The Data Triad: How Africa's Homegrown Football Coaches are Clashing with the $12 Billion Tech Revolution
We provide a comprehensive look at the expanding role of performance analysis (PA) and data analytics in modern football, with a particular focus on its adoption in Africa and the Middle East. One key theme is the rise of African coaches and the increasing use of local talent in national teams, often coinciding with a shift toward embracing modern data-driven strategies. We detail the professionalization of the analytics field, noting job roles, software use (like Nacsport), and the complex coach-analyst relationship in professional leagues, which can often be characterized by limited collaboration. Finally, we discuss the massive commercial and economic opportunities presented by data monetization, AI, and big data in sports, particularly in the rapidly transforming Middle Eastern sports industry.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
OK, get ready. Today we are strapping in for a
really explosive deep dive into the world's most popular game,
football, because there's this fundamental double barrel
revolution happening right now. It's reshaping the whole global
power dynamic. It really is.
We're talking about a massive shift.
Yeah, it's like 2 things happening at once.
(00:21):
You've got this stunning rise of, you know, homegrown
leadership on one of the world'smost passionate continents for
the game. Right, in Africa specifically.
Exactly. And then alongside that, you've
got this cold, relentless wave of big data and machine learning
that's just transforming strategy everywhere.
It's an incredible moment of collision, actually.
For decades, the narrative in African football was, well,
(00:43):
pretty simple. You need a foreign expertise.
Usually, European tacticians were seen as the only path to
success. That was the default thinking,
wasn't it? Absolutely.
But that assumption, it's not just crumbling, it's being
obliterated by this wave of local talent, Guys who
understand the culture, the mentality of the mission.
They just get it in a way an outsider maybe can't.
(01:04):
But there's the tension, right? Precisely because to really
cement that success on the global stage against the best in
the world, they have to fully embrace the other side, the
analytical, data-driven engine room that powers the modern
game. OK, so this deep dive is all
about understanding that blend its cultural pride Meeting
(01:25):
computational science. We're going to look at the
amazing success stories that prove local leadership works.
Yeah, the proof is definitely there now.
And then we'll shift to the, youknow, the billion dollar global
forces driving this tech revolution in sport.
And, crucially, the friction. Yes, critically, we need to
dissect the massive hurdles, human financial bunnets that are
(01:48):
stopping this cutting edge analysis from being universally
adopted in African football right now.
You really need to understand how experience and culture are
meeting machine learning and whythat friction point is so, well,
incredibly high. Let's anchor this conversation
with a revolution is most visible.
That's on the touchline with thecoaches.
The change in African national team management isn't subtle at
(02:08):
all. It's definitive.
If you look back even just 10 years, the assumption was
crystal clear. Exotic success, you know,
winning big tournaments demandedan exotic coach, usually
European. That era, it's just over.
And the numbers really back thatup, don't they?
It's a major power shift for witnesses.
(02:28):
It is out of the 54 African national teams, a staggering 31
are now coached by local Africanmanagers. 31 That's more than
half. It's a decisive majority.
Exactly. This isn't just a trend anymore,
it's a fundamental shift in trust in governance by the
National Federation's themselves.
And it's not just about feeling seats, is it?
(02:48):
This is about winning. Absolutely critical point.
This movement is defined by silverware.
The last three major continentalchampionships, the Total
Energies, Seekaf, Africa Cup of Nations, you know, AFCON,
they've all been won by African coaches.
We can basically call it the AFCON triad.
OK, the AFCON triad. Let's break that down, because
like you said, it proves this isn't just some random
coincidence. It really sets the stage.
(03:09):
It starts in 2019. Jamel Belmati guides Algeria to
victory. He brought this template of
fierce national pride but mixed it with really disciplined
modern tactical strategy. OK, Belmati with Algeria.
Who's next? Then comes Ali used to say, a
huge figure in Senegalese football.
Obviously, he leads Senegal to win AFCON in 2022.
(03:30):
CC's win felt massive. He'd been there as a player,
catching them in that famous 2002 World Cup run, and now he
delivered as a coach that carries weight.
Immense weight and then perhaps the most dramatic story immerse
Faye leading Cote d'Ivoire to glory just last year, 2023
AFCON. On home soil, no less.
And Faye took over mid tournament.
(03:51):
That's unbelievable. It really is that kind of deep
cultural knowledge, the ability to step in, command that
dressing room under immense pressure.
You just can't import that. You can't buy it from an
outsider. So the AFCON triad shows
continental dominance, but what about the global stage?
That's where it gets validated globally.
We absolutely have to talk aboutKhaled Rograggi, his history
making run with Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and guitar.
(04:14):
Yes Morocco, incredible story. First African national team ever
to reach the World Cup semi finals.
And Rogragui, A Moroccan coach, the first African coach ever to
achieve that feat. That wasn't just breaking a
record, was it? It felt like it shifted the
whole perception. Completely.
It fundamentally changed how African managerial capability
was viewed on a global scale. It proved beyond doubt that the
(04:38):
talent, the strategic depth, theleadership to manage a world
class squad, it's all there locally.
Just a big question. That is why?
Why are Federation's finally committing to this model now?
Well, it really boils down to a value proposition that's frankly
priceless. It's about cultural connection
and, maybe even more importantly, dressing room
(04:58):
credibility. Cultural connection?
How does that play out practically?
Samuel Otio, you know, the legendary player, now president
of the Cameron Football Federation, you put it
perfectly, he said. Local coaches understand the
players and the mentality. Right, they get the nuances.
Exactly. That cultural depth means they
know what it truly means to wearthe shirt and fight for the
(05:19):
flag. It translates into better
communication, deeper motivation.
They understand the societal pressures, the background the
players come from, things a European coach flying in for a
few months just can never fully grasp.
That makes sense. And the credibility factor?
Oh, it's immense, especially when you're managing players who
are big stars in Europe's top leagues, You know, the Premier
(05:40):
League, La Liga, Syria. Right, these aren't just local
league players. Not at all.
And this new wave of coaches, they aren't just theorists.
They've walked in those elite players shoes to say, like we
said, captain Senegal at a WorldCup.
Feye played in League One in France, in the Premier League in
England. So they have that shared
experience. Precisely.
Saudio Manet, the Senegalese star, he emphasized this.
(06:02):
He said basically when your coach is played in the Champions
League or at a World Cup, you listen to him, you know he's
been there. That shared history, that elite
level experience, It instantly grants some respect in a
dressing room full of global stars.
OK, so competence and cultural fit are the main drivers, but
what about the money? Is that a factor?
We have to acknowledge it, yes. The financial reality is that
(06:24):
local coaches generally require substantially lower compensation
packages compared to their foreign counterparts, especially
the big European names. So it's more affordable for the
federation's. It often is.
And when you combine that financial attractiveness with
crucially superior competitive results and that deep cultural
buy in we talked about, well, the argument for investing
(06:46):
locally becomes pretty overwhelming.
It's not just to say Faye and Raggi, then this is broader.
Oh, much broader. The movements, breath is really
impressive. You see Pitheo taking the reins
in Senegal now. Mohammed Kalam with Sierra
Leone, Eric Shell, he's with Nigeria.
Benny McCarthy, the South African legend coaching in
Kenya, Hosam Hassan leading Egypt, Otto Ido back guiding
(07:08):
Ghana. Sasai himself has moved on to
coach Libya. Now it's a real continental
embrace of local talent. And the shift towards stability,
towards trusting a local coacheslong term, how important is that
looking ahead, especially with the World Cup expand it's.
Absolutely critical. Africa's getting 9 guaranteed
spots at the expanded 2026 WorldCup.
That's huge. 9 direct spots. Wow.
(07:29):
Yeah, so federations are realizing they need to move away
from that old habit, you know, hiring a foreign coach just
before a major tournament and then firing them immediately if
things go wrong. The short term fix mentality.
Exactly. Now the emphasis is shifting
towards longer term projects, giving these African coaches the
time, the resources, the stability to actually develop
(07:52):
competitive squads built around a consistent philosophy.
That kind of stability is the absolute key to achieving
consistent success on the globalstage.
OK. So the leadership revolution on
the touchline is clear. Cultural connection,
credibility, results, it's all happening.
But you mentioned the other sideof this.
Right, well that cultural leadership and player buy in are
the heart of this success. The methods they employ have to
(08:15):
be modern to sustain success against the very best teams in
the world. These African coaches need that
objective, strategic framework. And that brings us to the data.
Precisely so. We pivot now to the other side
of this revolution, the engine room of modern strategy,
performance analysis, PA, and data science.
And this is where the money really starts talking, isn't it?
(08:36):
Because the analytics market isn't just like a small niche
supporting football anymore. It's driving a massive financial
ecosystem globally. All the numbers are staggering.
The global market size for just data monetization in sports was
already around US $2.99 billion in 2023.
Almost $3 billion. Yeah, and the injections, it's
expected to explode, potentiallyreaching US $12.62 billion by
(09:00):
2032. 12 billion. That's incredible growth.
It is. We're talking a compound annual
growth rate ACAGR of 17.5% that tells you everything you need to
know. Data isn't just a tool anymore,
it's the new core asset in the business of sport.
That financial reality is so important, isn't it, Because it
highlights something critical iffederations and clubs in Africa
(09:20):
can't afford the tech or don't invest in it.
They get left behind doubly so. They're not only locked out of
the tactical advantages the on pitch gains, but they're also
locked out of this explosive revenue growth that their global
competitors are already capitalizing on heavily.
