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The Book of Scouting – Volume One
The Architect’s Blueprint for Evidence-Based Recruitment
The Book reveals how professional football clubs & agencies actually evaluate players, build recruitment structures, make decisions in an era where human judgment and artificial intelligence must coexist. Across more than 500 pages, Tarkan Batgun brings together interviews with leading figures from global football experts; alongside structured methodological chapters that dissect the architecture of modern player evaluation.
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Secure the Architect’s Blueprint for Modern Scouting
The Book of Scouting Volume One is available globally in both Premium Hardcover and Paper Back editions. Choose your local region below to ensure the fastest delivery, local currency pricing, and regional shipping rates.
Europe
- [United Kingdom] – Order via Amazon.co.uk
- [Germany] – Order via Amazon.de
- [France] – Order via Amazon.fr
- [Spain] – Order via Amazon.es
- [Italy] – Order via Amazon.it
- [Netherlands] – Order via Amazon.nl
- [Belgium] – Order via Amazon.com.be
- [Poland] – Order via Amazon.pl
- [Sweden] – Order via Amazon.se
- [Ireland] – Order via Amazon.ie
Asia
About the Book
The core idea
In elite football recruitment, the human eye remains irreplaceable, yet isolated intuition creates the “Intuition Trap.” This book upgrades instinct with objective evidence and moves clubs from guessing to knowing.
A Complete Manual for the Modern Club
A 500-page blueprint for evaluating players with greater precision, structuring recruitment departments, and integrating Artificial Intelligence without losing the value of human judgment.
Asking the Right Questions
- Where does the player function best?
- Why does that specific environment work?
- What protects performance and what exposes weakness?
- What changes if the tactical context changes?
“A transfer is merely a transaction; a decision is a process. Anyone can buy a player. Only a leader can build a structure that identifies, validates, and secures the right player.”
The Four Worlds of Evaluation
- Data Intelligence: normalize performance and reduce bias.
- Video Analysis: provide contextual and tactical clarity.
- Live Scouting: observe realities only live football reveals.
- Context: understand fit, psychology, and hidden success factors.
Artificial Intelligence acts as the accelerator, translator, and control layer across all four worlds.
The Decision Architecture
This is not just a book about transfers. It is a book about decisions, structures, better questions, and better leadership.
Who Is This Book For?
The Professional, The Future Industry Leader, and The Modern Football Fan seeking structure over luck.
Inside the Book
The complete framework of modern scouting, from core philosophy to advanced technical structures.
Part I: The Foundations of Scouting
Modern standards, the four worlds, context, human factors, and navigating bias.
Part II: Seeing the Game Differently
Behaviours over actions, tempo and space, role-based scouting, and pattern recognition.
Part III: The Structure Around Scouting
Data & AI alliances, youth development, pathways, and high-impact decision-making.
Part IV: The Future of Scouting
Loan departments, succession planning, and leadership across technical teams.
Part V: Worldwide Contributors
Exclusive insights from owners, directors, scouts, coaches, agents, and media.
Technical Appendices
Department structure, AI systems, checklists, templates, pathways, and glossary (A–Z).
