Statzpack

Is soccer really a numbers game?

admin — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:56:45 +0000

Statzpack are mentioned in this news piece in the LA Times (you can read the article in full here http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/22/sports/la-sp-baxter-soccer-20120923).

More statistics are being brought into the sport worldwide, but not many know what to do with them.

For decades many soccer coaches viewed statistics other than goals and saves as nothing more than meaningless curiosities. But now, inspired in part by the “Moneyball”-fueled rush to break every game down to the sum of its parts, the sport is taking a new look at numbers.

And while it has found value in some of those figures, it’s clear not all of the numbers are adding up.

On the plus side, Major League Soccer has experimented with a lightweight wireless data-tracking system that fits under a player’s jersey and blends information from a GPS, gyroscope and accelerometer into real-time measurements of effort, speed and the distance each player has covered. MLS plans to expand the microchip technology next season, making it the world’s first “smart league.”

Across the pond, in the deeply in debt English Premier League, coaches and general managers have begun poring over stats such as pass-completion percentage, headers won and crosses taken in an effort to identify skilled but relatively cheap talent. And former U.S. national team midfielder Earnie Stewart, now technical director for AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie, is so sold on the new metrics he took his front office to see “Moneyball,” the Hollywood movie about Billy Beane’s sabermetrics strategy for rebuilding baseball’s Oakland Athletics.

“There’s a sea change occurring,” says Mark Roberts, whose numbers-crunching Statzpack (company slogan: Soccer Stats Made Simple) counts the MLS’ Houston Dynamo, the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America and hundreds of high school, college and youth teams among its clients.

“The reason why we look at data points is because it’s bloody useful,” says Roberts,. whose company is based in Ireland. “You manage a business, you can have the best leadership and creativity, but if you don’t look at data, then you’re going to be lucky to succeed.

“Do I feel like there’s a revolution? I actually do. But it’s a quiet revolution.”

And as with most revolutions, there is a strong and significant opposition that would prefer to keep things the way they are.

“There’s enough data in soccer, as in all sports, that can drive you crazy,” says Bruce Arena, the Galaxy’s Hall of Fame coach and the most successful manager in U.S. national team history. “Soccer, it’s not similar to other sports. There’s so much independent decision making and play on the field by individuals.

“There’s really a lot of gray areas in the statistics in soccer. Some are valid, some are not.”

U.S. national team defender Jonathan Spector, a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan, agrees.

“I understand where they’re coming from, [but] it’s harder in soccer than it is in baseball,” he says. “It’s a more free-flowing game. Sure, you can analyze certain things, but there’s a lot of things players do off the ball that you can’t quantify in any way.

“It’s good to an extent. But I don’t think it shows the whole picture.”

It doesn’t have to, say the numbers geeks. If they know what they’re looking for and where to look for it, the stats can provide a pretty detailed image. The problem then becomes not the data but the interpretation of it.

The British company Opta has been providing detailed statistical breakdowns to elite European teams for more than 15 years, for example, yet officials at many of those teams are still hopelessly old school when it comes to understanding what those numbers mean.

“The team that scores the most goals wins 100% of the time,” Robin Russell, a longtime director of coaching for England’s Football Assn., jokes in summing up the attitude of many.

“Statistical analysis in football has been going on for 50 years,” continues Russell, founder of the online coaching website SportsPath, which, like Roberts’ Statzpack, uses data primarily to assist in the coaching and development of young players. “Now with the help of tracking systems it’s getting better. [But] in scouting, sometimes it’s very hard to get a hold of statistics. It’s still very much in its infancy.”

Perhaps the best example of the limitations of soccer sabermetrics can be found in the spectacular flameout of “Moneyball” disciple Damien Comolli, the former director of football for Liverpool of the EPL. Comolli, a friend and confident of Beane, lasted only 18 months in the team’s front office, but during that time he spent lavishly, doling out $56 million — the highest transfer fee ever spent on a British player — to get Andy Carroll and $116 million more for Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, and Jose Enrique.

The goal at Liverpool was to find players with undervalued but useful — and, most important, measurable — skills, allowing it to maximize performance while minimizing the financial investment. Yet the team wound up $79 million in the red in 2011, so last April Comolli was out and Liverpool stumbled to an eighth-place finish.

