Use contact page to get in touch if your club wants scouting reports on any players in Scandinavia. All material can be translated into your required language.

Utilisez la page de contact pour entrer en contact si votre club souhaite aux rapports de dépisteurs sur tous les joueurs en Scandinavie. Tout le matériel peut être traduit dans votre langue souhaitée.

Verwenden Sie Kontakt Seite in Kontakt zu treten, wenn Ihr Vereinwill Scouting-Berichte über Spieler in Skandinavien. Alle Materialienkönnen in Ihre gewünschte Sprache übersetzt werden.

Utilice la página de contacto para ponerse en contacto si el club quiere informes de exploración de los jugadores en los países escandinavos. Todo el material que se puede traducir en el idioma deseado.

The list was last updated on 16.05.2012.

1. DAME N`DOYE – FC COPENHAGEN
   - “The Senegalese striker has got the abilities of playing against the best defenders in the world – week in and week out”. The phrase is written by me a few weeks ago and I stand by it. Most players leaving Scandinavia needs to play in leagues where they can keep improving as players before moving to bigger clubs. It is not the case with Dame N`Doye. Since the winter break he has been in sensational form and again proven to everyone that you can rely on his abilities. When he`s not playing for his side, like a week ago when he were suspended, you could clearly see that his side were struggling. Just his presence on the pitch seems to give his teammates more confidence – and likewise when he`s not around. You`ve got to remember that the first place in the Danish league this season give the club an automatic spot for the Champion league group stage next season. Taken that into account you know that Dame `N Doye won`t be leaving FC Copenhagen for cheap – and quite rightly so. With N`Doye keep scoring goals bigger clubs in Europe will keep a close eye on him over the summer. Even clubs outside Europe should, but I`ve got serious doubts that they will got what it takes to convince the player that his future lays outside Europe.
   Read my scouting report on Dame N`Doye at: http://www.scan-scout.com/2012/03/06/dame-ndoye-fc-copenhagen/.
   
2.  OSCAR HILJEMARK – ELFSBORG
   - Elfsborg is leading the Swedish league by a great margin. All over the line they have looked solid this year and as always Hiljemark is playing alongside Anders Svensson in the middle of the park. Together they are forming the best midfield duo in Sweden – taking over the throne from the fierce duo, May Mahlangu/Gashi, at Helsingborg. In my mind Hiljemark is the main architect behind his team success. Still he`s only 19 years old, but you wouldn’t believe that when you see him play. While Svensson is the one who balance the midfield, Hiljemark is free to storm forward when he gets the chance. His passing is of a standard that you don`t see often in Sweden. Combined with his vision and calmness you get the picture of how is able to take full advantage of his unique skill. When he`s picking up the ball in defense he isn’t afraid of keeping the ball in his feet even when opponents are trying to tackle him.  Often he just pass it straight back to his teammate before he makes a run and demands the ball back. His teammates must be on their toes in defense as Hiljemark will pass the ball to players even when the opponent are pressing high in the field. That gives you a picture of the standard the young Swede sets for himself and his teammates regarding passing accuracy. His crossings for his wingers are of a quality that needs to be singled out. He knows exactly where they are and the understanding between them makes them take full advantage of it (timing, run, pass). Still he is capable of scoring more for his team, but when performing like he is at the moment, making assists on a regular basis, no one is expecting much more from him.
   It’s not often you can say that a player has got captain material, especially when a player is that young, but it’s the case with the young Swede. He`s demanding full concentration from his teammates and tells them where he wants them to be placed when he`s got the ball. Often you see captains who cannot control their anger towards teammates when they make mistakes, but I feel that Hiljemark is more the player who spreads vocal enthusiasm around him and it seems to have a positive effect on his teammates. His mentor Anders Svensson surely has played some part in developing Oscar Hiljemark as a player – both on and off the pitch.
   Written about Hiljemark in January 2012: The young midfielder stands out as one of the brightest talent in Sweden at the moment – and has been for quite some time actually. His his debut for his national team got a few headlines recently regarding his goal and fine performance. Many so called experts wouldn’t give him too much appraisal because they didn’t consider Sweden’s opponent Qatar as a worthy container to judge his potential on. I agree with the fact that Qatar isn’t near the standard of for instance Mexico. Nevertheless that isn’t the point. It is the way you stand out in general, even if it`s a friendly or a more important match, which catches the eye of a scout. Even the players training approach needs to be taken into consideration. That`s what in my view stands out for Oscar Hiljemark. He wasn’t travelling with the squad just to go on a holiday. He made it clear that he felt mature enough to contribute, both on and of the pitch. His willingness to storm forward from his midfield position is a much appreciated skill. He is always likely to use his right foot from distance which makes him unpredictable for defenders. When given the room in front of the opponents defenders he`s always likely to have a go himself or feed his strikers if they are in a better scoring positions. I was glad to see him stay on at IF Elfsborg in Sweden as they have got some really talented players in their squad at the moment. I expect Oscar Hiljemark to keep producing and deliver fine performances week in and week out. That is what you can expect of the player who has an offensive attitude, but still don`t rush to land the first and best offer given to him. I expect him to take more steps as a player during 2012-season which will, inevitable, see the club losing his services next summer.
   
3. JORES OKORE – FC NORDSJÆLLAND
   - Haven`t we all heard descreptions of players such as “the beast” or “the hulk”? If you were to label Okore in any specific category you would immedieatly be intitmated by his strength. He`s a powerful central defender who reads the game brilliantly. When required he storms into every challenge with great amount of power and accuracy. Denmark keep producing central defenders of the highest standard. 19 year old Okore is probably the player with the highest potential that we have seen for while. In his first full season for Nordsjælland he hasn`t disappointed anyone. He has adapted quickly to his team passing style of play. In fact this gives him an advantage and, if possible, makes him even more attractive for bigger clubs outside Scandinavia.  In January he got his debut for his national team and he didn’t let anyone down. I was impressed by his calmness in defense. He wasn’t afraid of taking his time in finding the best solution. It`s the same when he`s playing for his club. I don’t hide the fact that central defenders who is confident on the ball is of my likening. The player himself is eager to prove himself in England and that is something that is bound to happen. But the lad turned 19 recently and wisely he committed himself to Nordsjælland until 2016. Their football style fits him perfectly and if he can stay in Denmark a bit more it will benefit him a lot – both on and off the pitch. However, time and pressure to act fast is a key factor in modern football. If the smaller clubs wait too long they are bound to miss out on Okore. The race is on, but Nordsjælland are in a good position when negotiation a fair prize for his services. Will they offload the player during the summer? It`s a cliché saying “only if the money is right”, but in this case it is. I believe only silly money will tempt them to sell and I don`t think Okore is in any rush of leaving Denmark. With European cup already secured there is exciting times ahead for both Nordsjælland-supporters and players.
   