Worldwide Contributors
30 Global Icons: Life Experiences from the Front Lines
Owners & Executive Leaders
Andrea Radrizzani
Former Chairman
Leeds United
(United Kingdom)
Isitan Gun
Former Chairman
Fortuna Sittard
(The Netherlands)
Matteo Campodonico
Former Co-Founder & CEO
Wyscout
(Italy)
Philip Jackson
Former Managing Director
Sportstec
(Australia)
Sporting & Football Directors
Andre Zanotta
Sporting Director
FC Dallas
(USA)
Barry Simmonds
Sporting Director
(United Kingdom)
Bruno Costa
Director of International Offices & Relations
CBF
(Brazil)
Ceyhun Kazancı
CEO
Kasımpaşa
(Türkiye)
Zac Anderson
Chief Operations Officer
Brisbane Roar FC
(Australia)
Dr. Erkut Sogut
Managing Director
DC United
(USA)
Dr. Mustafa Erogut
Sporting Director
(Türkiye)
Fuat Çapa
Football Director
Yılport Samsunspor
(Türkiye)
Les Reed
Sporting Director
(United Kingdom)
Nicola Innocentin
Sporting Director
(Italy)
Steven Vanharen
Sporting Director
ETO Györ
(Hungary)
Chief Scouts & Heads of Recruitment
Dehan Ogetbil
Chief Scout
Beerschot
(Belgium)
Eduardo Henrique Chavare
Head Scout
Juventude
(Brazil)
Fernando Matos
Chief Scout
FC Famalicao
(Portugal)
Jahid Asgarov
Chief Scout
Neftchi Baku
(Azerbaijan)
Jiro Kitahara
Head of Scouting & Method Director
FC Tokyo
(Japan)
Riccardo Polacco
Chief Scout
Olympique Marseille
(France)
Coaches
Marco Pedroso
Assistant Manager
FC Famalicao
(Portugal)
Jessica Silva
Head Coach
(Canada)
Peter Cklamovski
Head Coach
Malaysia National Team
(Malaysia)
Rudi Verkempinck
Head Coach
(Belgium)
Player Agencies
Hunor Dudas
Player Agent
(Hungary)
Mark Coonen
Player Agent
(The Netherlands)
Ömer Koray Uzun
Player Agent
(Türkiye)
International Media
Christopher Beesley
Liverpool Echo
(United Kingdom)
David Novo
Record
(Portugal)
Emanuel Rosu
Guardian International Media
(Romania)
Miguel Angel Garcia
Marca
(Spain)
Vasilis Sambrakos
Sport24
(Greece)
Testimonials
Voices from the Global Front Lines
Dr. Mustafa Erogut
Former Vice President, Turkish Football Federation | Former Vice President, İstanbul Başakşehir FK
“Thanks to Tarkan Batgun for his contribution to football academies and football literature. This book is something one of a kind.”
The Perspective: One of the most respected football leaders in Türkiye, with extensive experience in club leadership, federation management, and institutional planning.
Watch Video TestimonialRiccardo Polacco
Chief Scout, Olympique de Marseille
“Scouting is a special world. Continuous evolution exists. The Book of Scouting covers all this and I am glad to be part of it. Scouts like us, but also football experts, managers, agencies, and club executives should read it.”
The Perspective: One of the brightest young scouting leaders in European football, Riccardo’s journey across Italy, England, and France reflects the rapid evolution of the modern game. At Olympique de Marseille, he represents a new generation of scouts who combine live observation, video analysis, and data intelligence with long-term strategic thinking.
Watch Video TestimonialSteven Vanharen
Sporting & Technical Director, ETO FC Győr
“I am very happy to be in The Book of Scouting Volume One. The author, Tarkan Batgun, bundled his expertise but also the knowledge of experts around him in one book. I think people in scouting and recruitment should read the book.”
The Perspective: Steven Vanharen, Sporting & Technical Director of ETO FC Győr, offers a rare view of how successful football organizations are built through culture, structure, and long-term football planning.
Watch Video TestimonialJiro Kitahara
Head of Scouting & Methodology, FC Tokyo
“Scouting is the most important element in football. We can learn a lot from The Book of Scouting.”
The Perspective: A key figure behind FC Tokyo methodology at the intersection of academy structure and first-team planning.
Watch Video TestimonialMark Coonen
International Player Agent | Former Recruiter, PEC Zwolle
“I am really happy to be part of The Book of Scouting Volume One. This book is amazing. It is about the author's life. If you really want to learn about scouting and how player transfers are done, you must read this book.”
The Perspective: Mark offers a rare perspective from both sides of the negotiation table. Having worked in club recruitment and player representation, he understands the balance between talent evaluation and finding the environment where a player can grow and succeed.
Watch Video TestimonialBarry Simmonds
Former Sports Director of Crystal Palace | Former Head of Recruitment, Fulham
“It is a great resource for anyone starting or wants to be in scouting, or right up to the sporting directors who are looking to renew their scouting and recruitment departments. Quite a good resource also for anyone to read, learn, and acknowledge the scouting world of football. I am looking forward to Volume Two.”
The Perspective: Barry has worked across the full decision-making chain, from technical scouting and opposition analysis to Sporting Director responsibilities and board-level strategy, including senior leadership roles at Crystal Palace F.C. and across multiple professional football environments. His experience offers a rare understanding of how recruitment departments function when football decisions must align with ownership, coaching staff, and long-term club strategy.
