One of the big differences in the world of football this year, other than the fact no one can attend games, is the fact scouts have to work from home.
Normally spotted in stadiums around the globe, normally giving a decent idea as to which players some clubs are looking at, the talent spotters have been forced to work from home, with Leeds United’s Gabriel Ruiz talking about to TuttoMercatoWeb.
Asked how his job had changed during the pandemic, he said: “It’s gotten worse. There is no travel, direct contact, seeing the players live. We often complain about the frenzy, about the fact we’re always around, always between trips, flights and hotels.
“But the reality is that this period has made me understand even more than I am privileged. However, I hope to be able to see live football again soon. It would mean the health emergency is over”.
One of the key players, working alongside Victor Orta at Elland Road, in shaping Leeds’ current squad, Ruiz was among those to fully appreciate the work that went on behind the scenes to get the club back to the Premier League.
He said: “I can’t describe the emotions I felt. The moments of the promotion were special, unforgettable, even if we missed our fans a lot at the stadium. It’s been a three year journey, we have also gone through very hard moments, but we’ve achieved out goal.
“The impact in the Premier League has been excellent. We were able to be competitive and therefore I can say I’m happy and confident for the future and staying up”.
The one downside of his job, normally travelling around the globe looking at players, is that Ruiz has never been able to fully work with Marcelo Bielsa, although he does know, from the few meetings he’s had with him, that he’s the right man for the job.
He described the Argentine as ‘bringing work culture and attention to detail’ to the club, which are ‘things that make a difference and were crucial to achieving the promotion’.
A nice insight in how things have changed for the time being, but the hard work never stops, and it seems that Ruiz will continue to bring his savoir-faire to Leeds for a while yet, with a goal of making them one of the more competitive teams in the Premier League.