   
4. JOHAN WILAND – FC COPENHAGEN
   - Wiland has been solid the whole season. Even if his teammates have shown signs of nervousness during the end of the campaign, at least Wiland has shown character and led the way. FC Copenhagen is still in the position where they can clinch the title themselves and the solid goalkeeper will play a big part in achieving just that. With the EURO 2012 coming up soon, Wiland might just need a few more solid performances before becoming Sweden’s number one this summer. Nothing would please me more if that is to happen.   
   Written about Wiland in May 2012 and earlier: After publishing Wiland in TOP 5 list a weeks back I got critics from a couple of football fans. They didn’t agree with me that a goalkeeper should be in the frame as one of the top recommendations from Scandinavia. Obviously I got a bit offended, but in a professional and funny way. Instead of defending my opinions I told them; “Let’s see over the next weeks and judge him over his performances on the pitch”. Weeks have gone and Johan Wiland has played seven matches and kept a clean sheet five times. In total he has only let in two goals.
   Sweden national football team coach Erik Hamren has stated that it`s a close race for the goalkeeper position. Andreas Isaksson currently is Sweden’s number one choice, but Johan Wiland is just waiting for his chance. I agree with Hamren who has a difficult choice when choosing from such good goalkeepers, but I believe that Wiland will do equally as good if he`s given the chance. When Johan Wiland got his breakthrough for FC Copenhagen it was because of an injury on their first goalkeeper. Since then he hasn`t looked backed. Without a shadow of a doubt he is the best goalkeeper in Scandinavia. In January he turned 31 years old and he is, in my view, in his prime age as a goalkeeper. He`s an excellent shot stopper with great reflexes. He has developed a calmness and concentration which enables him to deliver top performances at the highest level. Johan Wiland has won everything that is to be won in the Swedish and Danish league. Last season he gave in some solid performances in the Champions League. At times he frustrated both Chelsea and Barcelona with some excellent match winning saves. He defiantly got the qualities to win more trophies elsewhere, but at the moment he seems to be enjoying life in Denmark. 
   
5. BJØRN BERGMANN SIGURDARSON – LILLESTRØM
   - Sigurdarson has played in the Norwegian league for 4 years now and have gone the grades from being a talented young boy to be a proven forward. Just recently Iceland gave Sigurdarson his well-deserved debut for the national team. His technique combined with his strength and pace is what stands out as his major qualities. Although his goal scoring record isn`t the greatest it is fair to say that he has improved in this area the last year. He`s the sort of forward who creates lots of chances on his own, but at the same time he hasn`t been able to put them into the back of the net. He gets into scoring positions and he isn`t afraid of trying his luck. I think that is a unique skill for offensive players. Often you see that lack in confidence will prevent the player of having a go the next time, but it`s not the case with the Icelandic.
   This season we`ve seen Sigurdarson improved as a player, and most important in front of goal. His three goals on 14.04.2012 indicate that the player has taken the responsibility the club has laid on his shoulders. It will be interesting to follow the Icelandic over the summer. This is a player who is capable of playing at a much higher level than he is at the moment. But I am tempted to say that he would benefit, as a player, to keep on playing in Scandinavia for a while – for one of the big clubs of course.
   
   
   

This list was last updated on 04.05.2012.

1. OLE SELNÆS– Rosenborg

- Rosenborg has got to get praise for their talent work recent years. This year is no exception. Ole Selnæs has been promoted to the first team and since the pre-season tour he hasn`t looked back. He`s a mature player with an calmness you don`t expect from such young player at this level. His vision along with his brilliant left foot enables him to eliminate the few weaknesses he`s got in his game. I will watch him closely over the next weeks to see if he can stay focused and keep delivering the goods on the pitch. He sure is at the moment!

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Norwegian

Date of Birth: 7 July 1994

2. LUCAS ANDERSEN – Aalborg BK

- Lucas Andersen has recently been playing regularly for Aalborg and impressed a lot. He is now putting in fine perfomences on a more consistent basis. Althought he gets substituted often one must not forget that the amount of experience he`s getting is crucial for his development. I am looking forward to watch him closely when FC Copenhagen plays Aalborg this Sunday.

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 13 September 1994

3. EMIL KRAFTH  – Helsingborg IF

- Attacking minded right back who last season played regular with 1 division side Øster. His impressive performances didn’t go unnoticed as several top clubs enter the race for his signature. Helsingborg IF won the race and I think everyone agreed on that they had done great work in landing the talented boy. Just recently he made his debut for the senior team.  When Emil Krafth got his chance he played with the same aggressive style and attacking minded approach whenever he got the chance. It will be very interesting to follow the youngster during the forthcoming weeks. Emil Krafth is also playing for Sweden under-19 team so he`s gaining lots of experience on the international platform as well. I am sure that we will hear more from the lad in the future – a lot more.

Age: 17

Position: Right back

Nationality: Swedish

Date of Birth: 02 August 1994

1. OLE SELNÆS– Rosenborg

- Rosenborg has got to get praise for their talent work recent years. This year is no exception. Ole Selnæs has been promoted to the first team and since the pre-season tour he hasn`t looked back. He`s a mature player with an calmness you don`t expect from such young player at this level. His vision along with his brilliant left foot enables him to eliminate the few weaknesses he`s got in his game. I will watch him closely over the next weeks to see if he can stay focused and keep delivering the goods on the pitch. He sure is at the moment!

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Norwegian

Date of Birth: 7 July 1994

2. LUCAS ANDERSEN – Aalborg BK

- Lucas Andersen has recently been playing regularly for Aalborg and impressed a lot. He is now putting in fine perfomences on a more consistent basis. Althought he gets substituted often one must not forget that the amount of experience he`s getting is crucial for his development. I am looking forward to watch him closely when FC Copenhagen plays Aalborg this Sunday.

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 13 September 1994

3. LUKMAN MURAD – Ørebro SK

- Lukman Murad is still a very young player who is picking up new things every week. He`s playing regularly for Ørebro under-21 team which is a great learning experience for him. With the season about to start it will be interesting to see if he can keep building on his rare talent. He must be patient, but at the same time I admire his attitude of aiming high. If Murad can be focused, in training and in match, I wouldn`t be surprised if he becomes the youngest player ever to feature in the Swedish league.

Age: 15

Position: Striker/offensive midfielder

Nationality: Swedish

Date of Birth: 05 June 1996

Use contact page to get in touch if your club wants scouting reports on any players in Scandinavia. All material can be translated into your required language.

Utilisez la page de contact pour entrer en contact si votre club souhaite aux rapports de dépisteurs sur tous les joueurs en Scandinavie. Tout le matériel peut être traduit dans votre langue souhaitée.

Verwenden Sie Kontakt Seite in Kontakt zu treten, wenn Ihr Vereinwill Scouting-Berichte über Spieler in Skandinavien. Alle Materialienkönnen in Ihre gewünschte Sprache übersetzt werden.

Utilice la página de contacto para ponerse en contacto si el club quiere informes de exploración de los jugadores en los países escandinavos. Todo el material que se puede traducir en el idioma deseado.

The list was last updated on 17.04.2012.

1. DAME N`DOYE – FC COPENHAGEN
   - “The Senegalese striker has got the abilities of playing against the best defenders in the world – week in and week out”. The phrase is written by me a few weeks ago and I stand by it. Most players leaving Scandinavia needs to play in leagues where they can keep improving as players before moving to bigger clubs. It is not the case with Dame N`Doye. Since the winter break he has been in sensational form and again proven to everyone that you can rely on his abilities. When he`s not playing for his side, like a week ago when he were suspended, you could clearly see that his side were struggling. Just his presence on the pitch seems to give his teammates more confidence – and likewise when he`s not around. You`ve got to remember that the first place in the Danish league this season give the club an automatic spot for the Champion league group stage next season. Taken that into account you know that Dame `N Doye won`t be leaving FC Copenhagen for cheap – and quite rightly so. With N`Doye keep scoring goals bigger clubs in Europe will keep a close eye on him over the summer. Even clubs outside Europe should, but I`ve got serious doubts that they will got what it takes to convince the player that his future lays outside Europe.
   Read my scouting report on Dame N`Doye at: http://www.scan-scout.com/2012/03/06/dame-ndoye-fc-copenhagen/.
   
2.  JOHAN WILAND – FC COPENHAGEN
   - After publishing Wiland in TOP 5 list a weeks back I got critics from a couple of football fans. They didn’t agree with me that a goalkeeper should be in the frame as one of the top recommendations from Scandinavia. Obviously I got a bit offended, but in a professional and funny way. Instead of defending my opinions I told them; “Let’s see over the next weeks and judge him over his performances on the pitch”. Weeks have gone and Johan Wiland has played seven matches and kept a clean sheet five times. In total he has only let in two goals.
   Sweden national football team coach Erik Hamren has stated that it`s a close race for the goalkeeper position. Andreas Isaksson currently is Sweden’s number one choice, but Johan Wiland is just waiting for his chance. I agree with Hamren who has a difficult choice when choosing from such good goalkeepers, but I believe that Wiland will do equally as good if he`s given the chance. When Johan Wiland got his breakthrough for FC Copenhagen it was because of an injury on their first goalkeeper. Since then he hasn`t looked backed. Without a shadow of a doubt he is the best goalkeeper in Scandinavia. In January he turned 31 years old and he is, in my view, in his prime age as a goalkeeper. He`s an excellent shot stopper with great reflexes. He has developed a calmness and concentration which enables him to deliver top performances at the highest level. Johan Wiland has won everything that is to be won in the Swedish and Danish league. Last season he gave in some solid performances in the Champions League. At times he frustrated both Chelsea and Barcelona with some excellent match winning saves. He defiantly got the qualities to win more trophies elsewhere, but at the moment he seems to be enjoying life in Denmark. 
   
3. JORES OKORE – FC NORDSJÆLLAND
   - Haven`t we all heard descreptions of players such as “the beast” or “the hulk”? If you were to label Okore in any specific category you would immedieatly be intitmated by his strength. He`s a powerful central defender who reads the game brilliantly. When required he storms into every challenge with great amount of power and accuracy. Denmark keep producing central defenders of the highest standard. 19 year old Okore is probably the player with the highest potential that we have seen for while. In his first full season for Nordsjælland he hasn`t disappointed anyone. He has adapted quickly to his team passing style of play. In fact this gives him an advantage and, if possible, makes him even more attractive for bigger clubs outside Scandinavia.  In January he got his debut for his national team and he didn’t let anyone down. I was impressed by his calmness in defense. He wasn’t afraid of taking his time in finding the best solution. It`s the same when he`s playing for his club. I don’t hide the fact that central defenders who is confident on the ball is of my likening. The player himself is eager to prove himself in England and that is something that is bound to happen. But the lad turned 19 recently and wisely he committed himself to Nordsjælland until 2016. Their football style fits him perfectly and if he can stay in Denmark a bit more it will benefit him a lot – both on and off the pitch. However, time and pressure to act fast is a key factor in modern football. If the smaller clubs wait too long they are bound to miss out on Okore. The race is on, but Nordsjælland are in a good position when negotiation a fair prize for his services. Will they offload the player during the summer? It`s a cliché saying “only if the money is right”, but in this case it is. I believe only silly money will tempt them to sell and I don`t think Okore is in any rush of leaving Denmark. With European cup already secured there is exciting times ahead for both Nordsjælland-supporters and players.
   