And we can see where this aggressive investment is
happening most clearly, right There are regional case studies
(09:41):
popping up. Absolutely.
Look at the Middle East for example.
The sports industry there is forecasted to grow by 8.7% by
2026. Which is huge compared to the
global average. Yeah, more than double the
global sector growth, which is around 3, 33.
This is driven by really strategic moves, economic
diversification, big economies trying to move away from relying
(10:02):
solely on fossil fuels, and securing massive high profile
events like Saudi Arabia hostingthe 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Right. That's a game changer.
It is. And they aren't just funding
teams with big transfer fees. They're building sophisticated
permanent data infrastructure from the ground up.
Can you give an example of that kind of infrastructure
investment? Sure.
(10:23):
Look at the appointment of Jess Buster Madsen.
He was named director of football and data science for
the entire Saudi Pro League. So a dedicated role at the
league level. Exactly.
They're bringing in world experts specifically to
integrate things like cognitive neuroscience and advanced data
science right into the core league structure.
They're building that sophistication from the top
(10:44):
down, which basically forces every club within that league to
adapt and invest or they'll simply be left behind
competitively. So the data isn't just about
tactics anymore. It's about money.
Big money. How is data transforming those
revenue streams? It's going way beyond just
traditional sources like ticket sales and basic sponsorships.
OK. Let's get into that monetization
(11:05):
aspect. Where does it start?
Well, a huge area is the fan experience.
Organizations are leveraging bigdata like everything from social
media interactions, website visits, merchandise purchases,
ticket buying history, even app usage patterns to create these
incredibly detailed fan profiles.
Hyper personalization, essentially.
Exactly. This allows for personalized
(11:25):
marketing campaigns, ads that actually resonate with you,
tailored content recommendationsshowing you videos or articles
you're likely to be interested in, and even dynamic pricing
strategies for. Tickets are merchandise where
prices adjust based on demand inreal time to maximize revenue.
And all of that requires some serious tech behind the scenes,
I imagine. Oh, immense technological
infrastructure. We're talking about the deep
(11:47):
integration of emerging technologies.
Artificial intelligence, AI and machine learning ML are crucial.
How are AI and ML being used specifically?
Well, they're not just counting passes anymore.
They're performing predictive modeling.
For instance, assessing a player's injury risk based on
tracking their training load metrics overtime, or
automatically generating objective reports on opposition
(12:09):
weaknesses that maybe a human scout with their inherent biases
might completely miss. Wow.
And what about managing all thatdata?
That's where cloud computing becomes absolutely essential.
It provides the scalability you need.
Think about processing vast amounts of data in real time,
maybe during a match for instanttactical adjustments, or
delivering live fan engagement features to millions of users
(12:32):
simultaneously across huge geographical areas.
You need the cloud cloud for that kind of power and
flexibility. OK, AIML Cloud, what else?
There was talk of blockchain. Yes, blushing technology.
It's sort of moving past the initial hype phase now and
becoming a standard tool, particularly for security and
creating new revenue streams. How does blockchain help with
(12:53):
security? Well, for covenants it offers
secure, basically tamper proof storage for highly sensitive
data. Think about complex player
contracts with lots of clauses, confidential financial
transactions between clubs, or even private player medical
records. Blockchain ensured that data is
stored securely and is only accessible to explicitly
authorized parties. That makes sense for sensitive
(13:14):
info and the new revenue streams.
This is where it gets interesting for fan engagement
too. It enables entirely new income
streams through things like fan tokens and non fungible tokens
NFTS. Right NFTS of memorable moments
and things like that. Exactly.
Imagine a team releasing limitededition NFTS of say, the winning
goal in a cup final or Lexary players final appearance.
(13:37):
Fans can buy and trade these digital collectibles, creating a
continuous source of revenue forthe club.
Plus, blockchain can bring transparency and security to
things like large sponsorship deals or even just basic ticket
sales, which helps build trust with fans and partners.
OK. So for organizations, especially
in emerging markets like Africanfootball structures to actually
(13:58):
capitalize on all this potential, what do they need to
do? Is there a playbook?
Global analysts and our sources highlight a pretty clear
three-step process. It's interlocking.
You need all three. First you have to create a
unique value proposition, meaning you need to assess the
tech you currently have or realistically can acquire and
then defined crystal clear objectives.
(14:19):
What exactly do you want the data to achieve for your club or
federation? Is it tactical improvement?
Fan engagement? New revenue?
You need that clarity first. OK, define the goal Step 2.
Step 2 is investing robustly in the necessary technology and
infrastructure. This is an optional it means
acquiring advanced analytics tools, securing high capacity
(14:40):
cloud storage, and critically, implementing stringent data
governance policies to protect all that sensitive information
you're collecting. You simply can't run a modern
data operation on outdated tech like trying to run a Ferrari
engine on basical parts. It just won't work.
Invest in the tools. Got it.
And the third step. Build and execute a specific
monetization strategy that's centered on that data.
(15:02):
Focus on those personalized fan campaigns we talked about.
Explore dynamic pricing models. It has to be a holistic
approach. Success isn't just about the
tactical gains on the pitch, it's fundamentally about
building financial sustainability, powered by
technology. This whole integrated system.
That's the benchmark African teams are now chasing.
Right. So we've established the tech is
(15:22):
huge, the money is flowing globally.
Now let's bring it right down tothe ground level, the
operational reality. If these successful African
coaches, the immerse phase, the Walid Ragragas of the future
want to meet that global benchmark, they need to know
what a modern performance analyst APA actually does
day-to-day. What?
OK, yeah, let's get practical. PA fundamentally is about
(15:45):
creating an objective record of performance.
It uses systematic, rigorous observation, not just gut
feelings, to support both individual player development
and overall group tactical improvement.
And it's evolved way beyond justclipping video highlights,
right? Oh, miles beyond.
It's about translating the chaotic, fluid reality of a
football match into cold, hard, objective numbers and insights.
(16:07):
We're talking about tracking really specific metrics.
Things like the the efficiency of your teams pressing traps,
how often do they lead to turnovers?
The success rate of passes completed in the final third
versus those that are incomplete, tackles won or lost
in specific crucial zones of thepitch, how many opposition
crosses were successfully blocked.
Even tracking how much area individual players cover and how
(16:29):
that changes based on the game state.
Are they working hard enough? When you're defending a lead, it
has to be objective reporting based on verifiable facts.
That's the definition people like Franks and Miller
established. OK, So it's detailed objective
measurement to really understandthe workload.
Maybe we can look at a specific role like what is a first team
performance analyst at a club like say Brentford FC in England
(16:51):
actually do, assuming they report to a head of performance
analysis. Yeah, looking at a role like
that gives a great picture of the operational reality.
Their duties are intense and varied.
OK, let's untax some of those core duties.
What's the first one? Well, the absolute core duties
is providing highly detailed post match debriefs.
These go to the coaching staff and often directly to the
(17:13):
players. And this analysis isn't just
random observations. It must be meticulously aligned
with the club's established strategic philosophy, their
overall style of play, and also with the specific game plan that
was developed for that particular match.
So it's about holding everyone accountable to the agreed
strategy. Exactly.
It's objective accountability. Second, they are essentially the
(17:36):
indispensable data librarians for the team.
They manage and continuously update multiple complex
databases. What kind of databases?
Everything. This includes the club score,
style of play documents, detailed opposition reports on
upcoming opponents, comprehensive logs of every
single shot taken by the team and its context, where from
situation, etcetera, libraries of best practice, video examples
(17:58):
from other leagues or their own games, and basically every shred
of individual player performancedata collected.
That sounds like a massive data management job in itself.
It is. And then there are the
logistics, which are also intense.
The analyst is often responsiblefor filming training sessions
when needed. They have to set up all the
match day equipment, the cameras, the laptops with
(18:19):
analysis software, the communication systems between
the bench and the analysts in the stands for both home and
away fixtures. Right, setting up on the road
adds complexity. Absolutely, plus they produce
comprehensive dedicated opposition analysis specifically
for cup fixtures. These often involve really short
preparation windows against teams they might not play
(18:39):
regularly, so the pressure is onto deliver actionable insights
quickly. OK, Debriefs, databases,
logistic opposition, scouting. What else?
Perhaps most critically, all this analytical data, all these
numbers and video clips must be seamlessly integrated into the
Individual development Program, or IDP for every single player
on the squad. The.
(19:00):
IDP. What is that exact?
The IDP is basically a bespoke structured plan for each
player's long term improvement. It outlines specific areas they
need to work on. The Performance Analyst provides
the objective proof, the hard data, the video evidence that
shows the player exactly where they're succeeding and just as
importantly, where they are failing in relation to their
(19:20):
personalized development goals. It makes the feedback concrete
and undeniable. That sounds incredibly valuable
for player growth. Are we seeing this kind of
structured PA taking root in specific regions outside of
Europe? You mentioned the Middle East
earlier. Yes, we're seeing concrete
regional adoption where these structures are genuinely valued
and invested in. A great example is the Qatar
(19:41):
Stars League, the QSL. They launched something called
the Guitar Football Analytics Dashboard.
A league wide dashboard. Exactly.
It was a collaboration with the renowned Aspire Academy there.
This centralized high tech dashboard allows coaches and
players across the entire leagueto immediately access key
performance data, deep analytical information, and the
accompanying video clips relatedto both their own individual
(20:03):
performance and the strategies of their opposition.
