July 28, 2025 • 41 mins
MRKT Insights: Football Consultancy Services and Industry Challenges
We dive deep in this episode into MRKT Insights' multifaceted consultancy services within the football industry, emphasizing their data-driven approach to enhance team performance and inform strategic decisions for clubs and owners. It highlights the disconnect between data and traditional football language, showcasing MRKT Insights' role in bridging this gap through unique metrics and coaching insights. Furthermore, it reveals the company's involvement in player recruitment, particularly from emerging markets like Africa, advocating for a risk-aware investment strategy for high-upside talent. They also address the cyclical nature of success and failure in football clubs, stressing the importance of owners retaining knowledge and controlling long-term development, while acknowledging the unique, non-replicable success of celebrity-owned teams. Ultimately, MRKT Insights positions itself as a strategic partner, offering bespoke analytics, recruitment expertise, and investment advisory to help clubs achieve their sporting and business goals.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review to help more players and coaches discover the power of Techne Futbol and Data Technology in the beautiful game.
#TechneAfricaFutbol #TechneFutbol #TrainWithTechne #Playermaker #TraceFutbol #Hudl #FootballTech #FootballInnovation #PlayerDevelopment #CoachTools #SmartFootballTraining #AfricanFootball #CAFOnline #FIFA #FIFAYouth #CAFDevelopment #YouthFootballAfrica #NextGenFootball #FootballScouting #TalentIdentification #DigitalScouting #EliteYouthDevelopment #FootballJourney #FootballAnalytics #FIFAForward #FutebolAfricano #TrainTrackCompete #FootballExcellence #FootballAfrica #TheFutureOfFootball
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
OK, let's unpack this. Have you ever felt like you're
just drowning in information, especially in a complex field,
and wish someone could just, youknow, cut through the noise for
you? Oh.
Absolutely. We've all been there.
We have, right Today we're embarking on a deep dive into
the utterly fascinating high stakes world of professional
football. But we're not just talking goals
(00:23):
and glory, the stuff you see splashed across headlines.
No, we're going deeper. Much deeper into the intricate,
strategic, and often intensely data-driven decisions that
happen while far behind the scenes.
Yeah, the engine room. Exactly Our mission for this
deep dive is really to extract the most critical insights from
a wealth of expert analysis. We want to show you how truly
(00:43):
good information is the absolutekey to making smart decisions.
Even in football. Even in an industry as
passionate and, let's be honest,as tradition bound as football
often is, we're going to explorehow cutting edge insights are
fundamentally transforming everything, pretty much from how
players are scouted and recruited to how coaches
(01:05):
strategize and develop their teams, and even how entire clubs
are owned and managed. These are complex, multimillion
dollar enterprises. Now imagine for a moment being
in the room where these pivotal choices are made, understanding
that intricate, often delicate dance between raw data and, you
know, crucial human intuition. It's a fascinating blend.
(01:27):
It really is. It's a landscape far more
complex and compelling than a simple league table might
suggest. And what's truly fascinating
here, picking up on your point, is how often industries,
especially those now rich in data, really struggle with a
common language, a shared vocabulary, Right.
Football is absolutely no different.
In fact, that linguistic disconnect can be profound,
(01:47):
creating significant friction. You see, there's often this,
this chasm, a gap, a huge gap. Yeah, between what the data
analysts observe in their complex dashboards and
statistical models with coaches intuitively understand from, you
know, decades on the training ground actually molding human
beings. Yeah, the practical side.
Exactly and crucially, what clubowners need to know to make
(02:08):
sound hiring or investment decisions, decisions that impact
the very future, the very financial health of their
organization. So bridging that gap is
essential. It is, and our goal today is to
bridge that gap for you to illuminate how these disparate
pieces of information can, and indeed must fit together
seamlessly for success. OK, here's where it gets really
(02:31):
interesting for me. We constantly hear about data in
sports. It sounds very scientific, very
precise, doesn't it it? Does on the surface.
But what does that actually meanon the ground, you know, in the
real muddy, incredibly dynamic world of football?
And maybe more importantly, how do you make sure everyone
involved in a club? Everyone.
(02:52):
Yeah, from the analytics department crunching numbers to
the coaching staff screaming instructions, from the touchline
to the, well, the suits in the boardroom making $1,000,000
decisions. How do you ensure they're
actually speaking the same language when they talk about
performance or strategy? That's the $1,000,000 question,
isn't it? It feels like it because it's
not just a minor hiccup, is it? It seems like a fundamental,
(03:12):
pervasive problem that could cripple even the most ambitious
club. It absolutely can't.
Think of it like different departments in a big company.
Imagine the engineers talking about, I don't know, component
tensile strength, while the marketing team is focused on
durable consumer appeal for the exact same product.
They're both talking about a core quality, sure, but if they
(03:35):
don't have a shared practical understanding of what those
terms actually mean in practice.This leads to chaos.
Exactly. Confusion, miscommunication and
ultimately suboptimal outcomes. And in football, that disconnect
can mean miss hiring a coach wholooks good on paper but doesn't
fit the club style at all. Or signing the wrong player.
Or miss signing a player who performs well by one metric but
(03:57):
lacks that crucial context you mentioned.
Or fundamentally misjudging a team's overall direction, just
squandering precious resources in time.
You've really hit on the core challenge perfectly there.
There is a deeply significant disconnect.
It's between the precise, sometimes arcane technology used
by highly specialized data departments, the jargon.
(04:19):
Yeah, the jargon. Then you've got the more
experiential, often intuitive language of coaches and then the
very specific, often bottom linedriven information club owners
seek when they're making those crucial, often irreversible
hiring or investment decisions. Can you give us an example?
Make it concrete. Sure.
Let me give you a couple of concrete examples to illustrate
(04:39):
this language barrier in action,because it's really where the
rubber meets the road. OK, take PPDA for instance,
passes per defensive action. Right, I've heard that.
One, it's a common data metric, often used to quantify how
intensely A-Team presses on a spreadsheet.
It looks neat. A low PPDA suggests high
pressure high up the pitch. A high PPDA implies a more
(05:01):
passive approach. Seems straightforward.
Seems straightforward, but in data terms it's often simplified
just as pressing. Now talk to a coach.
From their perspective, PPDA really doesn't capture what they
mean by pressing at all. How so?
Well, for a coach, pressing is acoordinated tactical action.
It's about anticipating opponentmovements, forcing turnovers in
(05:23):
specific zones, executing a collective strategy with precise
timing triggers. The whole system working
together. Exactly.
Not just a raw numerical averageof passes before someone tries
to tackle the context why they're pressing where they're
pressing, The coordinated intentand movement of multiple
players. All of that rich tactical detail
(05:43):
is completely lost when you simply label PPDA as pressing.
So the coach and the analyst could be talking, asked each
other. Completely.
A coach might see a high PPDA and think my team isn't pressing
enough, while the analysts mightbe measuring a totally different
aspect of defensive action or missing the nuances of how the
pressing is happening or not happening.
OK, that makes sense. What's another example?
(06:03):
Another classic is box entries. Right, getting the ball into the
penalty area. Exactly.
Data might show a team has a surprisingly high number of box
entries on its surface. That sounds good, right?
More attacking threat, more chances.
Yeah, sounds positive. But there's a world of
difference between, say, a hopeful, speculative long ball
(06:25):
lumped into a crowded penalty area from the halfway line.
A. Hoof.
Basically, pretty much, yeah. That might technically count as
a box entry, but compare that toa precise, incisive through ball
from just outside the area that surgically dissects the defense,
putting a player clean through on goal.
A high quality scoring opportunity.
Totally different things. Totally different.
The quality, the context, the intent, the location of that
(06:48):
entry matter immensely, not justthe raw number.
So if decision makers, owners, sporting directors misinterpret
these metrics. Taking them at face value.
Exactly. Without the crucial context, it
can lead to deeply flawed judgments about a team's true
playing style, a coach's effectiveness, or even a
player's contribution. They might think they have an
(07:09):
incisive attacking team when really it's built on hopeful.
Punts leading to bad decisions down the line.
Inevitably so, the solution, as we've seen experts develop over
time, is to create a common, robust framework, something that
translates these complex data points into actionable insights
that resonate across all departments.
A shared language again. A shared language built on
(07:30):
better data. Over the last couple of years,
specialists have dedicated significant effort to this.
They've developed, I think it's 54 distinct data points now and
that number is still growing. Wow, 54 for.
Each coach for each season. And these aren't just raw
statistics like pass completion.They're granular, contextualized
metrics designed to capture the true essence of a coach's
(07:52):
philosophy and how their team actually plays.
So more specific things. Much more specific.
For instance, instead of just successful passes, a data point
might quantify progressive passes into the final third
under high defensive pressure orset piece success rate for
chances created, not just goal scorer.
OK, much more nuanced. Exactly.
(08:12):
They might measure defensive line height at different phases
of play, or average distance of defensive actions from their own
goal. This level of detailed, specific
data allows for incredibly precise comparison and
understanding. Comparing coaches properly.
Comparing coaching philosophies.Distinct team play styles With
(08:33):
this granular detail, an owner or director can see exactly how
a coach gets their teams to play, what their strategic
principles are, and how their approach truly compares to
others, not just who wins games.But how they win?
Precisely and critically, if their underlying methodology
aligns with the club's long termvision, its resources, its
player profile requirements. This avoids the trap of mis
(08:55):
hiring based on superficial results or just gut feeling.
