Introduction course scout/analyst: Part I — Different roles
Welcome to the introduction course for the data/video scout or analyst. I’m Marc Lamberts and I’m a professional scout and analyst for clubs in both men’s and women’s football. If you want to know more about what I do and can offer, you can click here and here.
The idea behind this introductory course is to give an insight on what can be done in football analysis and recruitment with data and video, offering it for free, and being an introduction/step up to other courses which are more professional and accredited. I would always suggest you take those professional courses, but I hope to offer some kickstart to your interest and explain a little bit more about what can be done.
This is a 10-part course which will touch on a variety of subjects:
Week 1: Different roles
Week 2: Education + reading list
Week 3: Get video footage + how to watch games
Week 4. Data collecting, manipulation and translation
Week 5. Video analysis (report)
Week 6. Data context
Week 7. Data visuals
Week 8. Data analysis report
Week 9. Combining live, video, data -> profiles
Week 10. Presenting
Different roles
Before setting out to learn and tailor your education path, it’s important to have an idea of the roles you want to achieve. There are a great number of roles, just have a look at what Football Manager has to offer, but in essence there are a few categories in which we tend to look at/fall.
Performance analyst
This is kind of an all-around role, as it entails multiple different aspects of analysis in order to help the team. A performance analyst in football is a key member of a team’s support staff. The role involves tracking a wide range of statistics related to player and team performance. The performance analyst uses this data to create detailed reports and presentations that can be used by coaches and players to better understand the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
The performance analyst also plays an important role in breaking down game footage. This involves watching video footage of the team’s matches and analysing key moments and sequences to identify areas where the team can improve. The performance analyst may also use video analysis tools and software to support their work, making it easier to identify and track specific trends and patterns.
Once the data has been collected and analysed, the performance analyst works with the coaching staff to use this information to inform their tactical plans and coaching decisions. This may involve providing feedback to individual players, helping them understand how they can improve their performance and make a greater contribution to the team. The performance analyst may also work with the coaching staff to develop training programs and drills that focus on specific areas of improvement, such as improving ball control or passing accuracy.
Tactical analyst
A tactical analyst is responsible for analysing the strategies and tactics of both the team they work for and their opponents. This includes identifying strengths and weaknesses, studying game footage, and using data analysis tools to create reports and presentations. The information gathered by the tactical analyst is used by the coaching staff to make informed decisions about tactics and game strategy, such as formation, pressing, and transitions.
The tactical analyst is responsible for providing insight into the tactical approach of the opposition, including their preferred formations, styles of play, and key players. This information is used to inform the coaching staff’s game plan and to prepare the players for what they can expect on the field. The tactical analyst may also provide recommendations on how to exploit the opposition’s weaknesses and neutralise their strengths.
In addition to analysing opponents, the tactical analyst is also responsible for working with the coaching staff to develop the team’s own tactical approach. This includes identifying areas for improvement and working with the players to implement new strategies and tactics.
Opposition analyst
This role is a more specialist role and takes part of the tactical analyst’s job and only focuses on the opposition. It’s also known as opposition scout.
An opposition analyst in football is responsible for gathering and analysing information about upcoming opponents. This includes studying their playing style, tactics, personnel, and tendencies. The goal of the opposition analyst is to provide the coaching staff and players with as much information as possible about the upcoming opponents, so they can make informed decisions about game strategy and tactics.
The opposition analyst’s role typically involves breaking down game footage, tracking player and team statistics, and conducting research on the opposition. This information is then used to create detailed reports and presentations that provide insight into the opposition’s strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. The opposition analyst may also use video analysis tools and software to support their work, making it easier to identify and track specific trends and patterns.
Data analyst
The role of the data analyst involves using a range of analytical tools and software to collect and process data, and to identify trends and patterns. The data analyst may also work with other members of the team’s support staff, such as performance and tactical analysts, to ensure that the data they collect and analyse is aligned with the team’s goals and objectives.
The data analyst’s role is to support the coaching staff in making informed decisions about game strategy and tactics, player selection, and performance analysis. This may involve providing insights into player performance and suggesting areas for improvement, as well as identifying trends and patterns in the team’s performance that can inform tactical decisions.
The role of a data analyst in football is crucial in supporting the team’s performance and decision-making. By collecting and analysing data, the data analyst provides valuable insights that can help the team make informed decisions and improve overall performance. The use of data analysis is becoming increasingly important in today’s game, as teams look for ways to gain a competitive advantage and stay ahead of the curve.
Recruitment analyst
A recruitment analyst in football is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and tracking potential new players for the team. This includes scouting players, analysing their performance data, and conducting background research to assess their suitability for the team. The recruitment analyst’s role is to support the team’s scouting and player acquisition efforts, and to provide the coaching staff with information that can inform their player selection decisions.
The recruitment analyst’s work involves collecting and analysing data on potential players, including statistics such as passing accuracy, shooting efficiency, and defensive performance. This data is used to identify trends and patterns in player performance, and to compare players with one another in order to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses.
In addition to data analysis, the recruitment analyst may also be responsible for conducting background research on potential players, including their personal, educational, and financial backgrounds. This information is used to assess the player’s character and commitment, and to determine whether they would be a good fit for the team.
The recruitment analyst works closely with the coaching staff and other members of the team’s support staff, such as performance and tactical analysts, to ensure that the players they identify are aligned with the team’s goals and objectives. They also collaborate with scouts to gather additional information and to observe potential players in person.
The role of a recruitment analyst in football is to support the team’s player acquisition efforts by providing valuable information and insights that can inform player selection decisions. Through data analysis and background research, the recruitment analyst helps ensure that the team is able to attract the best possible talent and build a strong, successful squad.
Different to recruitment analysts, scouts have a different role in this. Their objective is to identify players and judge their abilities on the given profile that’s given by the recruitment analysts. They both work in the same framework, but with different tasks.
Set piece analyst
A set piece analyst in football is responsible for analysing and optimizing the team’s set piece play, such as corner kicks, free kicks, and penalties. This includes studying the opponent’s set piece defense, identifying their weaknesses and tendencies, and devising strategies to exploit them.
The set piece analyst’s role involves breaking down video footage of set pieces, both for the team and their opponents, in order to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. They may also use data analysis tools and software to support their work, such as tracking the success rate of different set piece types and identifying areas for improvement.
The set piece analyst works closely with the coaching staff and players to provide them with information and advice on set piece strategy and tactics. They may also be responsible for creating set piece plans and drills for the team to practice, and for providing feedback and guidance to players during training sessions.
In addition, to set piece analysis, the set piece analyst may also be involved in creating set piece routines and choreographing set piece plays. This requires a deep understanding of the tactics and techniques involved in set piece play, as well as an ability to think creatively and outside the box.
Coach analyst/training analyst
Another emerging role is th role of coaching or training analyst. In this role, you combine the role of performance analyst on the training ground with that of a coach. You evaluate training drills, practises and routines, and then offer changes or advice. In doing so you make sure the optimal experience will be had on the training pitch that’s altered to the games.
Why is this relevant?
It’s great to learn everything there is, but becoming an expert on everything is impossible. In your journey to becoming an analyst or scout, it’s important to have a clear goal and tailor your path to that goal. So ask yourself: what does feel the best to follow? And, what am I good at?
Reading up on the different roles and the specialist roles with them, will give you a better idea of where you might want to go to. I realise this might not be new to many of you, but it’s this context that will set you up for the whole course.
Next week we will look at something more concrete. We will go deeper into the materials you might want to read to get to know more about football analysis and scouting, will provide a few good websites to follow and go deeper into the professional courses that are available online.
