came to PSV, I signed when Eric Gerets was coach there.

My first goal was to play in the NFL.

I was very close to joining Manchester United.

In Holland you go into amateur teams, come up through the ranks and are generally spotted for senior or professional football. At 16, I had made it into a men's amateur team, and was picked up professionally from there.

When I was at Liverpool, I asked about Van Dijk when he was at Groningen and then at Celtic. But I was told he wouldn't be for us at the time. Van Dijk could have jumped from Celtic to a Liverpool.

From a footballer's point of view, if you want to choose a football club, then Arsenal is right up there with the best.

It depends on how my football career goes, but when I am finished, I would love to go the NFL and be a kicker. Even if I got to play just one game, it is something I would like to do.

We can work together to produce better footballers for both FK Sarajevo and maybe Cardiff City and maybe even to play for other clubs. We hope this will be well received by everybody and enhance good relations between Malaysia and Bosnia.

I've played for England Under-21s, in the Under-20 World Cup and I've been part of the play-offs in the Championship. But in terms of helping my career and getting me ready, going to Cheltenham Town was a massive experience.

It was always a dream and goal of mine to try out in English football.

In the NFL, every practice could make or break you. If you dropped one ball, you'd worry about getting cut.

You look at a club like Chelsea, and you know it won't be easy to get into that team. Sometimes you have to go away, play regular first team football, and show Chelsea that you are ready to play for them.

I signed for Ajax in 1989 when I was still at school.

When I was a youngster, my dream was to play in the first team. I was constantly thinking, 'Will I make a career in football? Am I going to have to go out and get a job?'

I played for Barcelona, for Ajax, where it's important to develop and integrate young talent.

I think the best place to work in football is England.