Next DoF

[Locotoro]

One would think that we will replace them with those who are more accustomed to working with a data led approach.

I suspect, given the emergence of scouting and data analytics companies that a lot of this work can and will be outsourced.

 

[Wick3d]

Good analytics can't be achieved without working with subject matter experts. I feel like losing this experience will only harm us going forward.

I say this as someone whose entire living is done by working with data. All that insight and information is nothing without the right people providing its context.

 

[spurs9]

I'm all in favour of analytics and data, but alongside the eye test, not to replace it. Also there's the player's character and so on.

At least 2 of the scouts leaving were here when we signed Ndombele, so not sure it will have a negative impact.

 

[spurs9]

I'm sure we'll still watch them, but getting rid of scouts clearly means we'll be doing it less.

Or it means we no longer value their opinion.

2 of the scouts leaving were here during our worst transfer record in recent years, 1 had only been here 18 months. I can't seem to find any info on the other 2.

 

[Goobers]

Good analytics can't be achieved without working with subject matter experts. I feel like losing this experience will only harm us going forward.

I say this as someone whose entire living is done by working with data. All that insight and information is nothing without the right people providing its context.

So you are saying the two can work together comfortably ? In which case why would the club only want the one approach ? Is it to avoid conflict ?

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Good analytics can't be achieved without working with subject matter experts. I feel like losing this experience will only harm us going forward.

I say this as someone whose entire living is done by working with data. All that insight and information is nothing without the right people providing its context.

Maybe Broomfield is struggling with this approach and it's a mutual parting of the ways. Munn has seen first hand what people are needed in what positions to make this a successful approach so you have to put some trust that he knows what he's doing. It's not a decision that's been rushed in to which is comforting.

 

[only1waddle]

So you are saying the two can work together comfortably ? In which case why would the club only want the one approach ? Is it to avoid conflict ?

It might be the case that we will hire some new scouts who embrace the data method a bit more, pretty certain we had ITK that Broomfield was data resistant.
We might well be using whatever worldwide contacts/scouts Fabio has instead.
The guys going might not have had much input in our recent transfers.

 

[Wick3d]

So you are saying the two can work together comfortably ? In which case why would the club only want the one approach ? Is it to avoid conflict ?

I don't know. Everyone has a different approach to these things; we don't know what is happening internally. For all we know, they wanted them to work with the new analytics team, and they refused so they are being moved on. I've seen this happen as well.

 

[spurs9]

One would think that we will replace them with those who are more accustomed to working with a data led approach.

Which is what the Athletic says we intend to do.

"All of this, Spurs say, is part of a continuing “review of our football operations,” that “involves the restructuring of a number of departments”. These include the medical department.

As for the recruitment side of things, Lange’s approach is known to be very data-led, and the expectation is that there will be further hires – and departures – this summer that reflect that."

Spurs planning exits for key scouts as part of staff restructure

Tottenham Hotspur are letting go five of the club’s longest serving scouts as part of the ongoing restructuring of their football staff. Ian Broomfield, Augusto Benito and Colin Jackson are all leaving as part of Tottenham’s transformation of their scouting team. The move is part of a complete...

theathletic.com

 

[spurs9]

I know nothing on the inner workings of football or out club but even I know that Mr Broomfield was spoken of very highly.

He was but he is also 73, so hopefully him leaving was a joint decision with him finally deciding to retire.

 

[Goobers]

He was but he is also 73, so hopefully him leaving was a joint decision with him finally deciding to retire.

fair play

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Which is what the Athletic says we intend to do.

"All of this, Spurs say, is part of a continuing “review of our football operations,” that “involves the restructuring of a number of departments”. These include the medical department.

As for the recruitment side of things, Lange’s approach is known to be very data-led, and the expectation is that there will be further hires – and departures – this summer that reflect that."

Spurs planning exits for key scouts as part of staff restructure

Tottenham Hotspur are letting go five of the club’s longest serving scouts as part of the ongoing restructuring of their football staff. Ian Broomfield, Augusto Benito and Colin Jackson are all leaving as part of Tottenham’s transformation of their scouting team. The move is part of a complete...

theathletic.com

No surprise there. Makes perfect logical sense. Good to see we are fully committing to the new set up. Will be interesting to see how Paratici fits into this long term, if at all.

 

[luRRka]

I'm sure we'll still watch them, but getting rid of scouts clearly means we'll be doing it less.

Only if we don't replace them with a different style of scout who are used to working more with data

 

[DogsOfWar]

I would imagine the data led approach allows us to target, for example, the top 20 midfield tacklers.
The ones that are out of our league or too old etc can be discounted then our best scouts can be sent to evaluate the top 5.

As opposed to having a large network of scouts sending in recommendations then looking at the data for each player they recommend only to find out they are not as good as they thought or excel at other things rather than the role we want to fill.

This would make the identification process a lot more targeted, efficient, and cheaper.

 

[rossdapep]

Got a bit of insight to what can happen in these situations.

Was working for a European club who had changed to a data-driven approach. They had an old school guy who was looking at African talents, where data is less required but him and some of the data guys were clashing regarding an opinion of a player.

The data guy will always coem to his conclusion based on the data side, whilst the old school guy will come to a judgement based on what he sees and experience.

If the club keep choosing the data-based choice then someone is getting in a huff.

I was caught in that a little bit as I was hired to find 'hidden talents' yet anytime I presented a player to the data-guy he would only respond with 'no data on the player' which was frustrating.

So it could simply be a case of two methids not working in sync and you need everyone on the same page

 

[worcestersauce]

I am all in favour but then I think to myself did Fabio Paratici use data analytics to choose Christian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Pape Mata Sarr?

 

[cjsimba]

When I think of Ian Broomfield now all I can think of this guy from Moneyball who was not a fan of the new approach.

 

[branchie]

Not sure what's not to like about this. Seems like we are finally modernising our football operations.

We knew what Lange's style was when we appointed him

 

[spurs9]

I am all in favour but then I think to myself did Fabio Paratici use data analytics to choose Christian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Pape Mata Sarr?

Probably yeah. I remember when we signed Sarr, he had almost identical stats to Camavinga, who had just signed for (or was about to sign for) Real.

 

[Snarfalicious]

One would think that we will replace them with those who are more accustomed to working with a data led approach.

The good news is the right guy exists and is readily available if you got the funds: