Scouting with Moyes - 'Here as a fan, but I think like a manager'

I am really enjoying being at Euro 2024 as a fan and a pundit, but I still have my manager's head on when I am watching games at this tournament.

I have always loved going to matches at all levels, but being able to walk up to the stadium and having a beer as one of the people has not always been possible.

I am having a break from management at the moment so this is my chance. I've been really looking forward to it, and I am trying to enjoy myself in Germany as much as all the supporters here are doing.

But, at the same time, I know about the work that goes on in the background to prepare the teams I am watching - the decisions the managers have to make in the days leading up to games, what to do in training and the preparation that goes into performing on this stage.

When you actually get to understand that, you can never forget it, because it is the side of football I have had all my life, and I love that part too.

Moyes left West Ham this summer after a five-year stint - they were the sixth club he has been in charge of, in a managerial career that began with Preston in 1998

Act quickly, or miss out

Going to watch players has always been a huge part of the job for me. Scouting for signings was something I took on myself as much as I could, and I've still been checking out players here, whether I already knew about them or not.

For me, the eye test - or seeing a player in the flesh - is always best. You cannot beat seeing someone live to make your mind up about him.

It is great to see them play on TV but you miss the things that the camera is not showing. Things like the player's attitude and body language, his movement off the ball and if he is working well with the team.

Even by spending time watching the warm-up, you can sometimes see how well people strike the ball or how focused they are. You can pick up all sorts of bits about their character and what they are like in different situations by observing them in those moments.

In the past, though, I probably would not have made a decision about signing a player on the back of just seeing him at a tournament like this one. I'd prefer to go for people I'd been following through the league season with their club.

But things have moved on a lot and the way the market is, it is a bit different now. You have to act fast when you see someone you like.

People are all over players right away these days, whoever they play for, because there is so much analytical date and in-depth scouting out there already.

So, whereas I would once tell stories about how I went to watch Joleon Lescott 24 times before I signed him for Everton from Wolves in 2006, you just could not do that now. You are forced into quicker decisions, otherwise you might miss out.

Seeing new stars arrive on the scene

The last time I was at a European Championship working for the BBC was in 2012, when I was in charge of Everton.

I was asked then which player at the tournament I would sign if money were no object and my answer was Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo is still here, 12 years on, which is just incredible - but the answer to that question is not as easy now.

Kylian Mbappe would probably be the first one who came to mind, but there are so many good young players out there now who are just beginning to come on to the scene.

Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala of Germany have been superb so far, and then you think about some of the players that England have got too.

I know a couple of them well from West Ham and I'm thrilled for Jarrod Bowen that he has got some minutes at this tournament.

Moyes brought Bowen to West Ham in 2020 when he signed him from Championship side Hull City for around £20m

Jarrod's journey from Hereford and Hull to the Hammers and England should be an inspiration to so many young footballers as an example of where hard work can get you.

Then there is Declan Rice, who has already established himself at this level and I think we are talking about a future England captain.

He lifted a trophy with me at West Ham in 2023 as a captain and was part of our team that finished sixth and seventh in the seasons before that.

Now he has stepped up with Arsenal and has been outstanding in a team pushing for the title. I know a few people questioned whether he could do the same job there, but they have had to eat a little bit of humble pie because he has done so terrifically well.

Rice and Moyes won the Europa Conference League with West Ham in 2023

A new generation of coaches too

The interesting theme of this tournament is the next generation of young players like the people I've mentioned, but across football I think there is an exciting new generation of young coaches too.

Another role I have at this tournament is as a technical observer for Uefa, looking at tactical and coaching developments.

The game is evolving all the time, with new trends and ideas emerging and everyone looking to find an advantage somewhere.

Even if you look at team's kick-offs now, some of them are so well planned and structured. That's the level of detail we have reached in football.

I remember many years ago we would have looked at American football and asked why there are all these coaches for different areas of the pitch. We have not quite gone that far yet, but the game is certainly heading closer in that direction.

The key for Uefa is that the trends we identify here are fed back into football.

They make the observer reports available so that hopefully, if anything is being done differently in Germany, it drips right through to the grassroots and the really young kids who are training are able to pick them up.

One thing that won't change – wanting to win

Moyes celebrates after West Ham's win over Fiorentina in the 2023 Europa Conference League final

The way so many teams play out from the back now is an example of the evolution in football. It has become so synchronised, and some of is so intricate, it is almost majestically planned.

Pep Guardiola takes a lot of credit for that, and so he should. He has done an awful lot of things which people have looked at and said 'we need to follow'.

We have to be fair though, and remember that people like Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson were playing out from the back 40 years ago.

They were two excellent footballers so we mustn't think all this is a completely new idea.

I also think we are maybe seeing it being done to extremes, when sometimes it probably deserves more criticism.

Again, with my manager's head on, we are seeing too many goals scored from poor play or mistakes when teams bring the ball out from the back.

There is a generation of coaches that says that is not correct, because we are not used to giving up easy goals… and there is a new generation coming through that is almost saying don't worry about it, we will keep doing it.

But when it comes to European tournaments, or the Premier League, those sort of decisions will cost you trophies and games and, as a manager they could ultimately cost you your job.

That's why I am not sure about people being so willing to let it keep happening even if it is going wrong.

There is a part of football, whatever else you say about it, where I think you want your club or team to win.

I have always sort of focused on that because I have always thought that winning was the be-all and end-all for most supporters at any club.

For me, that is one thing that won't ever change.

David Moyes was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan in Berlin.