It translates the abstract numbers.
Into actionable insights that everyone can understand and use
for proper strategic alignment. It cuts through the noise.
So it's clear communication is paramount.
We're bridging that data to decision gap, translating
complex metrics into a shared language.
But once we have that shared understanding, what are these
(09:16):
insights actually applied to? Because ultimately, it's about
building successful organizations, isn't it?
And in football, that means a holistic approach to every
single part of the club. Precisely.
You've got it. If we connect this to the bigger
picture, it's about far more than just raw numbers.
It's about combining that deep data excellence with nuanced
human insights to build truly winning teams.
(09:39):
On and off the pitch. Absolutely.
And that applies whether we're talking about the specific
players on the field, the coaches leading them through the
tactical intricacies, or the executive decisions made in the
boardroom regarding strategic planning and even crucial
investment. So it touches everything.
It really does. This multifaceted specialist
service isn't just about crunching numbers in isolation.
It's about applying those insights holistically to
(10:01):
critical areas like player recruitment, coach recruitment,
strategic long term planning andfundamentally making sound
investment decisions that Dr. sustainable value for the club.
Let's dive into player recruitment, then.
This area is particularly fascinating because it touches
on something so deeply human and, frankly, so
counterintuitive sometimes Risk.Why is it that in professional
(10:22):
football, a sport literally built on daring individual
moves, on flashes of brilliance that sometimes require a massive
leap of faith, why does there seem to be so much widespread
reluctance to take calculated risks when it comes to signing
players, especially younger ones, potentially unproven but
maybe incredibly talented individuals?
It's one of the most perplexing things you observe in football,
(10:44):
that pervasive risk aversion, and you know it largely stems
from what many inside clubs describe as a deeply entrenched
blame culture. Yeah.
In that kind of environment, anyperceived failure, any player
who doesn't immediately hit the ground running, any investment
that doesn't yield instant returns is seen as a direct,
(11:04):
almost existential threat to an individuals job security.
Heads will roll. Pretty much, if you're a scout,
a head of recruitment, a sporting director, making a high
stakes decision on a player who doesn't deliver immediately can
mean you're out the door, your reputation potentially
tarnished. So it discourages risk.
Fundamentally, yeah, this culture discourages exactly what
(11:26):
every savvy investor and successful business is
constantly looking for, low cost, high upside bets.
Explain that a bit more. Well, these are investments that
individually might have a low probability of success.
Any single bet might not pay off.
But when you build a portfolio of them, when you make multiple
such calculated risks, the overall returns can be
absolutely massive, exponential even.
(11:49):
Like venture capital? Almost.
It's a fundamental principle of diversified investment.
Yeah, you have to accept that not every single bet will pay
off. It's inherently A portfolio
approach. Some will fail, but the few that
succeeds spectacularly will morethan make up for the others.
But clubs don't think like that.Often, no.
Instead of embracing this, clubsoften prioritize experience,
(12:12):
meaning proven, often expensive.Older players safer bets,
supposedly, or they shy away entirely from developing players
demanding immediate, guaranteed returns.
They want a finished product, a plug and play solution, not a
project. Which limits their potential.
Severely limits their potential for exponential growth and
ultimately their long term competitiveness.
(12:33):
Is anyone doing it differently? We'll contrast that with what
we're observing and what sometimes termed an African
project by some leading clubs. Here you have some genuinely
forward thinking clubs who trulyunderstand this concept of
calculated risk. They're effectively going all in
on deals, taking multiple players from emerging African
markets in a single transfer window.
(12:53):
For example, I know one partner club took three players just
recently and another is looking to bring in as many as seven
over the next two years. Wow 7.
Yeah, it shows deep conviction in the strategy.
They're so confident in this long term approach that deals
are being lined up years in advance for what they identify
as top tier talent. This isn't just opportunistic,
(13:15):
it's a profound strategic pivot.A real commitment.
A real commitment, demonstratingan almost prescient
understanding of where future talent lies and a willingness to
invest with conviction in that long term vision.
That's not the norm. Far from it.
The vast majority of clubs stillkind of mired in that short term
risk averse mindset won't even consider these players.
They offer a whole litany of excuses.
(13:37):
Like what? Pure things like we only want
experience, which often means establish safer but less
profitable options. Or we can't take 12 months to
develop a player, which speaks to a lack of patience and maybe
proper player integration pathways.
Or infrastructure. Or infrastructure.
Sometimes, quite revealingly, you hear we wouldn't know what
to do with them, which highlights a fundamental lack of
(13:58):
the necessary development expertise, or perhaps just the
willingness to invest in properly unlocking this hidden
value. Meanwhile, others are profiting.
Hugely look at the Scandinavian model, particularly in places
like Sweden or Norway. Clubs there have become masters
of this low cost, high upside strategy.
How does that work? They acquire promising young
(14:19):
talent, often from emerging markets like Africa.
Within 6 to 12 months of arrival.
They're selling these players onfirst, say 3,000,000 US or more.
We've seen examples where clubs achieve returns of 20, even 50
times their initial investment. 50.
Times This isn't just incremental gain, it's massive
transformational return on investment, all by embracing
(14:41):
smart, calculated risk, effective player ID, and
crucially, an efficient, focusedplayer development system that
quickly integrates and polishes talent for resale.
It's a blueprint for financial sustainability and sporting
competitiveness. Can you give us a real world
example of this working? Absolutely.
To illustrate a real world success story that exemplifies
(15:02):
this, consider the recently facilitated transfer of Samuel
James. He's a Nigeria under 20
international player. He moved from the Nigerian club
Mavlon to the European club SJK Sanyoki in Finland.
This was an incredibly exciting opportunity not just for Samuel
to showcase his talent in Europe.
Huge step for him. Massive step, but also for SJK
(15:24):
Sanyoki to recruit top young international talent through a
proven pathway. It really highlights the
dedicated talent development work being done at Mavlon FC as
well. So a collaboration.
Exactly. This particular transfer was a
testament to strong collaboration between multiple
specialist entities, in this case a specialist firm, Compass
Consulting and Momentum Sports Management Ltd, all working
(15:46):
together. Making it smooth.
Making the transition as smooth and effective as possible for
the young player. Everything from scouting and due
diligence to visa processing andplayer care.
It truly showcases the power of a well developed, interconnected
network in this space. So for these kinds of projects
to work, these low cost, high upside talent acquisitions, what
(16:06):
do the European clubs need to bring to the table?
That's a great question. The specialist teams
facilitating them have very specific requirements for their
European club partners. First and foremost, they
absolutely need partners who canprovide excellent player
development programs. Nurturing the talent.
Exactly, ensuring the raw talentis nurtured, coached and
(16:28):
progresses optimally. High standard player care and
support are also paramount. Remember, these are often young
players moving far from home. The adjustment.
Huge adjustment crossing continents needing significant
support systems both on and off the pitch to adapt and thrive.
And finally, clubs need to have a clear long term vision for the
(16:48):
specific player profiles they are looking for.
Strategic recruitment. So the acquisition is strategic,
not just opportunistic, ensuringa proper fit for the team's
playing style and future needs. And what do the clubs get in
return? In return, these European clubs
gain privileged access to what is arguably the fastest growing
player market globally, Africa. They get clear and fair deals
(17:09):
that genuinely share both the risk and the upside for all
parties involved. Including the selling club.
Including the selling club and the players representatives?
Yes. Furthermore, local teams on the
ground in regions like Nigeria handle all the necessary
arrangements, visas, accommodation, appropriate local
checks, streamlining the entire,often complex process for the
(17:32):
European club. Makes sense.
OK, so it's not just about finding the next star player,
but also the person who can moldthem into a cohesive winning
unit, The coach. Absolutely vital.
It sounds like a comprehensive system.
What kind of impact do these insights have on coaching
careers specifically? Because that's another
incredibly high stakes role, isn't it?
Constantly under the microscope,immense pressure.
(17:53):
Immense pressure. Exactly.
And just as with players, data and strategic insight are really
revolutionizing coaching pathways.
Now there's a dedicated program,for instance, called the
Coaching Career Advancement Program.
OK, what does that do? It's specifically designed to
help head coaches understand their own performance data, how
their tactical approaches objectively compared to peers,
(18:13):
and crucially, how to leverage that information to progress
effectively in their careers. It gives them from a data backed
narrative. An objective view of themselves.
An objective, data backed narrative of their capabilities
and impact. Yes.
And does it work? Are there results?
The results from this program have been quite impressive
actually. It really demonstrates the
practical, career changing application of these insights.
(18:37):
In a recent batch of coaches whoparticipated, almost all have
now moved into full time significant roles across various
leagues. Like where?
Well, the list includes a Premier League assistant manager
working at the very pinnacle of English football.
A head coach in Japan's prestigious J1 League, showing
that global reach. A head coach in the USL in the
United States indicating expansion into growing markets.
(19:00):
The head coach in Scottish Premiership and an EFL
Championship head coach in England.
So tangible results. Absolutely.
This isn't just theoretical stuff, it's tangible, practical
application of data leading directly to significant career
progression for individuals in ahighly competitive, results
driven industry. And beyond that specific
program. Well beyond that program, the
(19:21):
specialist in this field have extensive head coach recruitment
expertise themselves. They've successfully identified,
vetted and recruited over 30 head coaches for clubs across a
really wide spectrum. All levels.