So it raises the analytical standard for everyone in the
league simultaneously. Precisely, it provides easily
accessible, actionable analysis for all teams, leveling the
playing field in terms of data access, at least within that
league. And what about in Africa?
Are there examples there too? Yes, definitely clubs in the
(20:24):
Egyptian League, for an instance, teams like Mr. El
Mikasa Asudi and the big club Zamalek, along with the Egyptian
national team itself, have incorporated PA more seriously
and subsequently reported noticeable improvements in
performance. Any specific feedback from
coaches there? Yeah, Coach Ihab Galal, who had
significant success managing Mr.El Mikasa, he confirmed this
(20:45):
shift. He called PAA very important
tool that helped him and his staff swiftly adjust tactics and
game plans based on objective data, not just feel.
He did note that adopting it wasinitially challenging, you know,
changing workflows, mindsets, but ultimately he said it became
a must because basically all thetop teams abroad use it and
benefit massively from it. That recognition of necessity,
(21:07):
especially from successful coaches, is a powerful driver
for the younger generation of African coaches coming through.
OK, so we've got world class African coaches clearly on the
rise. We know data is pretty much
mandatory enough for competing globally.
So why? Why isn't this technology
universally implemented across African club football already?
This feels like the core conflict, the main point of
(21:29):
friction we need to understand. You've hit the nail on the head.
This where it gets complex and challenging to really answer
that why we need to lean heavilyon the extensive research done
by Chichoke Ochubali. Ochibili, tell us about him.
He's a fascinating figure, a Nigerian civil engineer
originally, who then pivoted hiscareer.
He became a master's graduate and freelance football
performance analyst, and he specifically dedicated his
(21:53):
academic work and advocacy to investigating the actual state
of performance analysis within African football.
So he's looking at it from the inside with academic rigor.
Exactly his findings, which camefrom a mixed research method
using both a wide reaching 43 question survey and in depth
qualitative interviews with people involved.
(22:13):
They really expose the stark realities on the ground.
What was his main goal with thisresearch?
Kubilee's mission was really clear.
He wanted to raise awareness fora discipline performance
analysis that he felt was critically overlooked and
undervalued in his homeland and across the continent.
His study detailed 6 major interlocking challenges that are
hindering PA development in Africa right now.
(22:35):
Six key challenges. OK, what's the first one?
The first is incredibly fundamental, a basic lack of
awareness. The actual role of the
performance analyst is virtuallyunknown.
As a distinct specialized discipline within the structure
of African football, In many places, the job titled the
function. It simply doesn't exist
institutionally. People don't even know what it
(22:57):
is or what it could offer. Wow OK and people don't even
know the role exists. Right.
It leads directly to the second challenge, the scarcity of human
capital. They're just too few analysts.
The handful of professionals whodo exist in this space across
the continent are often operating as freelancers.
They're frequently self-taught, working in isolation without
standardized training pathways or any real industry support
(23:19):
structure behind them. So a lack of trained
professionals, what's challenge #3?
Challenge #3 is arguably the most crippling day-to-day
barrier. Prohibitive cost Analysts that
Okubali surveyed consistently cited the incredibly high
subscription fees for the specialist video analysis
software needed to do the job properly.
Well, NAX Port, for instance, was identified in his research
(23:40):
as the most popular choice amongthose analysts who are actually
using professional software. But the problem is these
subscriptions often have to be paid in foreign currency,
dollars or euros. For clubs operating with already
constrained budgets, or for freelance analysts trying to pay
out of their own pocket, that cost becomes completely
prohibitive. It's just impossible for many.
(24:01):
And what's the practical outcomewhen they can't afford the
software? The default becomes,
depressingly, pen and paper methods for analysis and
scouting. Just try to imagine conducting
detailed modern opposition analysis, tracking thousands of
data points, complex patterns bymanually trying to note down
events on paper during a live fast-paced match.
(24:22):
It sounds impossible compared tosoftware that does it instantly.
It basically is. The gap in competitive
effectiveness between that and using sophisticated software is
just astronomical. You're operating light years
behind the global standard. That economic barrier is huge.
What's the 4th challenge? Ochubilee found.
It ties into the cost issue. He termed it football data
infancy. Basically, the knowledge about
(24:46):
and the practical utilization ofsophisticated football data are
still really nascent across muchof the continent.
There's a profound lack of centralized data infrastructure
like shared databases or even established local data provider
networks that could standardizeddata collection and make
analysis more accessible and affordable.
So the whole data ecosystem is underdeveloped.
(25:08):
Very much so, which leads to thefifth point, reinforcing the
second challenge about personnela lack of education.
There are simply far too few standardized training programs,
formal workshops or dedicated academic institutions in Africa
that can properly educate aspiring analysts.
They need training and analysis theory yes, but also practical
training on how to use the key software effectively, ensuring
(25:30):
they can actually compete skill wise with globally trained
counterparts. Right.
You need the people and the infrastructure and the train.
Exactly. And that brings us to Okubly's
6th and final challenge, which is really a conclusion.
There is an urgent, critical need for investment.
He points out the key stakeholders, particularly the
Confederation of African Football, CAF, the continental
(25:52):
governing body, and the individual National Football
Association's FAS. They often focus their attention
and, perhaps more importantly, their limited budgets, almost
exclusively on the senior national teams.
The flashy end product. Right.
They neglect the necessary investment in the fundamental
building blocks of professional football development that need
to happen at the club level. Things like coach education,
(26:15):
youth structures, and yes, performance analysis,
infrastructure and training. OK.
So those are the big structural and financial problems.
But Okubuli's research also mentioned something else, didn't
it? A more human obstacle.
Yes, and this might be the toughest nut to crack.
Beyond the financial and structural issues, his research
identified a major, often silentbut deeply significant obstacle
(26:37):
the resistance from coaches themselves.
This is where that culture meetscomputation.
Clash happens and it can get fierce.
Resistance from coaches. How does that manifest?
Well. Particularly among some older
generation coaches, there's a feeling that their jobs might be
insecure if they become too dependent on technology.
They often prefer a more traditional old school style
(26:59):
that relies purely on their own intuition, their experience,
their eye for the game. They trust their gut over the
data. Sometimes yes, and this
resistance can lead to an activedevaluation of the analysts
expertise. Okubly found that many African
coaches unfortunately look down on the role of the analyst.
They might see them as just the beta guy, someone technical but
(27:21):
not strategic. Or worse, sometimes they view
the analysts as a potential threat to their own authority in
the dressing room. A threat or maybe competition?
Yeah. Sometimes assistant coaches
might view analysts as rivals competing for the head coach's
ear or influence. This can lead to the analysts
objective findings being dismissed or ignored in favor of
advice for more trusted or established members of the
(27:43):
coaching staff, even if the datasuggests otherwise.
So the problem isn't necessarilythat the technology doesn't
work, it's the human willingnessto adopt it, to trust it, and
maybe crucially, to trust someone else's objective
findings over your own long heldinstincts.
That's a huge part of it. So based on all these
challenges, did Okubly propose any solutions a way forward?
(28:05):
Yes, he laid out a clear road map to try and dismantle these
obstacles. It really requires action on
multiple fronts. What are the core actions
needed? He highlighted 3 core areas.
First, fundamentally, you have to increase awareness of what PA
is and what it can do, and alongside that developed formal
standardized training programs across the continent to build
(28:25):
that pool of qualified analysts.Education and awareness.
OK, well, second, second, forge critical partnerships.
He stressed that CAF and the national FAS need to proactively
team up with the big video analysis software companies like
Naxport, which he identified. They need to negotiate bulk
license agreements, maybe subsidized rates, something to
drastically lower that cripplingcost burden for clubs and
(28:47):
individual analysts. Make the essential tools
affordable. Right tackle the cost barrier
directly through collaboration and 3rd, 3rd.
Standardized the role nationallyand continentally.
He argues that every top flight team should, perhaps even
mandatorily, have educated, respected performance analyst on
their technical staff. They shouldn't be seen as just
(29:08):
part of the supporting cast or worse, as rivals.
They need to be viewed as essential complementary partners
to the coaching team. Making it a recognized integral
part of the professional structure.
Exactly. And achieving that requires
mandatory investment, not just in personnel, but also in the
data infrastructure we talked about, and even improving basic
stadium facilities to allow for effective match filming and the
(29:31):
capture of live event data needed for analysis.
It's a whole ecosystem upgrade. That coach resistance piece,
though? The struggle between trusting
experience versus trusting objective data, Yeah, it feels
like it's probably not unique toAfrican football, right?
It must be a universal human challenge whenever you bring
quantitative expertise into a field traditionally run on
instinct and authority. You're absolutely right, it's a
(29:53):
dynamic we see everywhere and tounderstand that complex human
relationship at the heart of PA,we can actually draw on some
really insightful research that focus specifically on analysts
working in England across the English Football League, EFL and
the National League. So professional and semi
professional levels. OK.
So looking at a more establishedfootball structure, what did
(30:16):
that research find about the coach analyst dynamic?
What's fascinating is that it found the analyst's actual
operational scope. What they really do day-to-day
exists on this kind of dynamic continuum.
It swings between 2 broad categories.
At one end, you have what the researchers called flying solo.
Flying solo, meaning the analystis on their own.
