Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

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Chester Perry
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by Chester Perry » Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:34 pm

An Article from GameofthePeople.com on the need for data to have context in the game especially if it is to be used in real time

Data in football needs context to be useful
WILL football one day be so “real time” that coaches will make in-game decisions based on data compiled during the 90 minutes? Surely this has to be on the agenda in the future as football becomes ever more technical?

Soccerex Connected included a session that included various professionals from the world of data. It has been coming, we were warned many years ago about the rise of “Big data” that everyone thought would just affect banking, trading, consumer experience and salesmen. Then came sport, with all its analytical potential.

Sometimes, you have to wonder if we will all disappear up our own algorithmic orifices, not really understanding the heat maps, graphs, pie charts and figures at our disposal and guiding our lives. Certainly, while we look at heat maps and nod like wise old sages, do we comprehend and do we really need to?

Football’s broad, universal appeal (there are probably little green people on Mars kicking a ball around) was its simplicity and accessibility. Now, clubs employ data scientists, analysts and other chin-stroking individuals who bring along corporate speak of the type you might hear in a management consultancy firm. Let’s be clear, using phrases like “user experience”, “configure”, “percolate” and “metrics” is not the language of the terrace or the cheap seats, which is why people like Gary Neville drawing on a screen hits the spot far better with the game’s demographic than any statistic.

So let’s assume this sort of dialogue is really for those that know. Jay Cooney of Major League Soccer club Philadelphia Union hit the nail on the head when he told the Soccerex audience, “all data needs context” and this is where so many people – over fascinated by the data rather than how best to use it – fall down.

Cooney pointed to other factors that affect players and their performance and how this is often ignored. For example, if a game is played in incessant heat or dodging thunder storms (which stop games these days), performance is undoubtedly impacted or compromised.

We have seen how taking the data often guides transfer target decision-making. Since Moneyball, any nerd in a dark room thinks he or she can successfully build a football team through statistical analysis. It can work, but it also fails – remember how Fulham bought a new squad based on data-driven processes and flopped miserably? If it was that easy, we could all make a fortune predicting football results. Fortunately, football depends on human fallibility, gut feelings, suspect temperament, euphoria and other emotional factors.

Human beings have faults, so until Manchester City buy a team of robots (that day may come!), then the game will never be perfect.

We are seeing the day of the data analyst at the moment, but it is a day that has only really just started. It’s still the coach, who has to deal with the raw material, the human resources, that carries the can. Do data specialists get the sack when all the number crunching and heat maps prove ineffective?

Chester Perry
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by Chester Perry » Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:53 pm

This is a very interesting discussion

Panel Discussion with the Association of Sporting Directors - Technology and Data Within Decision Making
27 MAY, 2021


Part 1
During the recent Wyscout Forum 2021, we partnered with the Association of Sporting Directors to discuss how technology and data play their part in the decision-making processes around scouting and football transfers.

Hosted by the Association’s CEO Daniel Parnell, the panel’s guest speakers were;

Victor Orta, director of football at Leeds United FC
Ross Wilson, Director of Football at Rangers FC
Adam Braz, former Technical Director at CF Montréal,
Brian Marwood, Managing Director at City Football Services.

https://www.hudl.com/blog/panel-discuss ... rganic_3lg

Part 2
In Part 2 of our recent panel discussion with the Association of the Sporting Directors, our guest speakers focused on how clubs can implement virtuous pathways to maximize players’ development, making sure that all young talents are given the opportunity to reach their full potential at the club or in a different context. (Missed part 1? Catch up here).

Hosted by the Association’s CEO Daniel Parnell, the panel’s guest speakers were;

Victor Orta, Director of Football at Leeds United FC
Ross Wilson, Director of Football at Rangers FC
Adam Braz, former Technical Director at CF Montréal, and
Brian Marwood, Managing Director at City Football Services.

https://www.hudl.com/blog/panel-discuss ... rganic_3lg

aggi
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by aggi » Mon Aug 02, 2021 11:50 am

A recent article in the Athletic about this with quite a bit from Mike Rigg

https://theathletic.co.uk/2715135/2021/ ... inga-next/

KateR
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by KateR » Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:29 pm

excellent read, thanks for sharing :)

Woodleyclaret
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by Woodleyclaret » Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:24 am

This data driven approach doesnt appear any better for us acquiring new players rather than having a scout actually watching a few games and checking out real time ability or lack of it.

Adeola Friday
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by Adeola Friday » Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:23 pm

A different approach being suggested here, using data to find head coaches instead of players.

https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2021/10/ ... d-coach-2/

GodIsADeeJay81
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Re: Article from The Athletic- the rise of data in coaching, scouting and transfers...

Post by GodIsADeeJay81 » Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:04 pm

Adeola Friday wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:23 pm
A different approach being suggested here, using data to find head coaches instead of players.

https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2021/10/ ... d-coach-2/
Now that's quite interesting.
This user liked this post: Adeola Friday

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