All levels, ranging from clubs competing in the Champions
League, the absolute pinnacle demanding the highest strategic
acumen, all the way to clubs in emerging football markets with
(19:43):
different developmental needs and financial constraints.
So they understand different club needs.
Exactly this broad reach demonstrates a deep, nuanced
understanding of the diverse needs and strategic priorities
of different clubs globally and during a tailor made fit between
club philosophy and coaching methodology.
OK, so we've covered players andcoaches beyond individuals, What
(20:05):
about the entire club? Can data truly transform a
club's performance from the ground up?
Can it even challenge those longheld beliefs or traditions that
might perhaps have held them back for years?
Because clubs can be resistant to change, right?
They certainly can, like many established institutions.
That's a crucial point, and the answer is a resounding yes it
(20:26):
can. Independent club performance
insights are a vital, often transformative service provided
to clubs, and the results can bequite striking, sometimes quite
immediate. For instance, for example, just
last year, 4 client clubs that utilize this kind of service
finished in the top four positions in their respective
leagues, securing highly covetedspot.
Top 4 is huge. It is.
(20:47):
And what's even more telling, perhaps, is that all four were
among the 10 best improvers on expected goal difference XGD
across the top five divisions ofEnglish football.
Explain XGD again quickly. Sure, expected goal difference
XGD. It basically estimates the
number of goals A-Team should have scored based on the quality
and quantity of chances they created, minus the goals they
(21:08):
should have conceded based on their opponent's chances.
So it cuts through luck. Exactly.
It cuts through the noise of luck, individual errors,
spectacular saves. It gives you a truer underlying
picture of its team's performance, their tactical
effectiveness, and whether theirstrategies are consistently
generating high probability opportunities at one end and
(21:29):
stifling them at the other. So those four clubs weren't just
lucky, their underlying performance improved
dramatically. Precisely.
Now, let's be absolutely clear here.
This level of success certainly won't happen every single year,
nor will it happen for every club that engages with such a
service. Football is inherently
unpredictable, of course. Hard work of implementation,
(21:51):
actually changing training methods, player mindsets,
recruitment targets. That always takes place within
the clubs themselves with their dedicated staff and players.
The. Clubs have to do the work.
They do. But what this consistent success
underscores is the immense valueof an independent, objective
opinion. It's about having that external,
data-driven perspective that canchallenge deeply ingrained
(22:13):
internal thinking, highlight previously unseen blind spots,
maybe confirm existing strengths.
Provide a road map. Exactly providing that crucial
impetus for improvement and a road map for strategic
advantage. It gives them the evidence
needed for potentially difficultbut necessary changes.
What does this service actually involve?
Like a report. A core part of the service
(22:35):
includes detailed annual club season reviews.
And these aren't just superficial summaries, believe
me. They involve an incredibly deep
dive into the team's entire season, analyzing every facet of
performance. Going beyond standard stats.
Way beyond standard stats, they employ unique, often proprietary
metrics designed to capture nuances that traditional stats
miss entirely. These comprehensive reviews
(22:56):
incorporate specific coach data,those 54 plus data points we
discussed. Right, the detailed coach
metrics. And incredibly detailed profiles
of individual players, providingA holistic, granular
understanding of the team's collective and individual
performances. But crucially, these reviews
don't just present data. They offer solutions.
(23:17):
They translate it into suggestedstrategies, actionable bespoke
recommendations for improvement moving forward, directly
addressing the identified weaknesses and opportunities.
Can you give an example of how data reveals playing style?
Sure. To give you a taste of how data
can illuminate a team's playing style and challenge conventional
wisdom, consider an example of ateam that, on paper, has
(23:39):
surprisingly low possession statistics.
Which normally means they aren'tdominating.
Conventional wisdom often dictates that successful teams
control the ball right? Yet this particular team was
remarkably effective. Despite low possession.
The data revealed that their chance quality, the probability
of their shots resulting in goals, was exceptionally high.
Even without long passing moves.Even without long sequences of
(24:02):
passes leading up to those opportunities, this profoundly
challenges that traditional notion that successful teams
must always dominate possession.It suggests that efficient
direct play can be equally, if not more effective.
Interesting. So how are they creating these
high quality chances? Well, the reviews can pinpoint
exactly how. For this low possession, high
(24:25):
quality chance team, for instance, they were particularly
effective at creating chances from cutbacks.
Those short crosses from the byline?
Exactly short crosses played back into the central scoring
zone from wide areas. They also excelled from through
balls, those precise passes thatbypass the opposition's final
defensive line, putting an attacker straight in.
Breaking the line. Breaking the lines and they
(24:47):
consistently created these high quality opportunities from
what's known as the Golden Zone.The prime scoring area.
That high value central area, roughly 10 to 18 yards directly
in front of goal. It's the sweet spot where shots
have the highest probability of resulting in goals, a key focus
for attacking strategies. And the data showed this
consistently. Consistently, the data could
(25:09):
also show that this team was well above the league average in
both offensive output creating dangerous chances, and defensive
output limiting opponent chances.
And, crucially, they're expectedpoints.
What they should have got. What they should have earned
based purely on the quality of chances created and conceded,
aligned very closely with their actual performance, indicating
(25:31):
their results were absolutely nofluke.
What about pressure? Their pressure metrics were
exceptional, too. They ranked among the very best
for pressure in their league andwere just outside the top 20%
globally for attacking pressure,demonstrating their ability to
consistently disrupt opponents high up the pitch and win the
ball back quickly. So these reviews aren't just
(25:52):
descriptive, they're prescriptive too.
Absolutely. They don't just present
impressive data, they pinpoint specific areas to investigate
that lead to immediate, actionable insights.
Like what kind of insights? This includes specific
positions, additional advice highlighting precisely where the
team's strengths and weaknesses lie within the squad, how they
compare league wide, and which positional groups or individual
(26:14):
players might need upgrades or maybe different profiles to
optimize the team's style. Setting targets as well.
Yes, helping set clear, measurable performance targets
for the next season and beyond, including what playing style
targets will need to be reached to have the best chance of
improving and reaching their strategic objectives.
And finally, these reviews encompass A comprehensive
(26:34):
strategic review. Ensuring alignment.
Ensuring that there is a clear, actionable and data back
strategy in place for the club to consistently outperform its
budget. Turning that investment into
tangible on field success. This truly goes beyond just the
pitch then, doesn't it? It really sounds like these
specialists are helping club owners.
Things like savvy long term investors aligning the on field
(26:56):
product with sound sustainable business principles.
It's incredibly comprehensive. It absolutely is.
Specialists in this field reallyhelp clubs realize both their
sporting and their business goals simultaneously,
understanding that in modern football, 1 cannot exist
optimally without the other. It's a dual focus.
It has to be. They leverage unique proprietary
(27:18):
data, sophisticated algorithms and thoroughly tested processes,
all with a proven track record of helping clubs significantly
outperform their budgets. It's about making intelligent,
data-driven decisions that translate into tangible
financial value and competitive advantage.
And this extends to buying clubstoo.
Yes, it extends to what's calledbuy side evaluation.
(27:39):
In this capacity, they work directly with investment banks,
private equity firms, potential new owners, anyone considering
acquiring a football club. Doing homework.
Exactly. Conducting meticulous
footballing due diligence, whichis essentially doing the
equivalent of a comprehensive financial and operational audit
for a company, but specifically focusing on the footballing
assets. What does that cover?
(28:00):
The underlying infrastructure, the current player roster, the
youth Academy, the coaching staff, the strategic potential
of a club, all before a major investment is made.
This critical process provides aclear, objective picture of the
sporting health and future valueof the asset.
Blending finance and football expertise.
It truly highlights the essential blend of deep
(28:22):
financial acumen and profound, practical football expertise
that is now absolutely required at the highest levels of club
ownership and investment. OK, this deep dive has truly
shown us how data and sophisticated strategy are
evolving football from the ground up, transforming it from
maybe a traditional game into a much more data powered
enterprise. But what about the bigger
(28:44):
picture? The inherent challenges within
the industry itself and the constant need for adaptation,
not just for clubs but even for the analytics industry.
Providing these insights, it seems like a constantly moving
target. It really is, and this raises an
important, perhaps a slightly uncomfortable question that many
in football ponder. Why is sustained long term
success so incredibly difficult for football clubs to to
(29:07):
achieve? The reality is consistent top
tier performance decade after decade.
It's almost impossible. Short bursts of glory.
Clubs experience short, gloriousperiods of triumph at best,
fleeting moments of glory beforethe cycle often restarts,
sometimes quite dramatically. It's a boom and bust cycle that
many find themselves trapped in.Can you illustrate that?
(29:29):
Sure. Consider a poignant case study.
Five years ago, specialists began working intensely with two
clubs, helping their owners realize ambitious visions.
These services help them build out robust scouting and
recruitment departments literally from scratch.
Laying the foundation. Acting as crucial internal
support for the 1st 18 to 36 months, laying a strong
foundation, both clubs achieved significant promotions climbing
(29:52):
up the league pyramid and at onepoint they were widely regarded
as two of the best run clubs in Europe.
Lauded for their approach. Lauded for their intelligent
approach and efficiency, Yes. Yeah.
Just five years later, Despite that initial success, they found
themselves effectively back where they started.