(30:37):
Pretty much. That's where the analyst is
forced to take the initiative, make key decisions about the
analysis process, often because the coach is, well, hands off or
uninvolved, and at the other endof the continuum, you have coach
control. Coach control?
That sounds like the opposite. Exactly, That's where the coach
heavily dictates every output, controlling what analysis has
done and how it's presented. The analyst has much less
(30:59):
autonomy. OK, let's break this down,
starting with flying solo. Why would an analyst be forced
to fly solo? This typically happens when the
coach is, as the research termedit, reticent or just genuinely
uninvolved in the PA process. One key theme here was simply
the reticent coach. Analysts reported working with
head coaches who are either justnot into analysis, didn't
(31:22):
prioritize it, or sometimes simply didn't understand what
performance analysis actually entailed or how to use it
effectively. So the coach just ignores it or
doesn't engage? What's the result of that?
The result is often what the researchers called segregated
analytics. The analyst ends up operating in
a kind of silo. They're trying to produce work
they think is valuable, trying to prove their worth, but
(31:43):
without clear direction or feedback from the key decision
maker, the coach. This creates significant
professional vulnerability for the analyst.
One analyst literally said they didn't think their lead coach
truly understood the discipline at all, leaving them to just
kind of guess and hope somethingthey produced landed and was
useful. That sounds incredibly
frustrating and inefficient. Hugely inefficient and this lack
(32:06):
of clear guidance forces anothertheme with him flying solo which
they called PA pragmatism. This is essentially a period of
painful, time consuming trial and error for the analyst.
Trial and error How? Well, analysts reported often
starting out by providing multiple different types of
analysis outputs to the coach. Maybe long written reports,
short video clip packages, detailed statistical
(32:29):
spreadsheets, basically throwingthings at the wall just to see
what, if anything, the coach would actually look at or use.
Trying to figure out what the coach wants without being told.
Exactly, Analyst 3 in that studysummed up the inefficiency
perfectly. There is no point in me sitting
there and doing something for two hours if I know it isn't
going to be used. It just highlights this severe,
(32:49):
almost industry wide lack of initial training for both
coaches and analysts on how theyshould effectively collaborate
and communicate from the very start of their working
relationship. Right, nobody teaches them how
to work together. Often not.
And this isolation, this lack ofcollaboration, manifests really
clearly in the third theme underFlying Solo identifying
(33:10):
indicators. Identifying indicators meaning
key performance indicators P is.Precisely, the research found
that coaches frequently failed to get involved in the crucial
process of defining what the keyperformance indicator should
even be for their team. What constitutes success or
failure in specific tactical areas?
So the analyst has to decide that themselves.
(33:30):
Yes. This means the analyst is often
left to unilaterally decide whatconstitutes a subjective event
within the game. For example, what exactly counts
as a chance created or what defines a significant change in
possession? Without shared definitions
agreed upon by coach and analyst, the coach might receive
data based purely on the analysts interpretation of these
(33:53):
subjective P is, and that interpretation might be
completely irrelevant or even misguided from the coach's
specific tactical perspective. That seems like a recipe for
confusion and mismatched expectations.
Totally. The ambiguity is captured
perfectly by analysts too in thestudy, who basically said I code
as much as I can because you never know what they might ask
(34:13):
for. Think about that.
That represents a massive amountof potentially wasted resources,
hours spent meticulously coding and compiling data that may
never be relevant or looked at purely because there's no
established trust or shared tactical language between the
coach and the analyst. OK, So that's the flying solo
and isolation inefficiency guesswork.
Now let's flip to the other sideof that continuum.
(34:34):
You mentioned coach control. What does that look like?
Right? So when the coach does engage
actively in the PA process, the research found it's often
focused very heavily on the player facing aspects.
The coach wants to maintain visible authority and control
over what the players see and hear.
Regarding analysis, this leads to a theme termed autocratic
presentations. Autocratic presentations,
(34:57):
meaning the coach dictates the message.
Entirely coaches overwhelmingly prioritize leading the pre match
and post match analysis presentations themselves.
They want to be the one standingin front of the players
delivering the key messages. They want to be seen to be the
source of all the strategic knowledge and feedback.
And what does that mean for the analyst's role in those
situations? Well, the analyst is frequently
(35:19):
reduced to being essentially A compiler, or, as one analyst
bluntly put it, a glorified video editor.
Ouch. So just preparing the materials
the coach asks for. Pretty much the job transforms
into highly structured, dictatedwork.
Analyst 8 described their opposition analysis process as
simply download the opponent's last few games and then clip the
(35:41):
specific instances or types of plays that the coach has
explicitly requested. Nothing more.
No independent strategic input offered or seemingly wanted.
The coach identifies the moment they want to show.
The analyst just executes the technical task of clipping the
video and maybe putting it on a slide.
The analyst's deeper expertise and strategic analysis gets
(36:01):
marginalized in favor of their technical skill in creating the
presentation materials. So their analytical brain isn't
really being used to its full potential.
Often not in those scenarios, and this coach control extends,
often quite sporadically and reactively, into halftime
feedback during the match itself.
How does halftime analysis work in this coach control model?
It's usually instigated by the coaches, often via radio
(36:23):
transceivers from the bench up to the analyst in the stands,
but it's often reactive to specific events.
Analyst 3 noted the sheer practical difficulty of
delivering complex insights in the heat of the moment.
You don't have time at halftime and I don't think they, the
players, would take it in because they aren't that pumped
up. The window for delivering and
(36:45):
absorbing objective data is incredibly small and high
stress. Yeah, I can imagine emotions
running high then. Exactly.
And here's perhaps the most revealing finding from that
research showing how Pennsylvania can be diverted
from its core purpose. It's not always used purely for
tactical development or player improvement.
What else is it used for? Analysts 2 revealed something
quite telling. He said if he goes down to the
(37:07):
dressing room at halftime, it's usually because of a major
incident, usually like a penaltyor an offside.
Just to clear within the coachesreally, so they know if the
decision was right or wrong and then the coaches can use it to
be on the ref's back. Wow, so they're using the
analyst and the video replay tech to check refereeing
decisions, potentially to complain to the ref in the
(37:27):
second-half? That's exactly what the analyst
implied, and that anecdote perfectly illustrates the
overall challenge highlighted bythis research.
The analyst expertise is often undersold or underutilized their
work and sometimes be hijacked to meet external non
developmental goals like winningarguments with the referee,
managing media perceptions aftera controversial incident, or
(37:48):
simply reinforcing the coaches pre-existing opinions rather
than focusing purely on objective tactical learning and
growth for the team and players.So whether it's flying solo or
coach control, the dynamic seemsflawed.
It often is the urgent need really, regardless of the
continent, the league level or the specific coach is for
genuine collaborative partnerships between coaches and
(38:10):
analysts. They need to build mutual trust
and establish clear context specific PA processes where the
analysts expert insight is actually valued and integrated
effectively, not just dictated to or ignored.
OK, let's try and synthesize this, bring it all together.
We've explored this really powerful convergence that's
happening. On one hand, you have African
coaches who are undeniably earning the trust of their
(38:32):
federations. They're proving their
competence. They have that invaluable
cultural knowledge and they're often the best leaders for their
national teams, as the results show.
Absolutely. The rise is real and justified.
But on the other hand, to sustain that competence, to
truly compete toe to toe and what we've seen is a massive
multibillion dollar global football ecosystem, they must
(38:56):
fully integrate these high tech data tools.
They need the analysis. That's the crux of it.
And what's so fascinating here is the dual nature of progress
required. Success demands both things.
It needs the cultural connection, the emotional
intelligence, the leadership of an inverse FAE or a Walid or a
Grog away. But it also needs the objective
cold heart analysis provided by data science to compete at the
(39:18):
highest level. And the biggest hurdles, as TG
OK Ochubales research laid bare for African football, and as the
UK research showed in a different context, they aren't
really technological anymore, are they?
The tech exists. No.
The biggest hurdles are fundamentally human and
institutional. It's about breaking down those
prohibitive cost barriers, yes. But maybe even more importantly,
(39:40):
it's about convincing that potentially reticent coach.
Wherever they are, that data is there to enhance their
knowledge, to supplement their experience, not to replace them
or threaten their authority. Bridging that trust gap is key.
So the road forward seems prettyclear, doesn't it?
It kind of mirrors the solutionsproposed by analysts like
Jubilee who are working on the ground.
(40:01):
It does. It requires aggressive targeted
investment from the governing bodies CAFTAFDFAS.
It needs a major push in education to standardize and
professionalize the analysts role across the board, and it
demands strategic partnerships, particularly with tech
companies, to bring down that prohibitive cost of the
essential software and tools. Make it accessible.
And if African football can somehow solve those twin
(40:24):
problems, the cost barrier and the trust gap between coach and
analysts title, the potential seems enormous, doesn't it?
We've already had glimpses like Morocco's World Cup run.
The potential is absolutely boundless.
It's not just about making the game more professional or
winning more matches, although that's part of it.
It's fundamentally about achieving genuine global parity,
(40:47):
being consistently competitive at the very highest level.
Which really brings us to the ultimate question this whole
movement raises Something for you, the listener, to think
about. We know African coaches are
rising, proving their worth. We know data is king in modern
elite sport. If this trend of
standardization, investment and crucially, trust continues, how
quickly do you think we might see it?
(41:08):
An African national team led by a brilliant African coach,
supported by a robust local datasavvy analysis department,
finally lifting that FIFA World Cup trophy.
