The Still brothers have publicized an increasingly essential practice in the world of football, video analysis and data analysis. The data or “data” collected and analyzed to increase the performance of players, and more generally of teams. Focus on this tool, which has become essential, with Loris Viroux video analyst at RFC Seraing.
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“In Belgium there is no school which trains in video analysis”
Loris Viroux begins his second season as a video analyst in the Serésien club. It was Will Still who gave him the data virus: “The CFF has been offering trainings for coaches for two years. But in Belgium there is no school that trains in video analysis unlike in France and England. I contacted Will Still when he was still at Beerschot. I did, if you will, a kind of internship in the Antwerp club. He made me discover pro football and the analysis of opponents “, says the 20-year-old, who was trained on the job.
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Analyze the opponent
The analysis of the adversary is one of the most important facets of the profession: “It allows you to see how the teams play their set pieces, if they play them in combinations, or in certain areas. It allows you to get to know your opponent better and to prepare optimally”.
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Study the GPS data
On social networks, more and more amateur cyclists or joggers are sharing their “data”, it is the same for the pros.
GPS makes it possible to optimize performance and adapt training: “ you can see how many km a player or a team has run. We analyze the distances but also the intensity of the races. With these data we can adapt our training. This allows us to see which player is making what type of effort. This then allows the physical trainer to individualize the program of each player, to know what he must work on as a priority “.
The GPS data transmitted live during the match, to the physical trainer’s tablet, is another important element to optimize the performance of a team: “You can immediately see if a player is in the red with regard to his heart rate for example. If at the moment of a change one hesitates between two players to replace, that helps to make the best decision. The only brake currently to this type of technology is the price. If you want the best of the best it is very, very expensive “.
The wealthier clubs therefore logically have better and more efficient equipment. Another element that risks widening the gap a little more between the rich clubs and the others.
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Analyze the data of future recruits on specialized platforms
Today a player no longer buys himself solely on his statistics. The physical data becomes essential for the club which recruits it. Specialized platforms gather this “data” of the players. The best known are Instat Football and Wyscout. This is where the clubs do their shopping. They analyze the players from all angles, before signing them: “These are platforms open to all but access is expensive. And then you have to know about it. You can say to yourself this player is very strong. He swallows miles. But if he runs so much, it may be to say that he has an investment problem. That is the job of an analyst. It is to study this data and to extract the best from it. “
“The clubs are looking for talented young players on the platforms”
In theory, in Belgium, the data of young players are kept in the academies but are not published: “We keep player data until U18 or U19. Then the data is shared on the platforms. But since everyone has access to it, it is sometimes difficult to keep talented young players who are quickly courted by the big clubs. “.