How did that happen? The.
Core problem. A profound, almost cyclical loss
(30:14):
of institutional knowledge. What does that mean in practice?
What happens is that all the keystaff, the head coaches who
delivered the wins, the heads ofrecruitment who found the
talent, the scouts who identified the gems, the entire
data department that provided the insights, they leave.
Or get fired. Both.
They either leave for bigger, more lucrative jobs after
(30:35):
periods of success, or they are tragically sacked because
results inevitably turn poor in,say, Year 5, as cycles often
dictate. In some cases, even the owners
sell the club, wiping the slate clean.
So the knowledge walks out the door.
Exactly the devastating consequences that no knowledge
of what success truly looked like, or crucially, how to build
(30:57):
out a sustainable plan to achieve it, has been retained
within the club. When new hires come in, a new
sporting director, a new head coach, they often tell everyone
there was nothing when I got here.
We're starting from scratch. And you're right.
And sadly and accurately, that'strue.
This isn't unusual. Many clubs can go through their
third or fourth complete rebuildin a relatively short period,
simply repeating past mistakes because the blueprint was lost.
(31:20):
So what's the lesson for owners?This highlights a critical,
often uncomfortable imperative for owners.
They need to be the ones fundamentally in control of
building their clubs long term value.
It's sustainable infrastructure,it's intellectual property and
footballing terms. Not relying solely on the
football staff. Precisely.
Football staff, by the very nature of the industry, live in
(31:41):
constant fear of the sack. Their careers are built on
immediate success, on achieving results right now, which often
incentivizes them to win now at almost any cost for their
personal career advancement. I'm thinking exactly.
You simply cannot build long term sustainable value for a
club, a value that transcends individual personnel changes.
(32:02):
When everyone on the footballingstaff is incentivized only to
win in the immediate term, they make short term decisions that
can undermine the future. That inherent disconnect is a
fundamental, almost existential challenge for club longevity.
Wow, so even the specialists in this field, the analytics
providers, they need to adapt constantly too, just like the
clubs they serve. How has the analytics industry
(32:25):
itself changed over the last twoyears?
And what crucial lessons can we learn about thriving and
surviving in such a competitive,dynamic and ever evolving
market? Oh, it's been a truly
fascinating period of rapid evolution and frankly, necessary
strategic pivots. On the positive side, we've seen
significant growth in the demandfor these insights.
(32:45):
More clubs buying in. Definitely.
For example, one firm I know reached 60 paying clients since
its launch back in 2019 that nowincludes almost 1/4 of the
professional clubs in England alone.
That's significant penetration, it is.
And beyond that, they've expanded internationally, adding
clubs in South America, Oceania,Africa.
Jokingly, only Antarctica is left to complete the set.
(33:06):
This truly shows a burgeoning global demand for sophisticated,
data-driven football insights. But.
It's not all smooth sailing. No.
The landscape is also changing rapidly and becoming much more
crowded. A lot of new companies, many of
them exceptionally well backed by significant investment
capital, have moved into the club analytics space.
(33:27):
More competition. A lot more competition.
They are effectively fighting over a fixed number of clients,
most of whom, it's important to remember, already have existing
software systems or internal analytics departments.
This creates a highly competitive, sometimes
aggressive environment where differentiation is absolutely
key. So how are firms adapting?
In response, what we're seeing is a clear strategic shift in
(33:50):
growth for many established firms.
For example, the growth for someis increasingly in strategic and
investment advisory for ownership groups moving beyond
just providing data reports. Higher level services, higher
level. Helping clients not just analyze
players but identify potential clubs to purchase, conduct that
crucial due diligence we discussed, create comprehensive
(34:11):
strategic plans for those clubs once acquired, and then
assisting in hiring the key personnel needed to execute
those. Plans and focusing on new
markets. And there's also been a
significant focus on developing work in emerging markets like
Africa. There's a huge belief in the
potential of football there and significant times has been
invested in building deep long term relationships on the
(34:31):
continent. This shift isn't just about
diversification, it's about moving higher up the value
chain, from data provision to true strategic partnership.
Are there downsides to this growth?
Negatives. Oh, absolutely.
Of course there are negatives. The costs of raw data, for
instance, have just exploded in the last five years.
That's a significant burner for both providers and clients
(34:52):
alike. Driving up prices.
Driving up prices and this escalating cost highlights a
critical issue how monopolies inthe data provision space are
really not good for customers atall, limiting choice and pushing
costs higher. So what's the main take away for
businesses in this space? The key overarching lesson for
any business operating in such adynamic and competitive
(35:13):
environment, whether it's football, analytics or any other
sector, is the absolute necessity to adapt quickly,
continuously and fearlessly. Adapt or die, basically.
Pretty much what started for some as core data and player
recruitment services back in say, 2019 is now often only a
small, albeit still enjoyable and foundational part of a much
(35:35):
wider, more comprehensive business.
Offering survival and thriving in a very competitive industry
therefore comes from being agile.
From, well, saying yes to any and every opportunity that
aligns with your core capabilities, even if the
initial profit from that specific opportunity seems
minimal. It's about building an adaptable
business that can pivot, learn and grow in new, sometimes
(35:57):
unforeseen directions. Fascinating.
OK, finally, let's look at one of the most talked about stories
in football right now, a club that has seemingly defied all
odds and captivated audiences worldwide.
It's a compelling narrative, no doubt.
Wrexham AFC. Exactly.
But what's the real lesson here?Beyond the headlines and the,
you know, the celebrity glow? What can other clubs genuinely
(36:17):
take away from this phenomenon? Right.
Their story is genuinely incredible.
It really is a true Cinderella tale in many ways and the staff
and the celebrity owners have done brilliantly.
They deserve huge congratulations for their
remarkable achievements, the patch and they've ignited the
community spirit. It's all genuinely inspiring.
(36:38):
But there's always a bud. Well, when it comes to lessons
to be learned and replicable blueprints for other clubs, many
of the narratives circulating don't quite reflect the full
underlying reality. They often focus solely on the
initial £2,000,000 purchase. Price, yeah, that gets mentioned
a lot. And the current estimated
valuation, which is, you know, astaggering 100 million figures
(37:00):
sometimes thrown around, but there are crucial details, often
overlooked details that fundamentally alter the take
away for other clubs. Such as?
Firstly, and this is a significant point often glossed
over, an estimated 20 million ofadditional shareholder
investment has happened since the the initial purchase, 20
million, £20 million. That's a massive capital
injection, far beyond the acquisition cost pouring into
(37:21):
infrastructure, player acquisitions, operational
improvements. It's not just a 2 million buy,
it's effectively a 22 million investment, which immediately
changes the financial scope. OK, that's a big difference.
What else? Secondly, and perhaps most
importantly, nobody is actually paying 100 million for Wrexham
FC right now, at least not basedon traditional football club
(37:42):
valuation metrics. Why?
Because the true, almost unparalleled marketing success
of the club is fundamentally based on who the owners are.
The Hollywood Factor. The Hollywood Factor, exactly.
Their charisma as a Lister's famous, recognizable, incredibly
personable individuals generatedmassive media content and
unparalleled global attention through documentaries, social
(38:04):
media, everything. Which drove revenue.
This celebrity factor directly led to hugely increased revenue
streams for the club, from merchandise sales to sponsorship
deals that would be simply unthinkable for a club at their
level otherwise, to broadcastingrights for the documentary.
This substantial new revenue when well invested, which it
(38:24):
clearly was in players, facilities, staff, then
naturally led to sporting success on the pitch.
So the lesson isn't easily copied.
So the only genuine, universallyapplicable lesson that can
perhaps be learned from the Wrexham story is this highly
charismatic celebrity owners canbuild immense media attention
and generate significant, atypical revenue that, when
(38:46):
managed, invested wisely, can lead to sporting success.
That's it. That model, however, is simply
not replicable for non celebrityowners.
It's a unique confluence of starpower, smart investment, genuine
commitment and savvy media utilization, rather than a
blueprint that any other traditional club ownership group
can easily follow expecting similar financial returns or
global reach. It's a one off, really.
(39:08):
A fascinating one, but a one off.
Wow. OK, This deep dive has been an
absolutely incredible journey into the hidden mechanics of
professional football. From bridging those crucial data
language gaps between analysts, coaches and owners, to
understanding the true nature ofrisk versus reward in player
recruitment, and even dissectingthe unique dynamics of celebrity
(39:30):
ownership, it's abundantly clearthat true insight in this sport
is about far more than just what's on the scoreboard.
So much more. It's about data strategy, human
dynamics, culture. All intertwined.
Indeed, and what's truly fascinating here is that the
principles we've discussed today, the importance of clear
communication across different disciplines, the absolute
(39:50):
necessity of strategic adaptation in a competitive
market, the vital role of a longterm vision that transcends
immediate results and the art ofintelligent calculated risk
taking these extends. And far, far beyond the football
pitch. They apply everywhere.
They really do. Which raises an important
question for all of us, doesn't it?
So what does this all mean for you, our listener?
Well, next time you see a headline about a club's
(40:13):
seemingly sudden success, or maybe a frustrating failure, or
a big transfer deal that makes waves, take a moment.
Consider what truly lies beneaththe surface.
Look deeper. Exactly how might those hitter
layers of data, intricate strategic planning, and even
deep seated human psychology andorganizational culture be at
(40:35):
play? What crucial information might
be missing from the public narrative that you're consuming?
