As I mentioned on the other thread, I've been invited to do my first proper bit of scouting in January. I'm going across to Finland to watch them play Iceland, with the focus being on an Icelandic midfielder who's been tearing up the Norweigan League. As I've never done this before, I thought it'd be good to make some notes on the lad prior to the trip so I know what to look out for. Obviously scouting dossiers are massive, one player can be up to sixty pages long, so this is massively reducted and not really very good. But for those of you who don't really pay attention to the wider world of football, it'll give you some insight into the talent that's currently out there and might pique your interest. The aim is to do one of these every month, in the hopes that I build up a portfolio to get some work here in England. So, here we go.
Name:Jón Daði Böðvarsson
Age: 23 (25/5/92)
Position: Right winger, #10, support striker
Club: Viking Stavanger FK (since 2013)
Appearances: 71
Goals: 15
Market Value: £1m (out of contract at end of Norweigan season)
Hull City equivalent: Robert Snodgrass
A relative unknown to fans across the UK, Böðvarsson first rose to prominence at his hometown club of UMF Selfoss, who yo-yo'd between the top two tiers in Iceland during his time there. He made a name for himself as a hard working but guilful midfielder who liked to turn a trick, beat a man and cut inside. His good set pieces and wicked long range ability drew comparisons to compatriot Gylfi Sigurdsson, who was already making his name in the Premier League by the time Jon was breaking into the men's game.
Böðvarsson is a versatile player; he favours the right side of midfield, but is equally as effective playing through the middle in an attacking midfielder role, or as a forward supporting a target man. His improvement in his three seasons in Norway has drawn praise from supporters, who point to his awareness and set up play as his strongest attributes.
Böðvarsson settled well into life in Norway and has continuously improved on the pitch, managing 9 goals from 19 appearances last season despite picking up an early injury. It could be argued that Norweigan football hardly presents a challenge for a developing player, but Böðvarsson can only play the opponents who are put in front of him and he's dispatched many of them with relative ease.
At 23, Böðvarsson still has a lot to learn; he is not overconfident but his casual playing style can sometimes be misconstrued as laziness and he has a tendancy to drift centrally when his team mates (and his coach) are favouring a wider system. At 6"1 he's an easy man to spot and his ball control does him great credit, making him a nightmare to defend against on the break. He's no slouch either and while he's no sprinter, he can accelerate away from players pretty quickly and uses his awareness to create space and start counter attacks.
Böðvarsson was instrumental in Iceland's surprise qualification to Euro 2016 next Summer, but only managed one goal in the first qualifier against Turkey (a 3-0 win for Iceland). He will no doubt be fixed up with another club by the time his team journey South to France, but he's definitely one to watch out for in the tournament.
His manager, Kjell Jonevret, who brought him to Viking on a free transfer in 2013, has overseen Jon's development and has previously stressed that he will not let his star midfielder leave on the cheap. That, however, was a year ago and Böðvarsson turned down the offer of a new contract prior to the start of the last Tippeligaen season in the knowledge that bigger clubs were watching him. Scouts from Red Bull Leipzig, Augsburg, Kaiserslauten, Rapid Vienna, Rennes and Celtic have all watched the strong Icelander, in the knowledge that for a small compensatory fee, he could be theirs for relative peanuts.
Now out of contract, the next step is entirely down to Jon. He certainly has the footballing world at his feet, no doubt about it, but his next move is crucial. A move to too bigger club and he could stagnate, while a move to a contrasting culture could result in him not settling. Whomever he choses, the fans of that club will get an exciting player who will no doubt enjoy his dazzling wing play and his positive movement.
EDIT: Didn't think there was a video for him, but I've managed to find this.
Name:Jón Daði Böðvarsson
Age: 23 (25/5/92)
Position: Right winger, #10, support striker
Club: Viking Stavanger FK (since 2013)
Appearances: 71
Goals: 15
Market Value: £1m (out of contract at end of Norweigan season)
Hull City equivalent: Robert Snodgrass
A relative unknown to fans across the UK, Böðvarsson first rose to prominence at his hometown club of UMF Selfoss, who yo-yo'd between the top two tiers in Iceland during his time there. He made a name for himself as a hard working but guilful midfielder who liked to turn a trick, beat a man and cut inside. His good set pieces and wicked long range ability drew comparisons to compatriot Gylfi Sigurdsson, who was already making his name in the Premier League by the time Jon was breaking into the men's game.
Böðvarsson is a versatile player; he favours the right side of midfield, but is equally as effective playing through the middle in an attacking midfielder role, or as a forward supporting a target man. His improvement in his three seasons in Norway has drawn praise from supporters, who point to his awareness and set up play as his strongest attributes.
Böðvarsson settled well into life in Norway and has continuously improved on the pitch, managing 9 goals from 19 appearances last season despite picking up an early injury. It could be argued that Norweigan football hardly presents a challenge for a developing player, but Böðvarsson can only play the opponents who are put in front of him and he's dispatched many of them with relative ease.
At 23, Böðvarsson still has a lot to learn; he is not overconfident but his casual playing style can sometimes be misconstrued as laziness and he has a tendancy to drift centrally when his team mates (and his coach) are favouring a wider system. At 6"1 he's an easy man to spot and his ball control does him great credit, making him a nightmare to defend against on the break. He's no slouch either and while he's no sprinter, he can accelerate away from players pretty quickly and uses his awareness to create space and start counter attacks.
Böðvarsson was instrumental in Iceland's surprise qualification to Euro 2016 next Summer, but only managed one goal in the first qualifier against Turkey (a 3-0 win for Iceland). He will no doubt be fixed up with another club by the time his team journey South to France, but he's definitely one to watch out for in the tournament.
His manager, Kjell Jonevret, who brought him to Viking on a free transfer in 2013, has overseen Jon's development and has previously stressed that he will not let his star midfielder leave on the cheap. That, however, was a year ago and Böðvarsson turned down the offer of a new contract prior to the start of the last Tippeligaen season in the knowledge that bigger clubs were watching him. Scouts from Red Bull Leipzig, Augsburg, Kaiserslauten, Rapid Vienna, Rennes and Celtic have all watched the strong Icelander, in the knowledge that for a small compensatory fee, he could be theirs for relative peanuts.
Now out of contract, the next step is entirely down to Jon. He certainly has the footballing world at his feet, no doubt about it, but his next move is crucial. A move to too bigger club and he could stagnate, while a move to a contrasting culture could result in him not settling. Whomever he choses, the fans of that club will get an exciting player who will no doubt enjoy his dazzling wing play and his positive movement.
EDIT: Didn't think there was a video for him, but I've managed to find this.
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