That's the ultimate goal. Chijioke Ukubali spoke of that
convergence of cultural leadership and computational
power. And maybe, just maybe, it's
closer than ever before. Definitely something to ponder.
(41:29):
Maybe go explore the job market for data analysts and sport.
You might be genuinely surprisedhow specialized and in demand
those roles are becoming, and where the next big revolution in
strategy is likely to land.
OK, get ready. Today we are strapping in for a
really explosive deep dive into the world's most popular game,
football, because there's this fundamental double barrel
revolution happening right now. It's reshaping the whole global
power dynamic. It really is.
We're talking about a massive shift.
Yeah, it's like 2 things happening at once.
(00:21):
You've got this stunning rise of, you know, homegrown
leadership on one of the world'smost passionate continents for
the game. Right, in Africa specifically.
Exactly. And then alongside that, you've
got this cold, relentless wave of big data and machine learning
that's just transforming strategy everywhere.
It's an incredible moment of collision, actually.
For decades, the narrative in African football was, well,
(00:43):
pretty simple. You need a foreign expertise.
Usually, European tacticians were seen as the only path to
success. That was the default thinking,
wasn't it? Absolutely.
But that assumption, it's not just crumbling, it's being
obliterated by this wave of local talent, Guys who
understand the culture, the mentality of the mission.
They just get it in a way an outsider maybe can't.
(01:04):
But there's the tension, right? Precisely because to really
cement that success on the global stage against the best in
the world, they have to fully embrace the other side, the
analytical, data-driven engine room that powers the modern
game. OK, so this deep dive is all
about understanding that blend its cultural pride Meeting
(01:25):
computational science. We're going to look at the
amazing success stories that prove local leadership works.
Yeah, the proof is definitely there now.
And then we'll shift to the, youknow, the billion dollar global
forces driving this tech revolution in sport.
And, crucially, the friction. Yes, critically, we need to
dissect the massive hurdles, human financial bunnets that are
(01:48):
stopping this cutting edge analysis from being universally
adopted in African football right now.
You really need to understand how experience and culture are
meeting machine learning and whythat friction point is so, well,
incredibly high. Let's anchor this conversation
with a revolution is most visible.
That's on the touchline with thecoaches.
The change in African national team management isn't subtle at
(02:08):
all. It's definitive.
If you look back even just 10 years, the assumption was
crystal clear. Exotic success, you know,
winning big tournaments demandedan exotic coach, usually
European. That era, it's just over.
And the numbers really back thatup, don't they?
It's a major power shift for witnesses.
(02:28):
It is out of the 54 African national teams, a staggering 31
are now coached by local Africanmanagers. 31 That's more than
half. It's a decisive majority.
Exactly. This isn't just a trend anymore,
it's a fundamental shift in trust in governance by the
National Federation's themselves.
And it's not just about feeling seats, is it?
(02:48):
This is about winning. Absolutely critical point.
This movement is defined by silverware.
The last three major continentalchampionships, the Total
Energies, Seekaf, Africa Cup of Nations, you know, AFCON,
they've all been won by African coaches.
We can basically call it the AFCON triad.
OK, the AFCON triad. Let's break that down, because
like you said, it proves this isn't just some random
coincidence. It really sets the stage.
(03:09):
It starts in 2019. Jamel Belmati guides Algeria to
victory. He brought this template of
fierce national pride but mixed it with really disciplined
modern tactical strategy. OK, Belmati with Algeria.
Who's next? Then comes Ali used to say, a
huge figure in Senegalese football.
Obviously, he leads Senegal to win AFCON in 2022.
(03:30):
CC's win felt massive. He'd been there as a player,
catching them in that famous 2002 World Cup run, and now he
delivered as a coach that carries weight.
Immense weight and then perhaps the most dramatic story immerse
Faye leading Cote d'Ivoire to glory just last year, 2023
AFCON. On home soil, no less.
And Faye took over mid tournament.
(03:51):
That's unbelievable. It really is that kind of deep
cultural knowledge, the ability to step in, command that
dressing room under immense pressure.
You just can't import that. You can't buy it from an
outsider. So the AFCON triad shows
continental dominance, but what about the global stage?
That's where it gets validated globally.
We absolutely have to talk aboutKhaled Rograggi, his history
making run with Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and guitar.
(04:14):
Yes Morocco, incredible story. First African national team ever
to reach the World Cup semi finals.
And Rogragui, A Moroccan coach, the first African coach ever to
achieve that feat. That wasn't just breaking a
record, was it? It felt like it shifted the
whole perception. Completely.
It fundamentally changed how African managerial capability
was viewed on a global scale. It proved beyond doubt that the
(04:38):
talent, the strategic depth, theleadership to manage a world
class squad, it's all there locally.
Just a big question. That is why?
Why are Federation's finally committing to this model now?
Well, it really boils down to a value proposition that's frankly
priceless. It's about cultural connection
and, maybe even more importantly, dressing room
(04:58):
credibility. Cultural connection?
How does that play out practically?
Samuel Otio, you know, the legendary player, now president
of the Cameron Football Federation, you put it
perfectly, he said. Local coaches understand the
players and the mentality. Right, they get the nuances.
Exactly. That cultural depth means they
know what it truly means to wearthe shirt and fight for the
(05:19):
flag. It translates into better
communication, deeper motivation.
They understand the societal pressures, the background the
players come from, things a European coach flying in for a
few months just can never fully grasp.
That makes sense. And the credibility factor?
Oh, it's immense, especially when you're managing players who
are big stars in Europe's top leagues, You know, the Premier
(05:40):
League, La Liga, Syria. Right, these aren't just local
league players. Not at all.
And this new wave of coaches, they aren't just theorists.
They've walked in those elite players shoes to say, like we
said, captain Senegal at a WorldCup.
Feye played in League One in France, in the Premier League in
England. So they have that shared
experience. Precisely.
Saudio Manet, the Senegalese star, he emphasized this.
(06:02):
He said basically when your coach is played in the Champions
League or at a World Cup, you listen to him, you know he's
been there. That shared history, that elite
level experience, It instantly grants some respect in a
dressing room full of global stars.
OK, so competence and cultural fit are the main drivers, but
what about the money? Is that a factor?
We have to acknowledge it, yes. The financial reality is that
(06:24):
local coaches generally require substantially lower compensation
packages compared to their foreign counterparts, especially
the big European names. So it's more affordable for the
federation's. It often is.
And when you combine that financial attractiveness with
crucially superior competitive results and that deep cultural
buy in we talked about, well, the argument for investing
(06:46):
locally becomes pretty overwhelming.
It's not just to say Faye and Raggi, then this is broader.
Oh, much broader. The movements, breath is really
impressive. You see Pitheo taking the reins
in Senegal now. Mohammed Kalam with Sierra
Leone, Eric Shell, he's with Nigeria.
Benny McCarthy, the South African legend coaching in
Kenya, Hosam Hassan leading Egypt, Otto Ido back guiding
(07:08):
Ghana. Sasai himself has moved on to
coach Libya. Now it's a real continental
embrace of local talent. And the shift towards stability,
towards trusting a local coacheslong term, how important is that
looking ahead, especially with the World Cup expand it's.
Absolutely critical. Africa's getting 9 guaranteed
spots at the expanded 2026 WorldCup.
That's huge. 9 direct spots. Wow.
(07:29):
Yeah, so federations are realizing they need to move away
from that old habit, you know, hiring a foreign coach just
before a major tournament and then firing them immediately if
things go wrong. The short term fix mentality.
Exactly. Now the emphasis is shifting
towards longer term projects, giving these African coaches the
time, the resources, the stability to actually develop
(07:52):
competitive squads built around a consistent philosophy.
That kind of stability is the absolute key to achieving
consistent success on the globalstage.
OK. So the leadership revolution on
the touchline is clear. Cultural connection,
credibility, results, it's all happening.
But you mentioned the other sideof this.
Right, well that cultural leadership and player buy in are
the heart of this success. The methods they employ have to
(08:15):
be modern to sustain success against the very best teams in
the world. These African coaches need that
objective, strategic framework. And that brings us to the data.
Precisely so. We pivot now to the other side
of this revolution, the engine room of modern strategy,
performance analysis, PA, and data science.
And this is where the money really starts talking, isn't it?
(08:36):
Because the analytics market isn't just like a small niche
supporting football anymore. It's driving a massive financial
ecosystem globally. All the numbers are staggering.
The global market size for just data monetization in sports was
already around US $2.99 billion in 2023.
Almost $3 billion. Yeah, and the injections, it's
expected to explode, potentiallyreaching US $12.62 billion by
(09:00):
2032. 12 billion. That's incredible growth.
It is. We're talking a compound annual
growth rate ACAGR of 17.5% that tells you everything you need to
know. Data isn't just a tool anymore,
it's the new core asset in the business of sport.
That financial reality is so important, isn't it, Because it
highlights something critical iffederations and clubs in Africa
(09:20):
can't afford the tech or don't invest in it.
They get left behind doubly so. They're not only locked out of
the tactical advantages the on pitch gains, but they're also
locked out of this explosive revenue growth that their global
competitors are already capitalizing on heavily.
And we can see where this aggressive investment is
happening most clearly, right There are regional case studies
(09:41):
popping up. Absolutely.
Look at the Middle East for example.
The sports industry there is forecasted to grow by 8.7% by
2026. Which is huge compared to the
global average. Yeah, more than double the
global sector growth, which is around 3, 33.