   
4. JILOAN HAMAD – MALMØ FF
   - After a slow start to the season he has really come back strongly in the last two matches for Malmø FF. Yesterday he were outstanding. Hamad scored and were the architect of the goals in their 3-2 win against Djurgården. It will be very interesting to follow Hamad and his teammates over the next week. The potential in their team is massive and Hamad needed a fine performance to stay in our prestigious Top 5-list.
   The captain of the Sweden under-21 team has played some of his best football these last two seasons. I`ve had the pleasure to see him closely when I visited Malmø during their qualification match to reach Champions League  match against Glasgow Rangers on 03.08.2011. It was Hamad who sent Malmø FF through to the next round with a stunner from distance. It wasn’t any surprise to me that he would be the deciding factor as he isn`t afraid of testing the opponents goalkeeper. These last three seasons he`s played regularly and gained experience at the highest level – in the Swedish league, Europe and for his national team. Because of this you could see that he has risen as a player taken huge steps into developing as a player who perform week in and week out. The gifted midfielder is soon ready for bigger challenges in of the bigger leagues abroad. His pace and technical skills is of a top European standard already and with Hamad now proving himself as a midfielder who can score goals – he is bond to attracts interest from abroad. Still he is only 21 years old, but it will be great to see him play in one of the leagues that so highly appreciate such technical players.
   Hamad got the chance of playing for the senior squad when Sweden played several friendlies in Quatar in January. Still early for the players in their preparations for the upcoming season, I still felt he gave evidence of his ability to rise to bigger occasions – something I predict he will have to do more in the near future. Will bigger clubs dare not to pick him up this summer?
   
   
5. SYLVESTER IGBOUN – FC MIDTJYLLAND
   - Just recently FC Midtjylland has started playing Igboun as a winger instead of his preferred role as a striker. He seems to have adapted into this role quickly as he has played several good matches for his side. He`s got the pace and teqnicue for such role and he is using it to the fully as a winger. Defenders must be on their toes as Igboun will use all his strengths to dribble past anyone in his way. He is now creating lots of chances for his teammates and when he gets the chance he obviously isn`t afraid of having a go himself. It might be strange to say, but I feel that his football mind has improved recently. Instead of finishing from nearly impossible angles he now seems to be calmer in front of goal. It might have something to do with his new wing-role, but it is quite satisfying as a scout to see him passing the ball to his teammates when they are in better scoring positions than himself. It will be interesting to follow the ambitions player over the next weeks.
   He had a great season last year with FC Midtjylland so I was curious about how he would cope with new and bigger expectations this season. 7 goals so far in this season, in a partnership with Tim Janssen, it clearly shows that he mean some serious business. With natural skill such as pace, he also possesses cleverness in his movement on the pitch, which enables him to take full advantage of it. He`s scoring rate for his club indicates that we are dealing with a potential treat for any opponents. And they are rightly so to fear the powerful Nigerian as he can score goals with both feet and with headers. He`s desire to move forward with great pace and with no fear to take on any defenders – makes him hard to handle. Defenders will find him hard to read, especially one on one, because of his ability to finish with both feet or to unleash long shots when given the chance. Great things are expected from the athletic striker who for now is gaining tremendous and much needed experience in Denmark.  But one must wonder for how long his current club can obtain his services. If he keeps putting in stabil performances – it surely won`t go unnoticed by bigger clubs abroad.
   

This category will keep your club up to date on the best youth players in Scandinavia. The players will be judged on several criteria’s such as; talent, potential, how they perform etc. The list of players will be updated on a monthly basis. This means that if a player is in the list one week it’s no guarantee that he will stay in it forever. The team at Scandinavian scouting agency will only publish a short version on the website. For clubs who wants the extended version of the full list could get in touch with us through the contact page. All the players who are published on our list are 17 years old or younger.

This list was last updated on 28.03.2012.

1. LUCAS ANDERSEN – Aalborg BK

- Lucas Andersen has recently been playing regularly for Aalborg and impressed a lot. He is now putting in fine perfomences on a more consistent basis. I am looking forward to watch him closely, on training and in match, before the season in Denmark ends.

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 13 September 1994

2. VETON BERISHA – VIKING FK

- Newcomer on the list is Veton Berisha. He is the brother of Valon Berisha who currently holds a place in the Top 5 recommendation list. Veton is playing regularly for the youth national team and is a strong container to get more chances for his club. Already he has featured several times for them so I predict that he will get the opportunity to make the same impact as his brother already have done.

Age: 17

Position: Offensive Midfielder/Striker

Nationality: Norwegian

Date of Birth: 13 April 1994

3. LUKMAN MURAD – Ørebro SK

- Lukman Murad is still a very young player who is picking up new things every week. He`s playing regularly for Ørebro under-21 team which is a great learning experience for him. With the season about to start it will be interesting to see if he can keep building on his rare talent. He must be patient, but at the same time I admire his attitude of aiming high. If Murad can be focused, in training and in match, I wouldn`t be surprised if he becomes the youngest player ever to feature in the Swedish league.

Age: 15

Position: Striker/offensive midfielder

Nationality: Swedish

Date of Birth: 05 June 1996

Utilisez la page de contact pour entrer en contact si votre club souhaite aux rapports de dépisteurs sur tous les joueurs en Scandinavie. Tout le matériel peut être traduit dans votre langue souhaitée.

Verwenden Sie Kontakt Seite in Kontakt zu treten, wenn Ihr Vereinwill Scouting-Berichte über Spieler in Skandinavien. Alle Materialienkönnen in Ihre gewünschte Sprache übersetzt werden.

Utilice la página de contacto para ponerse en contacto si el club quiere informes de exploración de los jugadores en los países escandinavos. Todo el material que se puede traducir en el idioma deseado.

The list was last updated on 08.03.2012.

