The coach of England, Gareth Southgate, leverages the power of modern technology in data analysis as he prepares his squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament set to kick off next month in Germany.
Southgate’s team is considered one of the favorites to clinch the title as they aim to make up for their loss in the 2020 final against Italy.
The English Football Association has entered a partnership with Google Cloud to provide Southgate with insights on his squad, assisting him in finalizing his strategies.
To ensure not missing out on uncovering talents like Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham in the future, the English Football Association collaborates with Google Cloud to develop a talent discovery project using artificial intelligence technologies.
The player profile system is a powerful tool in the hands of Southgate, who led England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and continues to travel across the country to closely monitor players.
Southgate stated:
“We increasingly rely on technology and data when selecting players. They assist us in making decisions, and it’s inherent that we monitor every player in every match they play for their club.”
He added:
“Then we gather data on this performance, helping us evaluate these players against specific opponents and identify potential trends our team might follow.”
Southgate mentioned that data analysis helped him discover areas for improvement within the team.
He said:
“We may not be scoring many goals from set-pieces as we should. We genuinely ask ourselves: ‘Why?’ and review matches individually.”
He further explained:
“But when you aggregate data from over 10 to 15 matches, you start noticing patterns. Was the set-piece executed correctly? Were the players’ movements correct? Was the header shot accurate?”
Despite there being no substitute for good coaching, Southgate states that technology and data usage help give teams an edge.
Southgate reiterated:
“I don’t necessarily think about whether I’m interested in using data or not because in the past, we used pen and paper to note down such matters.”
He added:
“It wasn’t efficient time-wise. Now we have people handling these details. And the support teams for coaches have grown because everyone aims to reach the highest possible level.”
On the other hand, Mark Garvey, Head of Performance Development at the English Football Association, expressed that the debate surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in football may lead to some bias.
He told Reuters:
“People look at you either as a pioneer in adopting technology or as one of its opponents, so you are either an open-minded person or a primitive one. In reality, neither is correct.”
He also stated
“It’s about seeing things in a balanced way. Evaluating what is available, making sure it fits perfectly with the problem at hand, rather than taking those steps just because they are attractive and innovative.”
The talent discovery project managed by the English Football Association is still in its early stages, relying on “Vertix AI” technology to search through thousands of old scouting reports of players at various levels. However, Garvis says this could ensure England remains at the forefront in the world of football.
Garvis further explained that
“Deep knowledge and scouting expertise are translated into a digital assessment. So, they get a score for each match, and these scores are collected over time.”
He added
“There is a lot of wisdom and insight that the scout gains when watching a player, so reducing that to a number is overly simplifying. The project’s goal is to translate this wisdom into words.”
He also pointed out that artificial intelligence technology can be used in shaping future England national team formations, and Southgate said that coaches need to embrace change.
In conclusion, it becomes clear that artificial intelligence represents a qualitative leap in the world of football, contributing to improving the performance of teams and players through data analysis and innovative strategies. Additionally, it enhances the viewers’ experience through broadcasting techniques and real-time analysis. With the continued technological advancements, artificial intelligence is expected to become an integral part of the future of football, opening new horizons for development and innovation in this global sport.
(Agencies)