And think about your own areas of interest or decision making,
whether it's in your career, your investments, even your
personal projects. Are there language gaps you need
to bridge between different departments or perspectives to
achieve better outcomes? Are you perhaps overlooking
potentially high upside opportunities in your own field
(40:56):
due to an ingrained risk aversion, that fear of
individual failure that might becrippling your potential for
portfolio success? And are you building for
sustained long term value, or are you inadvertently only
incentivized, perhaps by external pressures, maybe even
internal ones, to only aim for the next immediate win,
potentially at the expense of genuine lasting growth?
(41:17):
Lots to think about there. Until next time, keep digging,
keep questioning, and keep making those informed data back
decisions in all areas of your life.
You've just taken a massive shortcut to being incredibly
well informed.
OK, let's unpack this. Have you ever felt like you're
just drowning in information, especially in a complex field,
and wish someone could just, youknow, cut through the noise for
you? Oh.
Absolutely. We've all been there.
We have, right Today we're embarking on a deep dive into
the utterly fascinating high stakes world of professional
football. But we're not just talking goals
(00:23):
and glory, the stuff you see splashed across headlines.
No, we're going deeper. Much deeper into the intricate,
strategic, and often intensely data-driven decisions that
happen while far behind the scenes.
Yeah, the engine room. Exactly Our mission for this
deep dive is really to extract the most critical insights from
a wealth of expert analysis. We want to show you how truly
(00:43):
good information is the absolutekey to making smart decisions.
Even in football. Even in an industry as
passionate and, let's be honest,as tradition bound as football
often is, we're going to explorehow cutting edge insights are
fundamentally transforming everything, pretty much from how
players are scouted and recruited to how coaches
(01:05):
strategize and develop their teams, and even how entire clubs
are owned and managed. These are complex, multimillion
dollar enterprises. Now imagine for a moment being
in the room where these pivotal choices are made, understanding
that intricate, often delicate dance between raw data and, you
know, crucial human intuition. It's a fascinating blend.
(01:27):
It really is. It's a landscape far more
complex and compelling than a simple league table might
suggest. And what's truly fascinating
here, picking up on your point, is how often industries,
especially those now rich in data, really struggle with a
common language, a shared vocabulary, Right.
Football is absolutely no different.
In fact, that linguistic disconnect can be profound,
(01:47):
creating significant friction. You see, there's often this,
this chasm, a gap, a huge gap. Yeah, between what the data
analysts observe in their complex dashboards and
statistical models with coaches intuitively understand from, you
know, decades on the training ground actually molding human
beings. Yeah, the practical side.
Exactly and crucially, what clubowners need to know to make
(02:08):
sound hiring or investment decisions, decisions that impact
the very future, the very financial health of their
organization. So bridging that gap is
essential. It is, and our goal today is to
bridge that gap for you to illuminate how these disparate
pieces of information can, and indeed must fit together
seamlessly for success. OK, here's where it gets really
(02:31):
interesting for me. We constantly hear about data in
sports. It sounds very scientific, very
precise, doesn't it it? Does on the surface.
But what does that actually meanon the ground, you know, in the
real muddy, incredibly dynamic world of football?
And maybe more importantly, how do you make sure everyone
involved in a club? Everyone.
(02:52):
Yeah, from the analytics department crunching numbers to
the coaching staff screaming instructions, from the touchline
to the, well, the suits in the boardroom making $1,000,000
decisions. How do you ensure they're
actually speaking the same language when they talk about
performance or strategy? That's the $1,000,000 question,
isn't it? It feels like it because it's
not just a minor hiccup, is it? It seems like a fundamental,
(03:12):
pervasive problem that could cripple even the most ambitious
club. It absolutely can't.
Think of it like different departments in a big company.
Imagine the engineers talking about, I don't know, component
tensile strength, while the marketing team is focused on
durable consumer appeal for the exact same product.
They're both talking about a core quality, sure, but if they
(03:35):
don't have a shared practical understanding of what those
terms actually mean in practice.This leads to chaos.
Exactly. Confusion, miscommunication and
ultimately suboptimal outcomes. And in football, that disconnect
can mean miss hiring a coach wholooks good on paper but doesn't
fit the club style at all. Or signing the wrong player.
Or miss signing a player who performs well by one metric but
(03:57):
lacks that crucial context you mentioned.
Or fundamentally misjudging a team's overall direction, just
squandering precious resources in time.
You've really hit on the core challenge perfectly there.
There is a deeply significant disconnect.
It's between the precise, sometimes arcane technology used
by highly specialized data departments, the jargon.
(04:19):
Yeah, the jargon. Then you've got the more
experiential, often intuitive language of coaches and then the
very specific, often bottom linedriven information club owners
seek when they're making those crucial, often irreversible
hiring or investment decisions. Can you give us an example?
Make it concrete. Sure.
Let me give you a couple of concrete examples to illustrate
(04:39):
this language barrier in action,because it's really where the
rubber meets the road. OK, take PPDA for instance,
passes per defensive action. Right, I've heard that.
One, it's a common data metric, often used to quantify how
intensely A-Team presses on a spreadsheet.
It looks neat. A low PPDA suggests high
pressure high up the pitch. A high PPDA implies a more
(05:01):
passive approach. Seems straightforward.
Seems straightforward, but in data terms it's often simplified
just as pressing. Now talk to a coach.
From their perspective, PPDA really doesn't capture what they
mean by pressing at all. How so?
Well, for a coach, pressing is acoordinated tactical action.
It's about anticipating opponentmovements, forcing turnovers in
(05:23):
specific zones, executing a collective strategy with precise
timing triggers. The whole system working
together. Exactly.
Not just a raw numerical averageof passes before someone tries
to tackle the context why they're pressing where they're
pressing, The coordinated intentand movement of multiple
players. All of that rich tactical detail
(05:43):
is completely lost when you simply label PPDA as pressing.
So the coach and the analyst could be talking, asked each
other. Completely.
A coach might see a high PPDA and think my team isn't pressing
enough, while the analysts mightbe measuring a totally different
aspect of defensive action or missing the nuances of how the
pressing is happening or not happening.
OK, that makes sense. What's another example?
(06:03):
Another classic is box entries. Right, getting the ball into the
penalty area. Exactly.
Data might show a team has a surprisingly high number of box
entries on its surface. That sounds good, right?
More attacking threat, more chances.
Yeah, sounds positive. But there's a world of
difference between, say, a hopeful, speculative long ball
(06:25):
lumped into a crowded penalty area from the halfway line.
A. Hoof.
Basically, pretty much, yeah. That might technically count as
a box entry, but compare that toa precise, incisive through ball
from just outside the area that surgically dissects the defense,
putting a player clean through on goal.
A high quality scoring opportunity.
Totally different things. Totally different.
The quality, the context, the intent, the location of that
(06:48):
entry matter immensely, not justthe raw number.
So if decision makers, owners, sporting directors misinterpret
these metrics. Taking them at face value.
Exactly. Without the crucial context, it
can lead to deeply flawed judgments about a team's true
playing style, a coach's effectiveness, or even a
player's contribution. They might think they have an
(07:09):
incisive attacking team when really it's built on hopeful.
Punts leading to bad decisions down the line.
Inevitably so, the solution, as we've seen experts develop over
time, is to create a common, robust framework, something that
translates these complex data points into actionable insights
that resonate across all departments.
A shared language again. A shared language built on
(07:30):
better data. Over the last couple of years,
specialists have dedicated significant effort to this.
They've developed, I think it's 54 distinct data points now and
that number is still growing. Wow, 54 for.
Each coach for each season. And these aren't just raw
statistics like pass completion.They're granular, contextualized
metrics designed to capture the true essence of a coach's
(07:52):
philosophy and how their team actually plays.
So more specific things. Much more specific.
For instance, instead of just successful passes, a data point
might quantify progressive passes into the final third
under high defensive pressure orset piece success rate for
chances created, not just goal scorer.
OK, much more nuanced. Exactly.
(08:12):
They might measure defensive line height at different phases
of play, or average distance of defensive actions from their own
goal. This level of detailed, specific
data allows for incredibly precise comparison and
understanding. Comparing coaches properly.
Comparing coaching philosophies.Distinct team play styles With
(08:33):
this granular detail, an owner or director can see exactly how
a coach gets their teams to play, what their strategic
principles are, and how their approach truly compares to
others, not just who wins games.But how they win?
Precisely and critically, if their underlying methodology
aligns with the club's long termvision, its resources, its
player profile requirements. This avoids the trap of mis
(08:55):
hiring based on superficial results or just gut feeling.
It translates the abstract numbers.
Into actionable insights that everyone can understand and use
for proper strategic alignment. It cuts through the noise.
So it's clear communication is paramount.
We're bridging that data to decision gap, translating
complex metrics into a shared language.
But once we have that shared understanding, what are these
(09:16):
insights actually applied to? Because ultimately, it's about
building successful organizations, isn't it?
And in football, that means a holistic approach to every
single part of the club. Precisely.
You've got it. If we connect this to the bigger
picture, it's about far more than just raw numbers.
It's about combining that deep data excellence with nuanced
human insights to build truly winning teams.
(09:39):
On and off the pitch. Absolutely.