This is driven by really strategic moves, economic
diversification, big economies trying to move away from relying
(10:02):
solely on fossil fuels, and securing massive high profile
events like Saudi Arabia hostingthe 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Right. That's a game changer.
It is. And they aren't just funding
teams with big transfer fees. They're building sophisticated
permanent data infrastructure from the ground up.
Can you give an example of that kind of infrastructure
investment? Sure.
(10:23):
Look at the appointment of Jess Buster Madsen.
He was named director of football and data science for
the entire Saudi Pro League. So a dedicated role at the
league level. Exactly.
They're bringing in world experts specifically to
integrate things like cognitive neuroscience and advanced data
science right into the core league structure.
They're building that sophistication from the top
(10:44):
down, which basically forces every club within that league to
adapt and invest or they'll simply be left behind
competitively. So the data isn't just about
tactics anymore. It's about money.
Big money. How is data transforming those
revenue streams? It's going way beyond just
traditional sources like ticket sales and basic sponsorships.
OK. Let's get into that monetization
(11:05):
aspect. Where does it start?
Well, a huge area is the fan experience.
Organizations are leveraging bigdata like everything from social
media interactions, website visits, merchandise purchases,
ticket buying history, even app usage patterns to create these
incredibly detailed fan profiles.
Hyper personalization, essentially.
Exactly. This allows for personalized
(11:25):
marketing campaigns, ads that actually resonate with you,
tailored content recommendationsshowing you videos or articles
you're likely to be interested in, and even dynamic pricing
strategies for. Tickets are merchandise where
prices adjust based on demand inreal time to maximize revenue.
And all of that requires some serious tech behind the scenes,
I imagine. Oh, immense technological
infrastructure. We're talking about the deep
(11:47):
integration of emerging technologies.
Artificial intelligence, AI and machine learning ML are crucial.
How are AI and ML being used specifically?
Well, they're not just counting passes anymore.
They're performing predictive modeling.
For instance, assessing a player's injury risk based on
tracking their training load metrics overtime, or
automatically generating objective reports on opposition
(12:09):
weaknesses that maybe a human scout with their inherent biases
might completely miss. Wow.
And what about managing all thatdata?
That's where cloud computing becomes absolutely essential.
It provides the scalability you need.
Think about processing vast amounts of data in real time,
maybe during a match for instanttactical adjustments, or
delivering live fan engagement features to millions of users
(12:32):
simultaneously across huge geographical areas.
You need the cloud cloud for that kind of power and
flexibility. OK, AIML Cloud, what else?
There was talk of blockchain. Yes, blushing technology.
It's sort of moving past the initial hype phase now and
becoming a standard tool, particularly for security and
creating new revenue streams. How does blockchain help with
(12:53):
security? Well, for covenants it offers
secure, basically tamper proof storage for highly sensitive
data. Think about complex player
contracts with lots of clauses, confidential financial
transactions between clubs, or even private player medical
records. Blockchain ensured that data is
stored securely and is only accessible to explicitly
authorized parties. That makes sense for sensitive
(13:14):
info and the new revenue streams.
This is where it gets interesting for fan engagement
too. It enables entirely new income
streams through things like fan tokens and non fungible tokens
NFTS. Right NFTS of memorable moments
and things like that. Exactly.
Imagine a team releasing limitededition NFTS of say, the winning
goal in a cup final or Lexary players final appearance.
(13:37):
Fans can buy and trade these digital collectibles, creating a
continuous source of revenue forthe club.
Plus, blockchain can bring transparency and security to
things like large sponsorship deals or even just basic ticket
sales, which helps build trust with fans and partners.
OK. So for organizations, especially
in emerging markets like Africanfootball structures to actually
(13:58):
capitalize on all this potential, what do they need to
do? Is there a playbook?
Global analysts and our sources highlight a pretty clear
three-step process. It's interlocking.
You need all three. First you have to create a
unique value proposition, meaning you need to assess the
tech you currently have or realistically can acquire and
then defined crystal clear objectives.
(14:19):
What exactly do you want the data to achieve for your club or
federation? Is it tactical improvement?
Fan engagement? New revenue?
You need that clarity first. OK, define the goal Step 2.
Step 2 is investing robustly in the necessary technology and
infrastructure. This is an optional it means
acquiring advanced analytics tools, securing high capacity
(14:40):
cloud storage, and critically, implementing stringent data
governance policies to protect all that sensitive information
you're collecting. You simply can't run a modern
data operation on outdated tech like trying to run a Ferrari
engine on basical parts. It just won't work.
Invest in the tools. Got it.
And the third step. Build and execute a specific
monetization strategy that's centered on that data.
(15:02):
Focus on those personalized fan campaigns we talked about.
Explore dynamic pricing models. It has to be a holistic
approach. Success isn't just about the
tactical gains on the pitch, it's fundamentally about
building financial sustainability, powered by
technology. This whole integrated system.
That's the benchmark African teams are now chasing.
Right. So we've established the tech is
(15:22):
huge, the money is flowing globally.
Now let's bring it right down tothe ground level, the
operational reality. If these successful African
coaches, the immerse phase, the Walid Ragragas of the future
want to meet that global benchmark, they need to know
what a modern performance analyst APA actually does
day-to-day. What?
OK, yeah, let's get practical. PA fundamentally is about
(15:45):
creating an objective record of performance.
It uses systematic, rigorous observation, not just gut
feelings, to support both individual player development
and overall group tactical improvement.
And it's evolved way beyond justclipping video highlights,
right? Oh, miles beyond.
It's about translating the chaotic, fluid reality of a
football match into cold, hard, objective numbers and insights.
(16:07):
We're talking about tracking really specific metrics.
Things like the the efficiency of your teams pressing traps,
how often do they lead to turnovers?
The success rate of passes completed in the final third
versus those that are incomplete, tackles won or lost
in specific crucial zones of thepitch, how many opposition
crosses were successfully blocked.
Even tracking how much area individual players cover and how
(16:29):
that changes based on the game state.
Are they working hard enough? When you're defending a lead, it
has to be objective reporting based on verifiable facts.
That's the definition people like Franks and Miller
established. OK, So it's detailed objective
measurement to really understandthe workload.
Maybe we can look at a specific role like what is a first team
performance analyst at a club like say Brentford FC in England
(16:51):
actually do, assuming they report to a head of performance
analysis. Yeah, looking at a role like
that gives a great picture of the operational reality.
Their duties are intense and varied.
OK, let's untax some of those core duties.
What's the first one? Well, the absolute core duties
is providing highly detailed post match debriefs.
These go to the coaching staff and often directly to the
(17:13):
players. And this analysis isn't just
random observations. It must be meticulously aligned
with the club's established strategic philosophy, their
overall style of play, and also with the specific game plan that
was developed for that particular match.
So it's about holding everyone accountable to the agreed
strategy. Exactly.
It's objective accountability. Second, they are essentially the
(17:36):
indispensable data librarians for the team.
They manage and continuously update multiple complex
databases. What kind of databases?
Everything. This includes the club score,
style of play documents, detailed opposition reports on
upcoming opponents, comprehensive logs of every
single shot taken by the team and its context, where from
situation, etcetera, libraries of best practice, video examples
(17:58):
from other leagues or their own games, and basically every shred
of individual player performancedata collected.
That sounds like a massive data management job in itself.
It is. And then there are the
logistics, which are also intense.
The analyst is often responsiblefor filming training sessions
when needed. They have to set up all the
match day equipment, the cameras, the laptops with
(18:19):
analysis software, the communication systems between
the bench and the analysts in the stands for both home and
away fixtures. Right, setting up on the road
adds complexity. Absolutely, plus they produce
comprehensive dedicated opposition analysis specifically
for cup fixtures. These often involve really short
preparation windows against teams they might not play
(18:39):
regularly, so the pressure is onto deliver actionable insights
quickly. OK, Debriefs, databases,
logistic opposition, scouting. What else?
Perhaps most critically, all this analytical data, all these
numbers and video clips must be seamlessly integrated into the
Individual development Program, or IDP for every single player
on the squad. The.
(19:00):
IDP. What is that exact?
The IDP is basically a bespoke structured plan for each
player's long term improvement. It outlines specific areas they
need to work on. The Performance Analyst provides
the objective proof, the hard data, the video evidence that
shows the player exactly where they're succeeding and just as
importantly, where they are failing in relation to their
(19:20):
personalized development goals. It makes the feedback concrete
and undeniable. That sounds incredibly valuable
for player growth. Are we seeing this kind of
structured PA taking root in specific regions outside of
Europe? You mentioned the Middle East
earlier. Yes, we're seeing concrete
regional adoption where these structures are genuinely valued
and invested in. A great example is the Qatar
(19:41):
Stars League, the QSL. They launched something called
the Guitar Football Analytics Dashboard.
A league wide dashboard. Exactly.
It was a collaboration with the renowned Aspire Academy there.
This centralized high tech dashboard allows coaches and
players across the entire leagueto immediately access key
performance data, deep analytical information, and the
accompanying video clips relatedto both their own individual
(20:03):
performance and the strategies of their opposition.
So it raises the analytical standard for everyone in the
league simultaneously. Precisely, it provides easily
accessible, actionable analysis for all teams, leveling the
playing field in terms of data access, at least within that
league. And what about in Africa?
