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£92,000,000,000
prozone and amisco host debate on the
application of statistical data in football
Performance analysis specialists use
screening of baseball film to spark debate
on the use of data in football
The potential for the use of empirical
data in football management was debated
by a gathering of LMA members and
other experts at an event hosted by two
of the UK’s leading providers of sports
performance analysis systems, Prozone and
Amisco, on November 21st.
The event followed a private screening
of the film
Moneyball
, which tells the story
of the successful implementation of such
methods in Major League Baseball by
the Oakland Althletics and their general
manager, Billy Beane (portrayed in the film
by Brad Pitt, opposite).
Chaired by professor Chris Brady (Dean
of BPP Business School), the post-screening
discussion panel consisted of former
England manager Steve McClaren, LMA
chairman Howard Wilkinson, the Barclays
Premier League’s director of Youth Ged
Roddy MBE and Tom Glick, CEO of
Derby County. The panel discussed the
importance of statistical analysis to their
own roles and how it has enabled football
clubs to make increasingly informed
decisions in terms of their team selection
and player recruitment.
Glick highlighted the fact that statistical
scrutiny works equally well when deployed
to assess the progress of academy players
as it does with the first team squad.
Roddy agreed, stating that there’s a
direct benefit in the use of technology
in player education, as detailed analysis
often facilitates vast improvements in the
development of young talent.
The panel agreed that, should football
clubs more fully adopt the principles
of performance analysis, it must be
implemented top-to-bottom throughout
an organisation. Citing Beane’s
difficulties in convincing his coach to
believe in the Moneyball philosophy,
Glick emphasised just how important a
consistent methodological approach is to
achieving sustained success; Wilkinson
cited Barcelona as an ideal model while
McClaren lauded the coherent structure
he found in place during his time as
manager of FC Twente.
The predicted revenues generated by the global sports business
between now and 2015, according to a report by the professional
services firm Price Waterhouse Coopers.
the
manager
WINTER 2011
Performance of the Week
From basement battles to title deciders, FA Cup heroics to
European exploits – any team’s efforts could earn them the
LMA’s Performance of the Week award. Recent winners are...
Week
Ending Manager
Performance
01/12 Dougie Freedman Manchester United 1
Crystal Palace 2
(CarlingCup)
24/11
Lee Clark
Huddersfield Town 2
Notts County 1
17/11
Owen Coyle
Bolton Wanderers 5
Stoke City 0
03/11
Arsène Wenger
Chelsea 3
Arsenal 5
27/10
Roberto Mancini
Manchester United 1
Manchester City 6
20/10
Nigel Adkins
Southampton 1
West Ham United 0
06/10
Martin Jol
Fulham 6
Queens Park Rangers 0
29/09 Dougie Freedman Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Crystal Palace 3
15/09 Andy Hessenthaler
Hereford United 1
Gillingham 6
The F&C Thames River Performance of the Week is decided by a five-man
panel consisting of Sir Alex Ferguson, Howard Wilkinson, Joe Royle,
Dave Bassett and Barry Fry. The winner receives an engraved crystal vase,
in a presentation screened on Sky Sports’
Soccer Saturday
programme.
The net revenue which
UEFA expects to collect
over the four years
between 2014 and
2018 as a result of
the collective selling
of TV rights on behalf
of its 53 member
nations. This new
agreement covers the
rights to all qualifying
games (both World
Cup and European
Championship) and
a number of friendly
matches. If achieved,
the figure of
€
900m
would represent a
major increase on
the estimated
€
540m
previously raised by
individual agreements
over a similar period.
€
900m