And that applies whether we're talking about the specific
players on the field, the coaches leading them through the
tactical intricacies, or the executive decisions made in the
boardroom regarding strategic planning and even crucial
investment. So it touches everything.
It really does. This multifaceted specialist
service isn't just about crunching numbers in isolation.
It's about applying those insights holistically to
(10:01):
critical areas like player recruitment, coach recruitment,
strategic long term planning andfundamentally making sound
investment decisions that Dr. sustainable value for the club.
Let's dive into player recruitment, then.
This area is particularly fascinating because it touches
on something so deeply human and, frankly, so
counterintuitive sometimes Risk.Why is it that in professional
(10:22):
football, a sport literally built on daring individual
moves, on flashes of brilliance that sometimes require a massive
leap of faith, why does there seem to be so much widespread
reluctance to take calculated risks when it comes to signing
players, especially younger ones, potentially unproven but
maybe incredibly talented individuals?
It's one of the most perplexing things you observe in football,
(10:44):
that pervasive risk aversion, and you know it largely stems
from what many inside clubs describe as a deeply entrenched
blame culture. Yeah.
In that kind of environment, anyperceived failure, any player
who doesn't immediately hit the ground running, any investment
that doesn't yield instant returns is seen as a direct,
(11:04):
almost existential threat to an individuals job security.
Heads will roll. Pretty much, if you're a scout,
a head of recruitment, a sporting director, making a high
stakes decision on a player who doesn't deliver immediately can
mean you're out the door, your reputation potentially
tarnished. So it discourages risk.
Fundamentally, yeah, this culture discourages exactly what
(11:26):
every savvy investor and successful business is
constantly looking for, low cost, high upside bets.
Explain that a bit more. Well, these are investments that
individually might have a low probability of success.
Any single bet might not pay off.
But when you build a portfolio of them, when you make multiple
such calculated risks, the overall returns can be
absolutely massive, exponential even.
(11:49):
Like venture capital? Almost.
It's a fundamental principle of diversified investment.
Yeah, you have to accept that not every single bet will pay
off. It's inherently A portfolio
approach. Some will fail, but the few that
succeeds spectacularly will morethan make up for the others.
But clubs don't think like that.Often, no.
Instead of embracing this, clubsoften prioritize experience,
(12:12):
meaning proven, often expensive.Older players safer bets,
supposedly, or they shy away entirely from developing players
demanding immediate, guaranteed returns.
They want a finished product, a plug and play solution, not a
project. Which limits their potential.
Severely limits their potential for exponential growth and
ultimately their long term competitiveness.
(12:33):
Is anyone doing it differently? We'll contrast that with what
we're observing and what sometimes termed an African
project by some leading clubs. Here you have some genuinely
forward thinking clubs who trulyunderstand this concept of
calculated risk. They're effectively going all in
on deals, taking multiple players from emerging African
markets in a single transfer window.
(12:53):
For example, I know one partner club took three players just
recently and another is looking to bring in as many as seven
over the next two years. Wow 7.
Yeah, it shows deep conviction in the strategy.
They're so confident in this long term approach that deals
are being lined up years in advance for what they identify
as top tier talent. This isn't just opportunistic,
(13:15):
it's a profound strategic pivot.A real commitment.
A real commitment, demonstratingan almost prescient
understanding of where future talent lies and a willingness to
invest with conviction in that long term vision.
That's not the norm. Far from it.
The vast majority of clubs stillkind of mired in that short term
risk averse mindset won't even consider these players.
They offer a whole litany of excuses.
(13:37):
Like what? Pure things like we only want
experience, which often means establish safer but less
profitable options. Or we can't take 12 months to
develop a player, which speaks to a lack of patience and maybe
proper player integration pathways.
Or infrastructure. Or infrastructure.
Sometimes, quite revealingly, you hear we wouldn't know what
to do with them, which highlights a fundamental lack of
(13:58):
the necessary development expertise, or perhaps just the
willingness to invest in properly unlocking this hidden
value. Meanwhile, others are profiting.
Hugely look at the Scandinavian model, particularly in places
like Sweden or Norway. Clubs there have become masters
of this low cost, high upside strategy.
How does that work? They acquire promising young
(14:19):
talent, often from emerging markets like Africa.
Within 6 to 12 months of arrival.
They're selling these players onfirst, say 3,000,000 US or more.
We've seen examples where clubs achieve returns of 20, even 50
times their initial investment. 50.
Times This isn't just incremental gain, it's massive
transformational return on investment, all by embracing
(14:41):
smart, calculated risk, effective player ID, and
crucially, an efficient, focusedplayer development system that
quickly integrates and polishes talent for resale.
It's a blueprint for financial sustainability and sporting
competitiveness. Can you give us a real world
example of this working? Absolutely.
To illustrate a real world success story that exemplifies
(15:02):
this, consider the recently facilitated transfer of Samuel
James. He's a Nigeria under 20
international player. He moved from the Nigerian club
Mavlon to the European club SJK Sanyoki in Finland.
This was an incredibly exciting opportunity not just for Samuel
to showcase his talent in Europe.
Huge step for him. Massive step, but also for SJK
(15:24):
Sanyoki to recruit top young international talent through a
proven pathway. It really highlights the
dedicated talent development work being done at Mavlon FC as
well. So a collaboration.
Exactly. This particular transfer was a
testament to strong collaboration between multiple
specialist entities, in this case a specialist firm, Compass
Consulting and Momentum Sports Management Ltd, all working
(15:46):
together. Making it smooth.
Making the transition as smooth and effective as possible for
the young player. Everything from scouting and due
diligence to visa processing andplayer care.
It truly showcases the power of a well developed, interconnected
network in this space. So for these kinds of projects
to work, these low cost, high upside talent acquisitions, what
(16:06):
do the European clubs need to bring to the table?
That's a great question. The specialist teams
facilitating them have very specific requirements for their
European club partners. First and foremost, they
absolutely need partners who canprovide excellent player
development programs. Nurturing the talent.
Exactly, ensuring the raw talentis nurtured, coached and
(16:28):
progresses optimally. High standard player care and
support are also paramount. Remember, these are often young
players moving far from home. The adjustment.
Huge adjustment crossing continents needing significant
support systems both on and off the pitch to adapt and thrive.
And finally, clubs need to have a clear long term vision for the
(16:48):
specific player profiles they are looking for.
Strategic recruitment. So the acquisition is strategic,
not just opportunistic, ensuringa proper fit for the team's
playing style and future needs. And what do the clubs get in
return? In return, these European clubs
gain privileged access to what is arguably the fastest growing
player market globally, Africa. They get clear and fair deals
(17:09):
that genuinely share both the risk and the upside for all
parties involved. Including the selling club.
Including the selling club and the players representatives?
Yes. Furthermore, local teams on the
ground in regions like Nigeria handle all the necessary
arrangements, visas, accommodation, appropriate local
checks, streamlining the entire,often complex process for the
(17:32):
European club. Makes sense.
OK, so it's not just about finding the next star player,
but also the person who can moldthem into a cohesive winning
unit, The coach. Absolutely vital.
It sounds like a comprehensive system.
What kind of impact do these insights have on coaching
careers specifically? Because that's another
incredibly high stakes role, isn't it?
Constantly under the microscope,immense pressure.
(17:53):
Immense pressure. Exactly.
And just as with players, data and strategic insight are really
revolutionizing coaching pathways.
Now there's a dedicated program,for instance, called the
Coaching Career Advancement Program.
OK, what does that do? It's specifically designed to
help head coaches understand their own performance data, how
their tactical approaches objectively compared to peers,
(18:13):
and crucially, how to leverage that information to progress
effectively in their careers. It gives them from a data backed
narrative. An objective view of themselves.
An objective, data backed narrative of their capabilities
and impact. Yes.
And does it work? Are there results?
The results from this program have been quite impressive
actually. It really demonstrates the
practical, career changing application of these insights.
(18:37):
In a recent batch of coaches whoparticipated, almost all have
now moved into full time significant roles across various
leagues. Like where?
Well, the list includes a Premier League assistant manager
working at the very pinnacle of English football.
A head coach in Japan's prestigious J1 League, showing
that global reach. A head coach in the USL in the
United States indicating expansion into growing markets.
(19:00):
The head coach in Scottish Premiership and an EFL
Championship head coach in England.
So tangible results. Absolutely.
This isn't just theoretical stuff, it's tangible, practical
application of data leading directly to significant career
progression for individuals in ahighly competitive, results
driven industry. And beyond that specific
program. Well beyond that program, the
(19:21):
specialist in this field have extensive head coach recruitment
expertise themselves. They've successfully identified,
vetted and recruited over 30 head coaches for clubs across a
really wide spectrum. All levels.
All levels, ranging from clubs competing in the Champions
League, the absolute pinnacle demanding the highest strategic
acumen, all the way to clubs in emerging football markets with
(19:43):
different developmental needs and financial constraints.
So they understand different club needs.
Exactly this broad reach demonstrates a deep, nuanced
understanding of the diverse needs and strategic priorities
of different clubs globally and during a tailor made fit between
club philosophy and coaching methodology.
OK, so we've covered players andcoaches beyond individuals, What
(20:05):
about the entire club? Can data truly transform a
club's performance from the ground up?
Can it even challenge those longheld beliefs or traditions that
might perhaps have held them back for years?
Because clubs can be resistant to change, right?
They certainly can, like many established institutions.