Are there examples there too? Yes, definitely clubs in the
(20:24):
Egyptian League, for an instance, teams like Mr. El
Mikasa Asudi and the big club Zamalek, along with the Egyptian
national team itself, have incorporated PA more seriously
and subsequently reported noticeable improvements in
performance. Any specific feedback from
coaches there? Yeah, Coach Ihab Galal, who had
significant success managing Mr.El Mikasa, he confirmed this
(20:45):
shift. He called PAA very important
tool that helped him and his staff swiftly adjust tactics and
game plans based on objective data, not just feel.
He did note that adopting it wasinitially challenging, you know,
changing workflows, mindsets, but ultimately he said it became
a must because basically all thetop teams abroad use it and
benefit massively from it. That recognition of necessity,
(21:07):
especially from successful coaches, is a powerful driver
for the younger generation of African coaches coming through.
OK, so we've got world class African coaches clearly on the
rise. We know data is pretty much
mandatory enough for competing globally.
So why? Why isn't this technology
universally implemented across African club football already?
This feels like the core conflict, the main point of
(21:29):
friction we need to understand. You've hit the nail on the head.
This where it gets complex and challenging to really answer
that why we need to lean heavilyon the extensive research done
by Chichoke Ochubali. Ochibili, tell us about him.
He's a fascinating figure, a Nigerian civil engineer
originally, who then pivoted hiscareer.
He became a master's graduate and freelance football
performance analyst, and he specifically dedicated his
(21:53):
academic work and advocacy to investigating the actual state
of performance analysis within African football.
So he's looking at it from the inside with academic rigor.
Exactly his findings, which camefrom a mixed research method
using both a wide reaching 43 question survey and in depth
qualitative interviews with people involved.
(22:13):
They really expose the stark realities on the ground.
What was his main goal with thisresearch?
Kubilee's mission was really clear.
He wanted to raise awareness fora discipline performance
analysis that he felt was critically overlooked and
undervalued in his homeland and across the continent.
His study detailed 6 major interlocking challenges that are
hindering PA development in Africa right now.
(22:35):
Six key challenges. OK, what's the first one?
The first is incredibly fundamental, a basic lack of
awareness. The actual role of the
performance analyst is virtuallyunknown.
As a distinct specialized discipline within the structure
of African football, In many places, the job titled the
function. It simply doesn't exist
institutionally. People don't even know what it
(22:57):
is or what it could offer. Wow OK and people don't even
know the role exists. Right.
It leads directly to the second challenge, the scarcity of human
capital. They're just too few analysts.
The handful of professionals whodo exist in this space across
the continent are often operating as freelancers.
They're frequently self-taught, working in isolation without
standardized training pathways or any real industry support
(23:19):
structure behind them. So a lack of trained
professionals, what's challenge #3?
Challenge #3 is arguably the most crippling day-to-day
barrier. Prohibitive cost Analysts that
Okubali surveyed consistently cited the incredibly high
subscription fees for the specialist video analysis
software needed to do the job properly.
Well, NAX Port, for instance, was identified in his research
(23:40):
as the most popular choice amongthose analysts who are actually
using professional software. But the problem is these
subscriptions often have to be paid in foreign currency,
dollars or euros. For clubs operating with already
constrained budgets, or for freelance analysts trying to pay
out of their own pocket, that cost becomes completely
prohibitive. It's just impossible for many.
(24:01):
And what's the practical outcomewhen they can't afford the
software? The default becomes,
depressingly, pen and paper methods for analysis and
scouting. Just try to imagine conducting
detailed modern opposition analysis, tracking thousands of
data points, complex patterns bymanually trying to note down
events on paper during a live fast-paced match.
(24:22):
It sounds impossible compared tosoftware that does it instantly.
It basically is. The gap in competitive
effectiveness between that and using sophisticated software is
just astronomical. You're operating light years
behind the global standard. That economic barrier is huge.
What's the 4th challenge? Ochubilee found.
It ties into the cost issue. He termed it football data
infancy. Basically, the knowledge about
(24:46):
and the practical utilization ofsophisticated football data are
still really nascent across muchof the continent.
There's a profound lack of centralized data infrastructure
like shared databases or even established local data provider
networks that could standardizeddata collection and make
analysis more accessible and affordable.
So the whole data ecosystem is underdeveloped.
(25:08):
Very much so, which leads to thefifth point, reinforcing the
second challenge about personnela lack of education.
There are simply far too few standardized training programs,
formal workshops or dedicated academic institutions in Africa
that can properly educate aspiring analysts.
They need training and analysis theory yes, but also practical
training on how to use the key software effectively, ensuring
(25:30):
they can actually compete skill wise with globally trained
counterparts. Right.
You need the people and the infrastructure and the train.
Exactly. And that brings us to Okubly's
6th and final challenge, which is really a conclusion.
There is an urgent, critical need for investment.
He points out the key stakeholders, particularly the
Confederation of African Football, CAF, the continental
(25:52):
governing body, and the individual National Football
Association's FAS. They often focus their attention
and, perhaps more importantly, their limited budgets, almost
exclusively on the senior national teams.
The flashy end product. Right.
They neglect the necessary investment in the fundamental
building blocks of professional football development that need
to happen at the club level. Things like coach education,
(26:15):
youth structures, and yes, performance analysis,
infrastructure and training. OK.
So those are the big structural and financial problems.
But Okubuli's research also mentioned something else, didn't
it? A more human obstacle.
Yes, and this might be the toughest nut to crack.
Beyond the financial and structural issues, his research
identified a major, often silentbut deeply significant obstacle
(26:37):
the resistance from coaches themselves.
This is where that culture meetscomputation.
Clash happens and it can get fierce.
Resistance from coaches. How does that manifest?
Well. Particularly among some older
generation coaches, there's a feeling that their jobs might be
insecure if they become too dependent on technology.
They often prefer a more traditional old school style
(26:59):
that relies purely on their own intuition, their experience,
their eye for the game. They trust their gut over the
data. Sometimes yes, and this
resistance can lead to an activedevaluation of the analysts
expertise. Okubly found that many African
coaches unfortunately look down on the role of the analyst.
They might see them as just the beta guy, someone technical but
(27:21):
not strategic. Or worse, sometimes they view
the analysts as a potential threat to their own authority in
the dressing room. A threat or maybe competition?
Yeah. Sometimes assistant coaches
might view analysts as rivals competing for the head coach's
ear or influence. This can lead to the analysts
objective findings being dismissed or ignored in favor of
advice for more trusted or established members of the
(27:43):
coaching staff, even if the datasuggests otherwise.
So the problem isn't necessarilythat the technology doesn't
work, it's the human willingnessto adopt it, to trust it, and
maybe crucially, to trust someone else's objective
findings over your own long heldinstincts.
That's a huge part of it. So based on all these
challenges, did Okubly propose any solutions a way forward?
(28:05):
Yes, he laid out a clear road map to try and dismantle these
obstacles. It really requires action on
multiple fronts. What are the core actions
needed? He highlighted 3 core areas.
First, fundamentally, you have to increase awareness of what PA
is and what it can do, and alongside that developed formal
standardized training programs across the continent to build
(28:25):
that pool of qualified analysts.Education and awareness.
OK, well, second, second, forge critical partnerships.
He stressed that CAF and the national FAS need to proactively
team up with the big video analysis software companies like
Naxport, which he identified. They need to negotiate bulk
license agreements, maybe subsidized rates, something to
drastically lower that cripplingcost burden for clubs and
(28:47):
individual analysts. Make the essential tools
affordable. Right tackle the cost barrier
directly through collaboration and 3rd, 3rd.
Standardized the role nationallyand continentally.
He argues that every top flight team should, perhaps even
mandatorily, have educated, respected performance analyst on
their technical staff. They shouldn't be seen as just
(29:08):
part of the supporting cast or worse, as rivals.
They need to be viewed as essential complementary partners
to the coaching team. Making it a recognized integral
part of the professional structure.
Exactly. And achieving that requires
mandatory investment, not just in personnel, but also in the
data infrastructure we talked about, and even improving basic
stadium facilities to allow for effective match filming and the
(29:31):
capture of live event data needed for analysis.
It's a whole ecosystem upgrade. That coach resistance piece,
though? The struggle between trusting
experience versus trusting objective data, Yeah, it feels
like it's probably not unique toAfrican football, right?
It must be a universal human challenge whenever you bring
quantitative expertise into a field traditionally run on
instinct and authority. You're absolutely right, it's a
(29:53):
dynamic we see everywhere and tounderstand that complex human
relationship at the heart of PA,we can actually draw on some
really insightful research that focus specifically on analysts
working in England across the English Football League, EFL and
the National League. So professional and semi
professional levels. OK.
So looking at a more establishedfootball structure, what did
(30:16):
that research find about the coach analyst dynamic?
What's fascinating is that it found the analyst's actual
operational scope. What they really do day-to-day
exists on this kind of dynamic continuum.
It swings between 2 broad categories.
At one end, you have what the researchers called flying solo.
Flying solo, meaning the analystis on their own.
(30:37):
Pretty much. That's where the analyst is
forced to take the initiative, make key decisions about the
analysis process, often because the coach is, well, hands off or
uninvolved, and at the other endof the continuum, you have coach
control. Coach control?
