Wolfsburg manager: Data analysis offers “many possibilities”

Sports director Marcel Schäfer from VfL Wolfsburg sees great opportunities and risks in the analysis and use of data in professional football. “For example, it is not recorded what personality someone has. Sometimes you want to hire a leading player, but it is difficult only with data,” said Schäfer of the German Press Agency.

The topic of data-based work is becoming increasingly important in the Bundesliga, especially when it comes to player transfers. VfL Wolfsburg currently employs two analysts in the scouting area – but there could be more in the future. “However, we want to continue to improve in this area. In my view, working with data will offer many more opportunities in the future,” said the 38-year-old, who does not believe the technology is fully mature yet.

The origins of data analysis in sports are located in US baseball. “I think football will probably never be like Major League Baseball in the US, where there are so many clubs signing players based on data alone.”