Coton, Lammens and the art of good scouting
“Travel the world looking for Goalkeepers”. So reads Tony Coton’s LinkedIn bio. Manchester United’s chief goalkeeping scout travelled to Royal Antwerp and built up a detailed understanding of Senne Lammens – and connection - which eventually led to the young Belgian picking United ahead of other suitors last summer. What an inspired signing Lammens has proved to be, highlighted again in the narrow win over Everton. And how good has Coton’s judgement and people skills proved. It’s a move offering many lessons: old-school qualities in goalkeeping and also player recruitment are celebrated here.
Last summer, as United sought an upgrade on their unconvincing No 1 Andre Onana, they were linked with Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was being let go by Paris St-Germain. Paul Scholes even observed it was a “criminal offence” if United were “not in the market” for the recent winner of the Yashin trophy for best keeper in the Ballon d’Or voting. Donnarumma, high quality and high earner, went to Manchester City and, to few people’s surprise, proves an important figure in their title campaign.
United appeared to have a deal to sign Emi Martinez, who was ready to head up the M6. Ruben Amorim wanted Martinez, just as Erik ten Hag had insisted on Onana. United sounded torn, also impressed by Coton’s reports on Lammens. Listen to experienced scout or head coach? Going from Martinez, a world champion and 32 last summer, to Lammens, who had just turned 23 and was then still uncapped, seemed to reflect a divergence in recruitment thinking.
Lammens was a more attractive financial proposition with a fee of only £18.1m and wages reported at £60,000 a week (Martinez would have been three times that). Clubs are perceived to have recruitment philosophies, young or old, but United’s purchasing approach last summer was mixed: battle-ready in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo alongside the raw but promising Benjamin Sesko. All three attackers have proved smart additions. With the keepers, this was where Coton came in and his judgement proved so important. He believed in Lammens. He tracked him for more than a year before Lammens eventually signed on deadline day.
The vindication of Coton’s belief (and also credit to director of football Jason Wilcox for listening) will bring nods of satisfaction from scouts everywhere. Coton, 64, is experienced, hard-working and gets on the road to assess players. He has many contacts in the game so can get character references.