That's a crucial point, and the answer is a resounding yes it
(20:26):
can. Independent club performance
insights are a vital, often transformative service provided
to clubs, and the results can bequite striking, sometimes quite
immediate. For instance, for example, just
last year, 4 client clubs that utilize this kind of service
finished in the top four positions in their respective
leagues, securing highly covetedspot.
Top 4 is huge. It is.
(20:47):
And what's even more telling, perhaps, is that all four were
among the 10 best improvers on expected goal difference XGD
across the top five divisions ofEnglish football.
Explain XGD again quickly. Sure, expected goal difference
XGD. It basically estimates the
number of goals A-Team should have scored based on the quality
and quantity of chances they created, minus the goals they
(21:08):
should have conceded based on their opponent's chances.
So it cuts through luck. Exactly.
It cuts through the noise of luck, individual errors,
spectacular saves. It gives you a truer underlying
picture of its team's performance, their tactical
effectiveness, and whether theirstrategies are consistently
generating high probability opportunities at one end and
(21:29):
stifling them at the other. So those four clubs weren't just
lucky, their underlying performance improved
dramatically. Precisely.
Now, let's be absolutely clear here.
This level of success certainly won't happen every single year,
nor will it happen for every club that engages with such a
service. Football is inherently
unpredictable, of course. Hard work of implementation,
(21:51):
actually changing training methods, player mindsets,
recruitment targets. That always takes place within
the clubs themselves with their dedicated staff and players.
The. Clubs have to do the work.
They do. But what this consistent success
underscores is the immense valueof an independent, objective
opinion. It's about having that external,
data-driven perspective that canchallenge deeply ingrained
(22:13):
internal thinking, highlight previously unseen blind spots,
maybe confirm existing strengths.
Provide a road map. Exactly providing that crucial
impetus for improvement and a road map for strategic
advantage. It gives them the evidence
needed for potentially difficultbut necessary changes.
What does this service actually involve?
Like a report. A core part of the service
(22:35):
includes detailed annual club season reviews.
And these aren't just superficial summaries, believe
me. They involve an incredibly deep
dive into the team's entire season, analyzing every facet of
performance. Going beyond standard stats.
Way beyond standard stats, they employ unique, often proprietary
metrics designed to capture nuances that traditional stats
miss entirely. These comprehensive reviews
(22:56):
incorporate specific coach data,those 54 plus data points we
discussed. Right, the detailed coach
metrics. And incredibly detailed profiles
of individual players, providingA holistic, granular
understanding of the team's collective and individual
performances. But crucially, these reviews
don't just present data. They offer solutions.
(23:17):
They translate it into suggestedstrategies, actionable bespoke
recommendations for improvement moving forward, directly
addressing the identified weaknesses and opportunities.
Can you give an example of how data reveals playing style?
Sure. To give you a taste of how data
can illuminate a team's playing style and challenge conventional
wisdom, consider an example of ateam that, on paper, has
(23:39):
surprisingly low possession statistics.
Which normally means they aren'tdominating.
Conventional wisdom often dictates that successful teams
control the ball right? Yet this particular team was
remarkably effective. Despite low possession.
The data revealed that their chance quality, the probability
of their shots resulting in goals, was exceptionally high.
Even without long passing moves.Even without long sequences of
(24:02):
passes leading up to those opportunities, this profoundly
challenges that traditional notion that successful teams
must always dominate possession.It suggests that efficient
direct play can be equally, if not more effective.
Interesting. So how are they creating these
high quality chances? Well, the reviews can pinpoint
exactly how. For this low possession, high
(24:25):
quality chance team, for instance, they were particularly
effective at creating chances from cutbacks.
Those short crosses from the byline?
Exactly short crosses played back into the central scoring
zone from wide areas. They also excelled from through
balls, those precise passes thatbypass the opposition's final
defensive line, putting an attacker straight in.
Breaking the line. Breaking the lines and they
(24:47):
consistently created these high quality opportunities from
what's known as the Golden Zone.The prime scoring area.
That high value central area, roughly 10 to 18 yards directly
in front of goal. It's the sweet spot where shots
have the highest probability of resulting in goals, a key focus
for attacking strategies. And the data showed this
consistently. Consistently, the data could
(25:09):
also show that this team was well above the league average in
both offensive output creating dangerous chances, and defensive
output limiting opponent chances.
And, crucially, they're expectedpoints.
What they should have got. What they should have earned
based purely on the quality of chances created and conceded,
aligned very closely with their actual performance, indicating
(25:31):
their results were absolutely nofluke.
What about pressure? Their pressure metrics were
exceptional, too. They ranked among the very best
for pressure in their league andwere just outside the top 20%
globally for attacking pressure,demonstrating their ability to
consistently disrupt opponents high up the pitch and win the
ball back quickly. So these reviews aren't just
(25:52):
descriptive, they're prescriptive too.
Absolutely. They don't just present
impressive data, they pinpoint specific areas to investigate
that lead to immediate, actionable insights.
Like what kind of insights? This includes specific
positions, additional advice highlighting precisely where the
team's strengths and weaknesses lie within the squad, how they
compare league wide, and which positional groups or individual
(26:14):
players might need upgrades or maybe different profiles to
optimize the team's style. Setting targets as well.
Yes, helping set clear, measurable performance targets
for the next season and beyond, including what playing style
targets will need to be reached to have the best chance of
improving and reaching their strategic objectives.
And finally, these reviews encompass A comprehensive
(26:34):
strategic review. Ensuring alignment.
Ensuring that there is a clear, actionable and data back
strategy in place for the club to consistently outperform its
budget. Turning that investment into
tangible on field success. This truly goes beyond just the
pitch then, doesn't it? It really sounds like these
specialists are helping club owners.
Things like savvy long term investors aligning the on field
(26:56):
product with sound sustainable business principles.
It's incredibly comprehensive. It absolutely is.
Specialists in this field reallyhelp clubs realize both their
sporting and their business goals simultaneously,
understanding that in modern football, 1 cannot exist
optimally without the other. It's a dual focus.
It has to be. They leverage unique proprietary
(27:18):
data, sophisticated algorithms and thoroughly tested processes,
all with a proven track record of helping clubs significantly
outperform their budgets. It's about making intelligent,
data-driven decisions that translate into tangible
financial value and competitive advantage.
And this extends to buying clubstoo.
Yes, it extends to what's calledbuy side evaluation.
(27:39):
In this capacity, they work directly with investment banks,
private equity firms, potential new owners, anyone considering
acquiring a football club. Doing homework.
Exactly. Conducting meticulous
footballing due diligence, whichis essentially doing the
equivalent of a comprehensive financial and operational audit
for a company, but specifically focusing on the footballing
assets. What does that cover?
(28:00):
The underlying infrastructure, the current player roster, the
youth Academy, the coaching staff, the strategic potential
of a club, all before a major investment is made.
This critical process provides aclear, objective picture of the
sporting health and future valueof the asset.
Blending finance and football expertise.
It truly highlights the essential blend of deep
(28:22):
financial acumen and profound, practical football expertise
that is now absolutely required at the highest levels of club
ownership and investment. OK, this deep dive has truly
shown us how data and sophisticated strategy are
evolving football from the ground up, transforming it from
maybe a traditional game into a much more data powered
enterprise. But what about the bigger
(28:44):
picture? The inherent challenges within
the industry itself and the constant need for adaptation,
not just for clubs but even for the analytics industry.
Providing these insights, it seems like a constantly moving
target. It really is, and this raises an
important, perhaps a slightly uncomfortable question that many
in football ponder. Why is sustained long term
success so incredibly difficult for football clubs to to
(29:07):
achieve? The reality is consistent top
tier performance decade after decade.
It's almost impossible. Short bursts of glory.
Clubs experience short, gloriousperiods of triumph at best,
fleeting moments of glory beforethe cycle often restarts,
sometimes quite dramatically. It's a boom and bust cycle that
many find themselves trapped in.Can you illustrate that?
(29:29):
Sure. Consider a poignant case study.
Five years ago, specialists began working intensely with two
clubs, helping their owners realize ambitious visions.
These services help them build out robust scouting and
recruitment departments literally from scratch.
Laying the foundation. Acting as crucial internal
support for the 1st 18 to 36 months, laying a strong
foundation, both clubs achieved significant promotions climbing
(29:52):
up the league pyramid and at onepoint they were widely regarded
as two of the best run clubs in Europe.
Lauded for their approach. Lauded for their intelligent
approach and efficiency, Yes. Yeah.
Just five years later, Despite that initial success, they found
themselves effectively back where they started.
How did that happen? The.
Core problem. A profound, almost cyclical loss
(30:14):
of institutional knowledge. What does that mean in practice?
What happens is that all the keystaff, the head coaches who
delivered the wins, the heads ofrecruitment who found the
talent, the scouts who identified the gems, the entire
data department that provided the insights, they leave.
Or get fired. Both.
They either leave for bigger, more lucrative jobs after
(30:35):
periods of success, or they are tragically sacked because
results inevitably turn poor in,say, Year 5, as cycles often
dictate. In some cases, even the owners
sell the club, wiping the slate clean.
So the knowledge walks out the door.
Exactly the devastating consequences that no knowledge
of what success truly looked like, or crucially, how to build
(30:57):
out a sustainable plan to achieve it, has been retained
within the club. When new hires come in, a new
sporting director, a new head coach, they often tell everyone
there was nothing when I got here.