Watch Video TestimonialIsitan Gun
Former Owner/President of Fortuna Sittard
“I believe it is a very well written resource for everybody who wants to work in football. Especially in player recruitment and data analysis.”
The Perspective: Former Owner, President, and Chairman of Fortuna Sittard, where he played a central role in transforming the club from financial instability into a sustainable top-tier organization in Dutch football. His work at Fortuna showed how recruitment, financial sustainability, youth development, and decision-making structures must operate as one system, not separate departments.
Watch Video TestimonialNicola Innocentin
Former Sports Director of Al Fateh
“This is a very well-written and insightful book for anyone involved in football scouting, recruitment, or talent identification. What I appreciated most is that it goes beyond general opinions and gives a clear framework for how players should really be assessed in today’s game.”
The Perspective: Former Sporting Director of Al-Fateh FC, former Head of Recruitment at Bologna FC 1909, and one of the most experienced international football executives working across Europe, the United States and the Middle East. Having lived the game as a professional player, recruiter, sporting director, consultant and FIFA-licensed agent, Nicola brings a rare perspective on how football decisions are truly made, both on and off the pitch.
Watch Video TestimonialFernando Matos
Chief Scout of FC Famalicão
“This book is a high-quality piece of work. Well organised and valuable for anyone working in or aiming to work in the football industry, as well as those interested in scouting. It brings together practical knowledge, reflection and methodology in a clear and intelligent way.”
The Perspective: With experience across Ukraine, England, and Portugal, Fernando offers a rare cross-cultural lens on how football ecosystems shape talent evaluation. His perspective reflects a modern scouting profile that combines contextual understanding, data awareness, and long-term development thinking.
Watch Video TestimonialBruno Costa
Director of International Offices & Relations, Brazil Football Federation (CBF)
“In a modern club, recruitment must be integrated with Performance and Player Care.”
The Perspective: Bruno Costa brings a federation-level view on how international coordination, player pathways, and institutional structure shape sustainable recruitment. His perspective reflects how modern football organizations must align scouting with performance support and long-term player development.
Watch Video TestimonialMedia & Events
Global Book Launches: Establishing an International Standard
Asian Launch: Baku, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Football Conference | June 6–7, 2026
The official Asian launch brings the Four Worlds of Evaluation to Baku, focusing on AI and decision architecture within federations and emerging leagues.
European Launch: Budapest, Hungary
Hungarian Football Forum | 2026
Launch on 21st April 2026 at Puskas Stadium focused on scouting standardization and multi-club collaboration.
Watch Event SummaryTürkiye Launch: Istanbul
Acıbadem Sports | 2026
Hosted at the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence at Acibadem Sports on 18th April 2026, focused on sports science and data intelligence.
Watch Event SummaryAmericas & Beyond
Coming Soon
Planned launches across the United States and other key football markets, focused on Western market challenges and global pathway evolution.
Media Resources & Speaking
Tarkan Batgun is available for international keynotes, moderation and technical workshops.
- Press Kit: High-resolution covers, author headshots, and executive summaries.
- Speaking inquiries: Please use the Contact section for all media and speaking requests.
Interviews
Contact
Connect with the Decision Architecture Team
Speaking & Engagements
For keynote speaking, expert moderation and technical workshops on AI in football and recruitment architecture.
Institutional Inquiries
For clubs, federations, or agencies interested in bulk orders or consulting services.
Media & General Questions
For interview requests, press kit access, and general questions about the book.
Connect Online
Collaborators
The Ecosystem Behind the Book
Comparisonator
The AI-powered data architecture and benchmarking infrastructure that forms the core of the manual’s evidence-based methodology.
Visit WebsiteThe Football Week
Official publishing partner responsible for global distribution and editorial excellence.
Visit WebsiteAcıbadem Sports Academy
Launch Sponsor: Türkiye. Hosted the inaugural launch connecting elite sports science with modern recruitment.
Visit WebsiteFootball Forum Hungary
Book Launch Sponsor: Europe. Platform for the European debut and leadership engagement.
Visit WebsiteFootball Conference Baku
Book Launch Sponsor: Asia. Host of the official Asian launch for the Four Worlds architecture.
Visit WebsiteFree Sample
Experience the Framework: Download the First Chapter
Download a digital preview of The Book of Scouting Volume One and explore the introduction, first chapter, table of contents, and Global Council preview.
Download the Free Sample (PDF)