1. JOHAN WILAND – FC COPENHAGEN
   - Sweden national football team coach Erik Hamren has stated that it`s a close race for the goalkeeper position in their side. Andreas Isaksson is currently Sweden’s number one choice, but Johan Wiland is just waiting for his chance to shine. I agree with Hamren who has a difficult choice when choosing from such good goalkeepers, but I believe that Wiland will do equally as good if he`s given the chance. When Johan Wiland got his breakthrough for FC Copenhagen it was because of an injury on their first goalkeeper. Since then he hasn`t looked backed. Without a shadow of a doubt he is the best goalkeeper in Scandinavia. In January he turned 31 years old and he is, in my view, in his prime age as a goalkeeper. He`s an excellent shot stopper with great reflexes. He has developed a calmness and concentration which enables him to deliver top performances at the highest level. Johan Wiland has won everything that is to be won in the Swedish and Danish league. Last season he gave in some solid performances in the Champions League. At times he frustrated both Chelsea and Barcelona with some excellent match winning saves. He defiantly got the qualities to win more trophies elsewhere, but at the moment he seems to be enjoying life in Denmark.
   
2.  SYLVESTER IGBOUN – FC MIDTJYLLAND
   - He had a great season last year with FC Midtjylland so I was curious about how he would cope with new and bigger expectations this season. 7 goals so far in this season, in a partnership with Tim Janssen, it clearly shows that he mean some serious business. With natural skill such as pace, he also possesses cleverness in his movement on the pitch, which enables him to take full advantage of it. He`s scoring rate for his club indicates that we are dealing with a potential treat for any opponents. And they are rightly so to fear the powerful Nigerian as he can score goals with both feet and with headers. He`s desire to move forward with great pace and with no fear to take on any defenders – makes him hard to handle. Defenders will find him hard to read, especially one on one, because of his ability to finish with both feet or to unleash long shots when given the chance. Great things are expected from the athletic striker who for now is gaining tremendous and much needed experience in Denmark.  But one must wonder for how long his current club can obtain his services. If he keeps putting in stabil performances – it surely won`t go unnoticed by bigger clubs abroad.
   
3. JILOAN HAMAD – MALMØ FF
   - The captain of the Sweden under-21 team has played some of his best football these last two seasons. I`ve had the pleasure to see him closely when I visited Malmø during their qualification match to reach Champions League  match against Glasgow Rangers on 03.08.2011. It was Hamad who sent Malmø FF through to the next round with a stunner from distance. It wasn’t any surprise to me that he would be the deciding factor as he isn`t afraid of testing the opponents goalkeeper. These last three seasons he`s played regularly and gained experience at the highest level – in the Swedish league, Europe and for his national team. Because of this you could see that he has risen as a player taken huge steps into developing as a player who perform week in and week out. The gifted midfielder is soon ready for bigger challenges in of the bigger leagues abroad. His pace and technical skills is of a top European standard already and with Hamad now proving himself as a midfielder who can score goals – he is bond to attracts interest from abroad. Still he is only 21 years old, but it will be great to see him play in one of the leagues that so highly appreciate such technical players.
   Hamad got the chance of playing for the senior squad when Sweden played several friendlies in Quatar in January. Still early for the players in their preparations for the upcoming season, I still felt he gave evidence of his ability to rise to bigger occasions – something I predict he will have to do more in the near future. Will bigger clubs dare not to pick him up this summer?
   
   
4. TOBIAS HYSEN – IFK GØTEBORG
   - During the pre-season this upcoming season Hysen has been outstanding. He`s scored several goals and looked lively and dangerous on every occasion I`ve seen him. He looks so eager to kick of the season along with the rest of his side. I predict his side to go all the way this season and Tobias Hysen is to play a big part if that is to happen.
   Hysen has been one of the most consistent and reliable goal scorers in the Swedish league recent years. Last season he ended up scoring 16 league goals for his team, a team who struggled for large part of the season and ended up finishing mid-table. 75 appearances in these last three seasons have seen him score 45 goals. Impressive record and equally impressive is his record for creating chances for his team mates. He is a player who can feed the ball to players in better scoring positions, but more important he is a natural finisher who can use both feet. He`s scored some great goals last season and maybe the one linked under was his best – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeKAbyNBszo&feature=related (Hysen scoring the 3-1 goal – after 1 minute 19 seconds in the clip).
   Hysen spendt a couple of season with English outfit Sunderland a few years back, but this hasn’t stopped him of dreaming of another chance to prove himself abroad. Proven goal scorers like Tobias Hysen is something clubs in Europe always are keen to sign. Even if he`s 29 years of age, he still can deliver the goods outside Scandinavia. Although I don’t see him playing in any of top leagues, he still could do a remarkable job for clubs in other leagues who so desperately crave after a notorious goal machine.
   
   
5. VALON BERISHA – VIKING FK- Berisha possesses the skills which they in Denmark, at least out of the Scandinavian countries, appreciate more than the rest. The fact that he will be in the frame for the Norwegian national team in the future, surely must give Egil Olsen some headache. But in modern football even he needs to rethink – especially if the Norwegian national team is going to compare themselves with Sweden and Denmark.Valon Berisha got the pace and willingness to storm forward in attack whenever the chance is there. His technique is of a very high standard and he isn`t afraid to dribble past one or two defenders. Even if he shines so often in the Norwegian league, he`s got what it takes to shine in a bigger league. Often you see talents who compete in smaller leagues and stands out as the star player week in and week out. When the player eventually moves to a bigger club it`s common that he doesn’t get the same amount of time and space as he is used to. The player can start to grow insecurity and start to lose faith in his own abilities on the pitch. It`s not the case with Berisha. He continuously work on improving his game, but still he isn’t afraid of trying the extraordinary – shooting from distance or dribbling past a defender once or twice. For when he is given the chance he will have a go at goal, if it`s from distance it doesn’t matter. If unsuccessful this doesn’t stop him from having another go on the next occasion. That`s the sort of a player he is – and when given a free role behind the striker, this is a player that would be quite a handful for many defenders in the bigger leagues.  Valon Berisha ended up last season with scoring 3 goals and 3 assists. This is a tally that I am confident he will more than double this season. His side needs his qualities for the full season if they are going to compete amongst the best in the league. The club has got the fans, facilities and finances so their natural goal must be challenging for the title. It wouldn’t be justice for the fans, or to Berisha, to have a lesser ambition. The unorthodox player has had an outstanding pre-season and I predict him to build on it during the upcoming season. 

“The Senegalese striker has got the abilities of playing against the best defenders in the world – week in and week out.

