Using Data In Opposition Scouting & Analysis
Course Details
Use real-life professional data sets from StatsBomb, Wyscout & Stats Perform to join the growing number of Analysts, Coaches & Clubs using data to better understand the opposition. Learn how professional clubs incorporate data into their reports by following an FA Cup winning campaign match-by-match, with a series of tasks designed by professional analysts.
You'll learn from:
- Video interviews with professional Analysts, Head Coaches & Sporting Directors
- Tasks to profile teams and players with stats using professional match data
- Exclusive articles and case studies on the inner workings of professional clubs
- Real-life opposition reports provided by professionals
- Feedback from a Professional Analyst
Ernst Tanner – Sporting Director, Philidelphia Union
You'll learn to:
- Provide valuable insights for football clubs and seperate what's interesting from what's useful
- Highlight opposition strengths, weaknesses and common patterns of play with data
- Compare and contrast team styles and key individual players
- Draw basic charts & tables like professional analysts and include them in a report
- Structure a professional looking report with key sections
Example Course Content:
Hear from professional Analysts and Head Coaches to learn how they incorporate data into opposition analysis. As more teams across the world begin to access data on their games, it’s becoming an essential tool in modern football. Use this course as a perfect entry into this world, learning from those who use it daily. Build a data-driven opposition report to take away some key principles to be applied at almost any level or use it to better understand how to progress in the football industry.
COURSE TUTORS
Completing the course:
- Submit your report to be reviewed by a professional Opposition Analyst
- Receive feedback and a certificate of completion
Oliver Gage – Sporting Director & Former Opposition Analyst
Frequently Asked Questions
Anybody who’s interested in using data in opposition reporting. The course has been tested and taken by professional Coaches & Analysts as well as those aspiring to gain a paid role in the industry. It’s suitable for coaches or analysts in US colleges, academies, semi-pro and professional teams. It’s also a great way to understand actionable insights vs what looks interesting but offers little value.
The course is online and on-demand so you can learn on your own schedule and at your own pace. All the course content is embedded in webpages, so as long as you have an internet connection you can access it.
A combination of the APFA ambassadors and course contributors. Everybody who had input to the course has worked as a professional Opposition/Data Analyst or a professional Head Coach.
Most people take 10-15 hours to complete the course, but you can go at your own pace.
Your final report will be reviewed by a professional Analyst working at a club. The APFA has an extensive network of analysts who want to help others progress their career and upgrade their skills.
No. Although the course could easily be split into different levels, the APFA has reviewed this strategy and it’s commonly used to boost income for companies rather than add learning value. This is against the core beliefs of the APFA. The APFA does offer a course dedicated to ‘traditional’ opposition analysis, which would compliment this one.
Course fees help fund the APFA to give back the football community. They help us power the website, put on networking and career events, host webinars and fund opportunities for under-represented groups. The APFA also donates to charitable causes.
No. This course requires downlading data, completing tasks in Excel and other software and building an opposition analysis report. You might be able to do it on a tablet with a larger screen, but a laptop would be best.
When you’re ready, purchase the course and you’ll receive a confirmation email with access details. The course will also be available to via your membership account which you either already have, or you’ll create during the checkout process.