We're starting from scratch. And you're right.
And sadly and accurately, that'strue.
This isn't unusual. Many clubs can go through their
third or fourth complete rebuildin a relatively short period,
simply repeating past mistakes because the blueprint was lost.
(31:20):
So what's the lesson for owners?This highlights a critical,
often uncomfortable imperative for owners.
They need to be the ones fundamentally in control of
building their clubs long term value.
It's sustainable infrastructure,it's intellectual property and
footballing terms. Not relying solely on the
football staff. Precisely.
Football staff, by the very nature of the industry, live in
(31:41):
constant fear of the sack. Their careers are built on
immediate success, on achieving results right now, which often
incentivizes them to win now at almost any cost for their
personal career advancement. I'm thinking exactly.
You simply cannot build long term sustainable value for a
club, a value that transcends individual personnel changes.
(32:02):
When everyone on the footballingstaff is incentivized only to
win in the immediate term, they make short term decisions that
can undermine the future. That inherent disconnect is a
fundamental, almost existential challenge for club longevity.
Wow, so even the specialists in this field, the analytics
providers, they need to adapt constantly too, just like the
clubs they serve. How has the analytics industry
(32:25):
itself changed over the last twoyears?
And what crucial lessons can we learn about thriving and
surviving in such a competitive,dynamic and ever evolving
market? Oh, it's been a truly
fascinating period of rapid evolution and frankly, necessary
strategic pivots. On the positive side, we've seen
significant growth in the demandfor these insights.
(32:45):
More clubs buying in. Definitely.
For example, one firm I know reached 60 paying clients since
its launch back in 2019 that nowincludes almost 1/4 of the
professional clubs in England alone.
That's significant penetration, it is.
And beyond that, they've expanded internationally, adding
clubs in South America, Oceania,Africa.
Jokingly, only Antarctica is left to complete the set.
(33:06):
This truly shows a burgeoning global demand for sophisticated,
data-driven football insights. But.
It's not all smooth sailing. No.
The landscape is also changing rapidly and becoming much more
crowded. A lot of new companies, many of
them exceptionally well backed by significant investment
capital, have moved into the club analytics space.
(33:27):
More competition. A lot more competition.
They are effectively fighting over a fixed number of clients,
most of whom, it's important to remember, already have existing
software systems or internal analytics departments.
This creates a highly competitive, sometimes
aggressive environment where differentiation is absolutely
key. So how are firms adapting?
In response, what we're seeing is a clear strategic shift in
(33:50):
growth for many established firms.
For example, the growth for someis increasingly in strategic and
investment advisory for ownership groups moving beyond
just providing data reports. Higher level services, higher
level. Helping clients not just analyze
players but identify potential clubs to purchase, conduct that
crucial due diligence we discussed, create comprehensive
(34:11):
strategic plans for those clubs once acquired, and then
assisting in hiring the key personnel needed to execute
those. Plans and focusing on new
markets. And there's also been a
significant focus on developing work in emerging markets like
Africa. There's a huge belief in the
potential of football there and significant times has been
invested in building deep long term relationships on the
(34:31):
continent. This shift isn't just about
diversification, it's about moving higher up the value
chain, from data provision to true strategic partnership.
Are there downsides to this growth?
Negatives. Oh, absolutely.
Of course there are negatives. The costs of raw data, for
instance, have just exploded in the last five years.
That's a significant burner for both providers and clients
(34:52):
alike. Driving up prices.
Driving up prices and this escalating cost highlights a
critical issue how monopolies inthe data provision space are
really not good for customers atall, limiting choice and pushing
costs higher. So what's the main take away for
businesses in this space? The key overarching lesson for
any business operating in such adynamic and competitive
(35:13):
environment, whether it's football, analytics or any other
sector, is the absolute necessity to adapt quickly,
continuously and fearlessly. Adapt or die, basically.
Pretty much what started for some as core data and player
recruitment services back in say, 2019 is now often only a
small, albeit still enjoyable and foundational part of a much
(35:35):
wider, more comprehensive business.
Offering survival and thriving in a very competitive industry
therefore comes from being agile.
From, well, saying yes to any and every opportunity that
aligns with your core capabilities, even if the
initial profit from that specific opportunity seems
minimal. It's about building an adaptable
business that can pivot, learn and grow in new, sometimes
(35:57):
unforeseen directions. Fascinating.
OK, finally, let's look at one of the most talked about stories
in football right now, a club that has seemingly defied all
odds and captivated audiences worldwide.
It's a compelling narrative, no doubt.
Wrexham AFC. Exactly.
But what's the real lesson here?Beyond the headlines and the,
you know, the celebrity glow? What can other clubs genuinely
(36:17):
take away from this phenomenon? Right.
Their story is genuinely incredible.
It really is a true Cinderella tale in many ways and the staff
and the celebrity owners have done brilliantly.
They deserve huge congratulations for their
remarkable achievements, the patch and they've ignited the
community spirit. It's all genuinely inspiring.
(36:38):
But there's always a bud. Well, when it comes to lessons
to be learned and replicable blueprints for other clubs, many
of the narratives circulating don't quite reflect the full
underlying reality. They often focus solely on the
initial £2,000,000 purchase. Price, yeah, that gets mentioned
a lot. And the current estimated
valuation, which is, you know, astaggering 100 million figures
(37:00):
sometimes thrown around, but there are crucial details, often
overlooked details that fundamentally alter the take
away for other clubs. Such as?
Firstly, and this is a significant point often glossed
over, an estimated 20 million ofadditional shareholder
investment has happened since the the initial purchase, 20
million, £20 million. That's a massive capital
injection, far beyond the acquisition cost pouring into
(37:21):
infrastructure, player acquisitions, operational
improvements. It's not just a 2 million buy,
it's effectively a 22 million investment, which immediately
changes the financial scope. OK, that's a big difference.
What else? Secondly, and perhaps most
importantly, nobody is actually paying 100 million for Wrexham
FC right now, at least not basedon traditional football club
(37:42):
valuation metrics. Why?
Because the true, almost unparalleled marketing success
of the club is fundamentally based on who the owners are.
The Hollywood Factor. The Hollywood Factor, exactly.
Their charisma as a Lister's famous, recognizable, incredibly
personable individuals generatedmassive media content and
unparalleled global attention through documentaries, social
(38:04):
media, everything. Which drove revenue.
This celebrity factor directly led to hugely increased revenue
streams for the club, from merchandise sales to sponsorship
deals that would be simply unthinkable for a club at their
level otherwise, to broadcastingrights for the documentary.
This substantial new revenue when well invested, which it
(38:24):
clearly was in players, facilities, staff, then
naturally led to sporting success on the pitch.
So the lesson isn't easily copied.
So the only genuine, universallyapplicable lesson that can
perhaps be learned from the Wrexham story is this highly
charismatic celebrity owners canbuild immense media attention
and generate significant, atypical revenue that, when
(38:46):
managed, invested wisely, can lead to sporting success.
That's it. That model, however, is simply
not replicable for non celebrityowners.
It's a unique confluence of starpower, smart investment, genuine
commitment and savvy media utilization, rather than a
blueprint that any other traditional club ownership group
can easily follow expecting similar financial returns or
global reach. It's a one off, really.
(39:08):
A fascinating one, but a one off.
Wow. OK, This deep dive has been an
absolutely incredible journey into the hidden mechanics of
professional football. From bridging those crucial data
language gaps between analysts, coaches and owners, to
understanding the true nature ofrisk versus reward in player
recruitment, and even dissectingthe unique dynamics of celebrity
(39:30):
ownership, it's abundantly clearthat true insight in this sport
is about far more than just what's on the scoreboard.
So much more. It's about data strategy, human
dynamics, culture. All intertwined.
Indeed, and what's truly fascinating here is that the
principles we've discussed today, the importance of clear
communication across different disciplines, the absolute
(39:50):
necessity of strategic adaptation in a competitive
market, the vital role of a longterm vision that transcends
immediate results and the art ofintelligent calculated risk
taking these extends. And far, far beyond the football
pitch. They apply everywhere.
They really do. Which raises an important
question for all of us, doesn't it?
So what does this all mean for you, our listener?
Well, next time you see a headline about a club's
(40:13):
seemingly sudden success, or maybe a frustrating failure, or
a big transfer deal that makes waves, take a moment.
Consider what truly lies beneaththe surface.
Look deeper. Exactly how might those hitter
layers of data, intricate strategic planning, and even
deep seated human psychology andorganizational culture be at
(40:35):
play? What crucial information might
be missing from the public narrative that you're consuming?
And think about your own areas of interest or decision making,
whether it's in your career, your investments, even your
personal projects. Are there language gaps you need
to bridge between different departments or perspectives to
achieve better outcomes? Are you perhaps overlooking
potentially high upside opportunities in your own field
(40:56):
due to an ingrained risk aversion, that fear of
individual failure that might becrippling your potential for
portfolio success? And are you building for
sustained long term value, or are you inadvertently only
incentivized, perhaps by external pressures, maybe even
internal ones, to only aim for the next immediate win,
potentially at the expense of genuine lasting growth?
(41:17):
Lots to think about there. Until next time, keep digging,
keep questioning, and keep making those informed data back
decisions in all areas of your life.
You've just taken a massive shortcut to being incredibly
well informed.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.