Big data, Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning… It is increasingly common to hear these terms linked to the world of football, but… to what extent are these tools actually being used by clubs? And, even more importantly, how many of them have a real impact on the sporting development of teams today?
Anyone would say that the impact in Spain or Latin America is already enormous. And it is true that we keep seeing news in sports media that use terms such as the famous “expected goals” or that dare to predict the goals a certain striker would score if he signed for Real Madrid. It is also normal to find social media posts using some advanced metrics (with more or less judgement) and, lately, a large number of courses are also proliferating that invite us to train to become experts in things like big data, data science or advanced analytics applied to the world of football.
The reality is that, today, the impact is much smaller than one might expect. And yes, we say so with first-hand knowledge. Very few clubs have a data analytics strategy in place and have genuinely expert staff in the field (and these profiles are really hard to find!).
That is why in this blog post we are going to try to point out 5 KEY POINTS to start a good data analytics strategy in football, one that really has an impact and can be an advantage for your club. And we promise not to talk to you about sophisticated mathematical models or the latest cloud technology. Nor about very complicated algorithms or overly deep statistical concepts. Or at least not for the time being 😉
Let’s get to it!
Simple projects and an iterative methodology
We have been working in the world of data for many years, in this and in other industries where these topics are much more mature (telecoms, energy, banking…), and there is a common denominator in all of them: at the start, the greatest successes usually come from the most modest projects.
Often you start from zero and any progress, however small, is already gold for the club. Perhaps at first you do not need to have every existing metric under control, or the most advanced ones. Nor do you need to spend your whole budget on the most extensive database, or hire an army of analysts. Make use of the resources already available, focus on solving a use case that meets business needs and from there detect weaknesses. Start a process of constant, iterative improvement.
It is impossible to establish a data culture overnight; it is a long-term process and you will need a good foundation. Try to deliver results in the short term and keep growing from this seed.
Less is more
Another basic in the business world whatever industry we work in. We have to solve business problems and our business is football. The coaching staff do not care whether the solution is a neural network with 258 layers or a simple query and a chart that hits the nail on the head.
If both methods solve the problem, always choose the simpler route. We know it does not sound as “cool”, but it will be easier to communicate and will surely have more impact on the pitch.
The key is in the data. Don’t tie yourself to a single provider!
This is a controversial topic. When we talk to clubs and people in the world of football, each one has a preconceived idea about one provider or another. The truth is that they all have pros and cons.
Let’s not fool ourselves: data in this world is expensive and not everyone needs the “full pack”. At least not initially.
It is essential to be able to get the most out of the data each provider supplies and to know where their weaknesses and strengths lie. If it comes to it, being able to unify and consolidate information from different providers can be a competitive advantage.
Build an expert team, avoid individualities
When we talk about small projects and opting for simple solutions, we might think that acquiring the knowledge and skills to carry out this type of project can be achieved in the same way, easily and quickly.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and this is something this sector has perhaps not yet come to understand. You cannot become an expert in analytics or data science overnight, nor by taking this or that course. It takes time, hours of training and research and, above all, having faced a wide variety of real problems. Accumulating successes and failures is fundamental.
And another piece of bad news: you will never be able to stop training in this field. New technologies and tools appear every day that allow tasks to be done more efficiently.
So you will need profiles with a strong grounding in statistics, programming (Python, R and SQL are indispensable), database management, visualisation, communication skills and, of course, knowledge of the game. The question is: do you have all of this covered in your team?
Run away from unicorns or the technological Messi. The disciplines, technologies and topics are many and very deep. There is nobody who can master every facet. Is Messi good at defending, after all? An individual can win you a match or a final, but it will be a good, balanced and multidisciplinary team that gives you long-term stability for the strategy of your club or company.
Personalise, personalise and personalise
And lastly, the key to everything. Every club, sporting directorate, technical department, coaching staff… has specific and UNIQUE needs.
Would Guardiola and Mourinho sign the same right-back for their team? Then it is impossible that both need the same data-based scouting tool. It takes many hours talking about football, understanding the vision of sports professionals and many trial-and-error processes to arrive at the right solution.
What is the alternative to all this? Buying a single closed product and washing your hands of it, thinking that it covers all your analytical needs.
We are sorry, but if you choose that path you will not be able to say that you are betting on advanced analytics, data science or “big data” (in our first post we talked about this term). In that case you would undoubtedly be backing the wrong horse and playing at a disadvantage compared with the clubs that take the right path and make a long-term commitment.
In short, if we want to succeed and get a competitive advantage from data, we cannot turn advanced analytics in football into “fast food” when it is really “signature cuisine”.
Alebia Sports Analytics is your ideal signing to get the most out of your data. Together we will travel the road to success, with simplicity, speed and pragmatism. Get in touch with us!