- The scale, in writing and with examples
- Shared matches to compare ratings
- Measure each scout's tendency
- Talk through the big disagreements
Why it happens
Every scout comes from somewhere different: some have watched a lot of youth football, others professional leagues; some value the physical side more, others the technical. And each has their own tendency: some are generous with ratings and some almost never give a 9.
Four tools to align criteria
1. The scale, in writing
What each rating band means, with examples of players everyone knows. Review it once a season.
2. Shared matches
A few times a year, the whole department watches the same match and rates the same players without talking to each other. Then you compare the ratings and discuss the big gaps.
3. Measure each scout's tendency
With enough reports you can calculate how far each scout sits from the department's average. It is not to correct them, it is to read their ratings on their own scale. That is what SquadOffice's scout calibration does.
4. Look at disagreements
When two scouts watch the same player and their ratings are far apart, it deserves a conversation: either one saw something the other did not, or the scale is being read differently.
A practical tip: the figure for each scout's tendency is best seen by the sporting director, not by the scout. Someone who knows their bias tends to correct it when rating, and the figure stops being useful.
How each scout rates, on the same scale.
See how it works