Dame N`Doye has undoubtedly been the best and most influential striker in the Scandinavian leagues recent years. His goal scoring record speaks for itself: 72 goals in 134 appearances, in all competitions, for FC Copenhagen. That surely indicates that we are talking about a proven striker at the highest level in Scandinavia. He`s also played in Champions League (2010/2011) and in the Europa League (2011/2012). Last year the Senegalese national team brought him in to their squad.  Dame N`Doye has responded in typical fashion by scoring several goals since his debut. His last goal for them came in the Africa Cup of Nations a few weeks back.

He is a big lad, standing 186 cm, but surprising defenders with the speed at which he covers ground, particularly chasing lost causes and closing the opposition down when they think they have more time on the ball than they actually do. At times he`s got criticism of being a bit lazy by not running enough on the pitch. He`s improved in this area since the start of his career, but still in some matches he tends to not make those defensive runs that is expected from him. Still In those matches he only needs one chance to put the ball in back of the net.

So often his first touch is incredible good. In matches it has automatically created big chances for himself or his teammates on numerous occasions. His first touch is often directly passed to his teammate before he goes on the run expecting the ball back. Sometimes N`Doye plays the ball a bit in front of him before having a shot with his powerful right foot. He can finish with both feet, but he defiantly prefers finishing with his right foot. If he gets time and space he is the sort of a striker who will have a go at any defender. If he sees a gap or weakness in the opponent’s side, he will use his strengths to outmaneuver the opponent. He often tends to dribble past the defender and run straight through the defense. On other occasions he just simply outmuscles the defender before running through facing the goalkeeper. In those one on one-situations there is not many finishers who is as calm as Dame N`Doye.

His aerial ability is amongst the best in Europe nowadays. His strength together with his timing is nearly impossible to defend against. Of his record of 72 goals – incredible 29 goals has come from headers. Even some goalkeepers find it hard to come up against him in the air. That tells you quite a bit of what he`s all about.

In my view there is three possible scenarios for the Senegalese striker during the next transfer window; He will stay with FC Copenhagen, He will move to one of the best leagues in Europe or He will move to another club – purely based on money.

A football focused and offensive minded Dame N`Doye has got the qualities which is needed to succeed at the highest level. If FC Copenhagen fights off future bids on the striker they will do themselves a huge favor. One question that arises in such scenario; have the Danish club got the finances of keeping such proven striker? At least they must win the title this year which eventually will see them enter the group stage in the Champions League next season. But N`Doye has been in the capital of Denmark since 2009, so I would reckon that he will be tempted to prove himself at a higher level. If he leaves Denmark I hope that he will stay in the game purely based on his football ambitions. Money is obviously a huge factor in modern football, but with him being in his prime age as a striker, he would do himself, and the football fans, a favor to keep playing in Europe.

Scouting report on Dame N`Doye written on 06.03.2012

Øyvind Christoffer Johansen
Chief scout, Scandinavian Scouting Agency

This category will keep your club up to date on the best players in Scandinavia. The players will be judged on several criteria’s such as; talent, potential, how they perform, transfer value, contract status etc. The list of players will be updated on a monthly basis. This means that if a player is in the list one week it’s no guarantee that he will stay in it the next.

The list was last updated on 23.02.2012.

1. JILOAN HAMAD – MALMØ FF
   - The captain of the Sweden under-21 team has played some of his best football these last two seasons. I`ve had the pleasure to see him closely when I visited Malmø during their qualification match to reach Champions League  match against Glasgow Rangers on 03.08.2011. It was Hamad who sent Malmø FF through to the next round with a stunner from distance. It wasn’t any surprise to me that he would be the deciding factor as he isn`t afraid of testing the opponents goalkeeper. These last three seasons he`s played regularly and gained experience at the highest level – in the Swedish league, Europe and for his national team. Because of this you could see that he has risen as a player taken huge steps into developing as a player who perform week in and week out. The gifted midfielder is soon ready for bigger challenges in of the bigger leagues abroad. His pace and technical skills is of a top European standard already and with Hamad now proving himself as a midfielder who can score goals – he is bond to attracts interest from abroad. Still he is only 21 years old, but it will be great to see him play in one of the leagues that so highly appreciate such technical players.
   Hamad got the chance of playing for the senior squad when Sweden played several friendlies in Quatar in January. Still early for the players in their preparations for the upcoming season, I still felt he gave evidence of his ability to rise to bigger occasions – something I predict he will have to do more in the near future. Will bigger clubs dare not to pick him up this summer?
   
2.  SYLVESTER IGBOUN – FC MIDTJYLLAND
   - He had a great season last year with FC Midtjylland so I was curious about how he would cope with new and bigger expectations this season. 7 goals so far in this season, in a partnership with Tim Janssen, it clearly shows that he mean some serious business. With natural skill such as pace, he also possesses cleverness in his movement on the pitch, which enables him to take full advantage of it. He`s scoring rate for his club indicates that we are dealing with a potential treat for any opponents. And they are rightly so to fear the powerful Nigerian as he can score goals with both feet and with headers. He`s desire to move forward with great pace and with no fear to take on any defenders – makes him hard to handle. Defenders will find him hard to read, especially one on one, because of his ability to finish with both feet or to unleash long shots when given the chance. Great things are expected from the athletic striker who for now is gaining tremendous and much needed experience in Denmark.  But one must wonder for how long his current club can obtain his services. If he keeps putting in stabil performances – it surely won`t go unnoticed by bigger clubs abroad.
   
3. IVO PEKALSKI – MALMØ FF
   - “Ivo Ivo Ivo”. The chant still rings in my ear after watching Malmø FF on numerous occasions these last two seasons. The very popular player gives it all on every occasion. He runs throughout every the match –  doesn`t matter if it`s a friendly, at training or in a league match. The hard tackling midfielder played out in Europe last season when Malmø FF nearly got through to the group stages in the Champions League.  He defiantly gained much needed experience at this level. I am sure that he during this forthcoming season will show evidence of this in his overall game plan. He possesses skills which is so important for players in his central midfield role- running up and down the field with an engine which never seems to run out of fuel. He`s got the same winner-attitude as his club and he brings that attitude onto the pitch with him. His passing and movement on the pitch is probably amongst the best in Scandinavia at the moment. The player has got a bright future and I predict him, like Hiljemark ( mention below), to be one of his team top performers this season.
   
