Everyone on social media is an expert.
Or so they would have you believe. But every so often, that might just be the case.
Serie A side Como 1907 certainly seem to think so, having recently hired 20-year-old Felix Johnston as a first-team scout.
It is a remarkable step for Johnston, who until recently was a Chelsea content creator on X, highlighting and providing analysis on the brightest stars at the club’s academy.
Now he is helping find players to improve a side managed by former Chelsea, Arsenal and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas in Italy’s top flight.
“It’s been a long journey,” Johnston told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
“It started with my friend messaging my during lockdown saying ‘you need to get on Twitter, that’s where everyone is talking about football’.
“I took it kind of seriously, built up a following and where it really started was when I discovered the Chelsea academy.
“I fell in love with watching the academy games, seeing the young players come through. It was what I was known for, my niche on Twitter.”
From there he began to do his own scouting of players, and Chelsea’s youth-focused transfer strategy gave him plenty to get stuck into.
“Suddenly their model was all about signing young players so I was staying up until 2am watching Kendry Paez at the Under-17 World Cup, Estevao, then finding talents of my own,” Johnston added.
“I got a bit of recognition, including from some people in the game, and that made scouting a reality to me. Prior to that, it was just truly a passion.”
It is in the past six months that things have really moved on for Johnston.
His first step into professional football came in April when he was hired by Danish team Vejle as a scouting consultant before, at the end of July, Como got in touch.
“The director of recruitment [at Como] reached out to me on Twitter saying he liked what I was tweeting and that he would like to do an internship and find some modern, younger scouts to bring into the club,” Johnston said.
“I was obviously very happy to go along with that and nine weeks later, I got the job.”
So having got the dream job, what is Johnston – who is combining the role with his university studies in Milan – being tasked with at Como?
“The director of recruitment who hired me was the head of data at his previous club, AZ Alkmaar, and is a very data-focused guy,” he said.
“My role, essentially, is that I get passed down data players, watch them on the eye and do a report.
“I look at the players they ask me to look at. But it’s an all-encompassing role, not restricted by any region or position.”
Five full games is usually considered enough for Johnston to compile an initial report – although that can vary.
“If they play for a low possession side and they’ve not really touched the ball, then I’ll need to watch more just for more evidence,” he explained.
His is not the traditional way into the game, but Johnston says Como are a “very forward-thinking club” who “want to get the new talent on the scene”.
With the club seventh in just their second year back in Serie A, it is an approach that seems to be working.
Meanwhile, Johnston’s big tip for the future is 16-year-old Deinner Ordonez.
“[Ordonez] is a centre-back at Independiente del Valle in Ecuador – the academy that Moises Caicedo came through. They’ve had a lot of talents and he’s very talented.”
Take note of that because, from now on, Johnston’s analysis and opinion will be sent to Fabregas rather than the social media masses.
Discover more from 6up.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.