That sounds like the opposite. Exactly, That's where the coach
heavily dictates every output, controlling what analysis has
done and how it's presented. The analyst has much less
(30:59):
autonomy. OK, let's break this down,
starting with flying solo. Why would an analyst be forced
to fly solo? This typically happens when the
coach is, as the research termedit, reticent or just genuinely
uninvolved in the PA process. One key theme here was simply
the reticent coach. Analysts reported working with
head coaches who are either justnot into analysis, didn't
(31:22):
prioritize it, or sometimes simply didn't understand what
performance analysis actually entailed or how to use it
effectively. So the coach just ignores it or
doesn't engage? What's the result of that?
The result is often what the researchers called segregated
analytics. The analyst ends up operating in
a kind of silo. They're trying to produce work
they think is valuable, trying to prove their worth, but
(31:43):
without clear direction or feedback from the key decision
maker, the coach. This creates significant
professional vulnerability for the analyst.
One analyst literally said they didn't think their lead coach
truly understood the discipline at all, leaving them to just
kind of guess and hope somethingthey produced landed and was
useful. That sounds incredibly
frustrating and inefficient. Hugely inefficient and this lack
(32:06):
of clear guidance forces anothertheme with him flying solo which
they called PA pragmatism. This is essentially a period of
painful, time consuming trial and error for the analyst.
Trial and error How? Well, analysts reported often
starting out by providing multiple different types of
analysis outputs to the coach. Maybe long written reports,
short video clip packages, detailed statistical
(32:29):
spreadsheets, basically throwingthings at the wall just to see
what, if anything, the coach would actually look at or use.
Trying to figure out what the coach wants without being told.
Exactly, Analyst 3 in that studysummed up the inefficiency
perfectly. There is no point in me sitting
there and doing something for two hours if I know it isn't
going to be used. It just highlights this severe,
(32:49):
almost industry wide lack of initial training for both
coaches and analysts on how theyshould effectively collaborate
and communicate from the very start of their working
relationship. Right, nobody teaches them how
to work together. Often not.
And this isolation, this lack ofcollaboration, manifests really
clearly in the third theme underFlying Solo identifying
(33:10):
indicators. Identifying indicators meaning
key performance indicators P is.Precisely, the research found
that coaches frequently failed to get involved in the crucial
process of defining what the keyperformance indicator should
even be for their team. What constitutes success or
failure in specific tactical areas?
So the analyst has to decide that themselves.
(33:30):
Yes. This means the analyst is often
left to unilaterally decide whatconstitutes a subjective event
within the game. For example, what exactly counts
as a chance created or what defines a significant change in
possession? Without shared definitions
agreed upon by coach and analyst, the coach might receive
data based purely on the analysts interpretation of these
(33:53):
subjective P is, and that interpretation might be
completely irrelevant or even misguided from the coach's
specific tactical perspective. That seems like a recipe for
confusion and mismatched expectations.
Totally. The ambiguity is captured
perfectly by analysts too in thestudy, who basically said I code
as much as I can because you never know what they might ask
(34:13):
for. Think about that.
That represents a massive amountof potentially wasted resources,
hours spent meticulously coding and compiling data that may
never be relevant or looked at purely because there's no
established trust or shared tactical language between the
coach and the analyst. OK, So that's the flying solo
and isolation inefficiency guesswork.
Now let's flip to the other sideof that continuum.
(34:34):
You mentioned coach control. What does that look like?
Right? So when the coach does engage
actively in the PA process, the research found it's often
focused very heavily on the player facing aspects.
The coach wants to maintain visible authority and control
over what the players see and hear.
Regarding analysis, this leads to a theme termed autocratic
presentations. Autocratic presentations,
(34:57):
meaning the coach dictates the message.
Entirely coaches overwhelmingly prioritize leading the pre match
and post match analysis presentations themselves.
They want to be the one standingin front of the players
delivering the key messages. They want to be seen to be the
source of all the strategic knowledge and feedback.
And what does that mean for the analyst's role in those
situations? Well, the analyst is frequently
(35:19):
reduced to being essentially A compiler, or, as one analyst
bluntly put it, a glorified video editor.
Ouch. So just preparing the materials
the coach asks for. Pretty much the job transforms
into highly structured, dictatedwork.
Analyst 8 described their opposition analysis process as
simply download the opponent's last few games and then clip the
(35:41):
specific instances or types of plays that the coach has
explicitly requested. Nothing more.
No independent strategic input offered or seemingly wanted.
The coach identifies the moment they want to show.
The analyst just executes the technical task of clipping the
video and maybe putting it on a slide.
The analyst's deeper expertise and strategic analysis gets
(36:01):
marginalized in favor of their technical skill in creating the
presentation materials. So their analytical brain isn't
really being used to its full potential.
Often not in those scenarios, and this coach control extends,
often quite sporadically and reactively, into halftime
feedback during the match itself.
How does halftime analysis work in this coach control model?
It's usually instigated by the coaches, often via radio
(36:23):
transceivers from the bench up to the analyst in the stands,
but it's often reactive to specific events.
Analyst 3 noted the sheer practical difficulty of
delivering complex insights in the heat of the moment.
You don't have time at halftime and I don't think they, the
players, would take it in because they aren't that pumped
up. The window for delivering and
(36:45):
absorbing objective data is incredibly small and high
stress. Yeah, I can imagine emotions
running high then. Exactly.
And here's perhaps the most revealing finding from that
research showing how Pennsylvania can be diverted
from its core purpose. It's not always used purely for
tactical development or player improvement.
What else is it used for? Analysts 2 revealed something
quite telling. He said if he goes down to the
(37:07):
dressing room at halftime, it's usually because of a major
incident, usually like a penaltyor an offside.
Just to clear within the coachesreally, so they know if the
decision was right or wrong and then the coaches can use it to
be on the ref's back. Wow, so they're using the
analyst and the video replay tech to check refereeing
decisions, potentially to complain to the ref in the
(37:27):
second-half? That's exactly what the analyst
implied, and that anecdote perfectly illustrates the
overall challenge highlighted bythis research.
The analyst expertise is often undersold or underutilized their
work and sometimes be hijacked to meet external non
developmental goals like winningarguments with the referee,
managing media perceptions aftera controversial incident, or
(37:48):
simply reinforcing the coaches pre-existing opinions rather
than focusing purely on objective tactical learning and
growth for the team and players.So whether it's flying solo or
coach control, the dynamic seemsflawed.
It often is the urgent need really, regardless of the
continent, the league level or the specific coach is for
genuine collaborative partnerships between coaches and
(38:10):
analysts. They need to build mutual trust
and establish clear context specific PA processes where the
analysts expert insight is actually valued and integrated
effectively, not just dictated to or ignored.
OK, let's try and synthesize this, bring it all together.
We've explored this really powerful convergence that's
happening. On one hand, you have African
coaches who are undeniably earning the trust of their
(38:32):
federations. They're proving their
competence. They have that invaluable
cultural knowledge and they're often the best leaders for their
national teams, as the results show.
Absolutely. The rise is real and justified.
But on the other hand, to sustain that competence, to
truly compete toe to toe and what we've seen is a massive
multibillion dollar global football ecosystem, they must
(38:56):
fully integrate these high tech data tools.
They need the analysis. That's the crux of it.
And what's so fascinating here is the dual nature of progress
required. Success demands both things.
It needs the cultural connection, the emotional
intelligence, the leadership of an inverse FAE or a Walid or a
Grog away. But it also needs the objective
cold heart analysis provided by data science to compete at the
(39:18):
highest level. And the biggest hurdles, as TG
OK Ochubales research laid bare for African football, and as the
UK research showed in a different context, they aren't
really technological anymore, are they?
The tech exists. No.
The biggest hurdles are fundamentally human and
institutional. It's about breaking down those
prohibitive cost barriers, yes. But maybe even more importantly,
(39:40):
it's about convincing that potentially reticent coach.
Wherever they are, that data is there to enhance their
knowledge, to supplement their experience, not to replace them
or threaten their authority. Bridging that trust gap is key.
So the road forward seems prettyclear, doesn't it?
It kind of mirrors the solutionsproposed by analysts like
Jubilee who are working on the ground.
(40:01):
It does. It requires aggressive targeted
investment from the governing bodies CAFTAFDFAS.
It needs a major push in education to standardize and
professionalize the analysts role across the board, and it
demands strategic partnerships, particularly with tech
companies, to bring down that prohibitive cost of the
essential software and tools. Make it accessible.
And if African football can somehow solve those twin
(40:24):
problems, the cost barrier and the trust gap between coach and
analysts title, the potential seems enormous, doesn't it?
We've already had glimpses like Morocco's World Cup run.
The potential is absolutely boundless.
It's not just about making the game more professional or
winning more matches, although that's part of it.
It's fundamentally about achieving genuine global parity,
(40:47):
being consistently competitive at the very highest level.
Which really brings us to the ultimate question this whole
movement raises Something for you, the listener, to think
about. We know African coaches are
rising, proving their worth. We know data is king in modern
elite sport. If this trend of
standardization, investment and crucially, trust continues, how
quickly do you think we might see it?
(41:08):
An African national team led by a brilliant African coach,
supported by a robust local datasavvy analysis department,
finally lifting that FIFA World Cup trophy.
That's the ultimate goal. Chijioke Ukubali spoke of that
convergence of cultural leadership and computational
power. And maybe, just maybe, it's
closer than ever before. Definitely something to ponder.
(41:29):
Maybe go explore the job market for data analysts and sport.
You might be genuinely surprisedhow specialized and in demand
those roles are becoming, and where the next big revolution in
strategy is likely to land.
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