   
   
4. OSCAR HILJEMARK – IF ELFSBORG
   - The young midfielder stands out as one of the brightest talent in Sweden at the moment – has been for quite some time actually. His debut for his national team got a few headlines recently regarding his goal and fine performance. Many “so called” experts wouldn’t give him too much appraisal because they didn’t consider Sweden’s opponent, Quatar, as a worthy container to judge his potential on. I agree with the fact that Quatar isn’t near the standard of Mexico for example. Nevertheless that isn’t the point. It is the way you stand out in general, even if it`s a friendly or a more important match, which catches the eye of a scout. Even the players training approach needs to be taken into consideration. That`s what in my view stands out for Oscar Hiljemark. He wasn’t travelling with the squad just to go on a holiday. He made it clear that he felt mature enough to contribute, both on and of the pitch. His willingness to storm forward from his midfield position is a much appreciated skill. He is always likely to use his right foot from distance which makes him unpredictiabel. When given the room in front of the oponents defenders he`s always likely to have a go himself or feed his strikers if they are in a better scoring positions. I was glad to see him stay on at IF Elfsborg in Sweden as they have got some really talented players in their squad at the moment. I expect Oscar Hiljemark to keep producing and deliver fine performances week in and week out. That is what you can expect of the player who has an offensive attitude, but still don`t rush to land the first and best offer given to him. I expect him to take more steps as a player during 2012-season which will, inevitable, see the club losing his services next summer.
   
5. RODOLPH AUSTIN – SK BRANN
   - The Jamaican has had his best season by far in the Norwegian league. Although he`s always been a good player in Norway he has now proven to us that he`s got the skills to play at a higher level. His ideal position is in the middle of the park – where he can boss the midfield as he does better than anyone in the league. He isn’t afraid of any opponents and that might be a good thing to bring along to one of the big leagues.
   We had some questions by  scouts if we could be able to help out with video material one the fixture between Rosenborg-Brann on 30^th October 2011. We have got dvd-material on the game, but here is a short summary with all the goals. You get to see a few people that has already been mention on our webpage; Lustig, Bakenga and Ojo. But the man of the match award goes to Rodolph Austin. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeC1EInwzhI
   
6. VALON BERISHA – VIKING FK
   - Berisha possesses the skills which they in Denmark, at least out of the Scandinavian countries, appreciate more than the rest. The fact that he will be in the frame for the Norwegian national team in the future, surely must give Egil Olsen some headache. But in modern football even he needs to rethink – especially if the Norwegian national team is going to compare themselves with Sweden and Denmark.
   Valon Berisha got the pace and willingness to storm forward in attack whenever the chance is there. His technique is of a very high standard and he isn`t afraid to dribble past one or two defenders. Even if he shines so often in the Norwegian league, he`s got what it takes to shine in a bigger league. Often you see talents who compete in smaller leagues and stands out as the star player week in and week out. When the player eventually moves to a bigger club it`s common that he doesn’t get the same amount of time and space as he is used to. The player can start to grow insecurity and start to lose faith in his own abilities on the pitch. It`s not the case with Berisha. He continuously work on improving his game, but still he isn’t afraid of trying the extraordinary – shooting from distance or dribbling past a defender once or twice. For when he is given the chance he will have a go at goal, if it`s from distance it doesn’t matter. If unsuccessful this doesn’t stop him from having another go on the next occasion. That`s the sort of a player he is – and when given a free role behind the striker, this is a player that would be quite a handful for many defenders in the bigger leagues.  Valon Berisha ended up last season with scoring 3 goals and 3 assists. This is a tally that I am confident he will more than double this season. His side needs his qualities for the full season if they are going to compete amongst the best in the league. The club has got the fans, facilities and finances so their natural goal must be challenging for the title. It wouldn’t be justice for the fans, or to Berisha, to have a lesser ambition. The unorthodox player has had an outstanding pre-season and I predict him to build on it during the upcoming season. 

“Offensive midfielder with lightning pace and great technique”

Even if the lad is only 20 years old (birthday today); he has gained so much experience in such short time. Still the management, in my view, is still unsure of what role they should play Thomas Drage in. He`s played much as a left winger, but does he fit that bill? Does the club take full advantage of the amount of ability he possesses? With 11 assist and 3 goals last season one could be tempted to say yes. However, I disagree. The club still don`t seem to play him in an ideal position; offensive midfielder with a more dedicated approach in the middle.  His right foot is exceptionally good and with his delivering from set pieces it is a deadly weapon on every occasion. In the middle of the park he would be an even more handful for opponents to deal with. He will get more space and create more chances for his teammates and for himself. He would still be the obvious choice for all the set pieces allowing him to take full advantage of his right or left foot. A player like Thomas Drage is capable of scoring 8 goals per season, I am tempted to say 10, and by moving him more in the middle would increase his chances of achieving such tally. The case with talented players, such as Thomas Drage, they tend to adapt into the role as they are given. That`s the case with Drage – he`s adapted into the role as a winger and does the best out of the role. Still he could be played more in the middle to take full advantage of his talent.

This is the third scouting report published on the website. It might be strange for some people that another player from Tromsø IL is published on the website. But nevertheless I will back it up with numerous reasons of why he`s privileged to be on our site. Having that said, Tromsø IL has been one of the most consistent teams in Norway recent years, so it might be justice for them that their talent work gets some appraisal.

In 2010 Thomas Drage made his first appearances on the pitch for a side who`s got ambition too field many players from their northern region. Not anything like Bilbao in Spain, but nevertheless an interesting project. With Drage fitting those criteria it was an easy choice for him when getting the opportunity to play for the club. He could have chosen to play for Rosenborg at the time, but Tromsø IL ambition, together with their youth and region policy, proved to be the decisive factor for him. All in all this was an example of how hard work, together with a solid portion of self-discipline, eventually paid off when he signed for Tromsø IL.

Thomas Drage played his youth football for his local club, Mosjøen IL. He made his debut aged 15 and then became their youngest player ever to play for their first team. Even then he wasn’t the player that stood out as the youngster with the most talent. In his region there were other players who were rated as much bigger talents than himself. His father became more and more a bigger resource for Thomas Drage`s development – being his mentor and leading him through the different stages of the game. He became an influential part in his son’s football career by helping him getting the right amount of matches of an high enough level to improve his game at all time. For Thomas Drage it also meant he must train harder, and do much training on his own, in able to achieve the progress that his father knew were required at a higher level.

The supporters in Tromsø were curious about this rare talent and when he got the chance in 2010 he wasn’t going to do play it safe. His game approach was the same as it always have been – playing his own set of game. You could at an early stage see that he was some sort of an unshaped diamond who only needed polishing. He came on as a substitute on a few occasions in the first season and he gave some glimpses of his talent whenever getting the opportunity. He spoke quite frequently to the media at the time and when asked about former Tromsø IL start, Morten Gamst Pedersen, he made it clear that he intended to achieve greater things than Pedersen had done in his career. Some people didn’t like his comments and were saying that he was arrogant. I saw people saying like; Does he really think that he`s that good? What has he proven? I saw the interview on the television several times and I laughed. He gave the impression like saying “Who is Morten Gamst Pedersen?”.  What an arrogant thing to say, but then again what an ambitious thing to say. Players who can back up such attitude with performances, of the same caliber, on the pitch – you defiantly get my attention as a scout.

When falling out of the pecking order, in his first season, he just got on with improving the areas that he needed to fulfill his potential. When the 2011-season kicked off no one actually thought he would be in the frame for a regular starting position; except himself. And he delivered from the start.

What struck me the most when seeing him enter the pitch in the start of his career was the amount of pace he possessed. In the start he was a bit overenthusiastic in his approach to the game, making him not able to take full advantage of this strength. During his career start for Tromsø IL I have seen a quite remarkable improvement in this area. His pace, timing of the run and cleverness to find gaps in the opponents side have seen he become a handful for every team in the league.

I picked up something last year when watching Drage in action. At first it seemed funny, but the more I studied his movement the more I understood it. Often when Drage receives the ball from his teammate he seems to get into a “frozen-condition” with his body leaned a bit over the ball. This maneuver makes him so unpredictable. When defenders sees this movement one could bet on that Thomas Drage intends to have a go at him. It might seem like an easy read for the defender, but with the amount of pace he possesses, a strength he now use more cleverly, he goes either on the inside or on the outside. For Drage this doesn’t make a difference as he is a two footed player. His gearshift from standing in this “frozen-condition” is enormous as he drives forward looking for opportunities to deliver in crosses in the box. Having that said, when he receives the ball he could sometimes pass the ball to a team mate and then immediately go on a deep run. It means that opponents must be on top of their game to keep track of his often unexpected maneuvers.

This is an example on a situation that happened several occasions last season when Thomas Drage were facing a defender; He makes a few oversteps maneuvers over the ball, defender is reluctant to make a challenge as he knows he might find himself outpaced, Drage then decides to deliver an early and unexpected cross in to create another goal. So even if the defender are more aware of his capabilities of dribbling past opponents, he has progressed during the 2011-season to be more unpredictable when facing the defender 1 on 1. He has matured and adapted himself as an offensive midfielder who can create trouble for defender on his own.

Thomas Drage tendency to disappear in matches was shown on several occasions last season – but only in away matches. At home he was brilliant for nearly the entire season, but his away performances showed signs of a player who struggled to find his place on the pitch. I believe this is just a confidence problem that he will find the secret code too in the very near future. The player himself is quite aware of this problem in his game and is working to improve it. In the beginning of the season he got substituted in one match after only 30 minutes, but it was never the case later in the season. It indicates to me that he has improved in this area, but he still has a way to go before he`s ready for bigger challenges.

Due to his lack of strength and heading ability he isn’t the kind of a player you would keep inside the box when defending. In my view every side fielding such players must use them up front when the side is defending. Often his current team plays Thomas Drage this way, allowing him to take on defenders when getting the chance up front. He`s so unbelievable hard for defenders to handle in those situations. Defenders know, at least by now, that he will take them on even when receiving the ball alone up front. One got to love such a unique skill of any attacker!

With his excellent season last year the club was more than willing to tie him up on a better and a longer contract. Thomas Drage showed character and signed the contract. He`s ambitious and with an appetite of challenges beyond any of the leagues in Scandinavia can offer. Having that said he knows that he has got things to learn in the Norwegian league still, but his time in a big league will come. No question about that. That is the reason why he gets his name on our website. This is a player to keep a close eye on. I would just love to see Thomas Drage in the Portuguese, Italian or Spanish league. The question is more whether other clubs, in different leagues, will bring him on board before these three nations starts to show desire to bring him in.  However, their interest is bond to come during the next years. Tick tack – let the race begin!

Scouting report on Thomas Drage written on 20.02.2012

Øyvind Christoffer Johansen
Chief scout, Scandinavian Scouting Agency

This category will keep your club up to date on who are the best youth players in Scandinavia. The players will be judged on several criteria’s such as; talent, potential, how they perform etc. The list of players will be updated on a monthly basis. This means that if a player is in the list one week it’s no guarantee that he will stay in it forever. The team at Scandinavian scouting agency will only publish a short version on the website. For clubs who wants the extended version of the full list could get in touch with us through the contact page. All the players who are published on our list are less than 18 years old.

Chelsea and Bayern Munchen this week secured the services of Andreas Christensen (number 1 on the list) and Pierre Emile Højberg (number 2 on the list). When someone leaves Scandinavia – other players take their places on our prestigious list. We were a bit surprised that they got picked up so soon, but nevertheless grateful for the clubs ability to see the talent we have seen for quite some time. The same thing applies Kenneth Zohore who will try his luck for Fiorentina after agreeing terms with the Italians last week. We wish them all the best for the future.

This list was last updated on 12.02.2012.

1. LUCAS ANDERSEN – Aalborg BK

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 13 September 1994

2. PATRICK OLSON – Brøndby IF

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 23 April 1994

3. LUKMAN MURAD – Ørebro SK

Age: 15

Position: Striker/offensive midfielder

Nationality: Swedish

Date of Birth: 05 June 1996