Clearly the idea was better than its execution. And until soccer coaches and executives get a better handle both on what numbers they need and what those numbers mean, the lesson of Liverpool is likely to haunt any team that dares to take a 21st century approach to a game that, in some ways, is still rooted in the 19th century.

“You just need to understand how to analyze the data,” the Galaxy’s Arena says. “Isn’t that the case in everything in the world? In business and education, sports. If you don’t know how to analyze the data, statistics don’t matter.”

kevin.baxter@latimes.com

September 22, 2012|By Kevin Baxter

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admin — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:13:30 +0000

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Mini Case Study – Westside Timbers

admin — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:51:51 +0000

Westside Timbers take Statzpack to the Oswego Nike Cup

The Westside Timbers (formerly Metros) are a soccer club based in Beaverton, Oregon. Founded in 1983, Westside Timbers, is a premier club, providing exceptional soccer programs for players aged 7-18.

In the past week their U11 Copa team attended the Oswego Nike Cup, held just south of Portland home to the new kids on the MLS block Portland Timbers.

One of the player’s fathers who travelled with the team, Philippe Thuillier, signed up to a FREE Trial on Statzpack and recorded the stats for their U11 Copa team for their 5 games held over 3 days – with a W3D1L1 standing, scoring a massive 29 goals and conceding just 7. In just 2 weeks the team has recorded 10 games over 2 tournaments!

Here are the 5 Game summary pages produced by the team at the tournament.

We’d like to thank Philippe and the Timbers club for their permission to publish this short case.

Statzpack App Now Available in the Amazon Appstore

admin — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:41:37 +0000

We are pleased to announce that you can now download the Android version of our App in the Amazon Appstore, making it convinient for regular visitors to the Amazon website to get hold of the App, still at no charge.

Go to Amazon.com to download the App today.

Success in soccer – where does it come from?

admin — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:57:44 +0000

This weekend we will find out who will win the UEFA 2012 European Championships.

Whatever playing style or formation is chosen it’s pretty certain the winning team will have developed a certain team culture around sustained ‘Excellence’. The desire to create a culture would have been initiated and nurtured by the team’s Head Coach (often described in the UK as ‘Manager’). Is it important to develop a Culture? Patrick Lencioni in his research identified the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. You may want to use the simple questionnaire he devised here to establish how functional/dysfunctional your team, check out the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dRKa700RaQ

He identified these characteristics of winning teams
1. They trust one another.
2. They engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas.
3. They commit to decisions and plans of actions.
4. They hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans.
5. They focus on the achievement of collective results.

Sir Alex Ferguson in this video here reemphasizes similar points here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7YmvCbbbIg

This is a case study on how Egypt has dominated soccer in Africa by creating a culture of excellence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Qvrxn1L14

To develop a healthy team culture the coach must recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses as outlined in these clips from Arsene Wenger and Roy Hodgson

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=1800889.html?rss=1800889+The+Coaches:+episode+seven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtlKTgdesOs&feature=plcp

Howard Wilkinson, former FA Technical Director and LMA Chairman poses these questions to the hypothetical manager, Jason, of the team created for the Scenarios for this course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkFzuT2Lv10&feature=plcp

The English League Managers Association (LMA) in 2010 launched an online course ‘Creating a Culture of Excellence’ involves 6 modules:
1. Increasing your awareness of ‘What is a Culture of Excellence’
2. Reflecting on your own Strengths and Weaknesses
3. Developing a set of values that define you
4. Establishing realistic objectives
5. Knowing how to achieve these objectives
6. Improving your communication

The course was recognized by UEFA and the Football Associations of England, Scotland, Holland and Iceland for the retention of UEFA Coaching Awards. In the first two years since the launch, over 1,000 coaches from 35 countries have enrolled including at least one coach on to the course from 60% of Premier League and Football League clubs in England

(Courtesy of Robin Russell, Sportspath)

Statzpack to partner with leading soccer ball supplier

admin — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:51:10 +0000

Statzpack are proud to announce a partnership with SELECT Soccer in the US.

SELECT Sport is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of hand-sewn balls and produces approx. 2 million balls a year. SELECT Sport is recognised as an innovator in quality. In 1951, the company founder Eigil Nielsen introduced the world’s first laceless football, and introduced further innovations, such as the first 32-panel ball in 1952 and the first waterproof football in 1964. All features we take for granted today.

Scott Williams, US Director of Sales said “We are pleased to be able to work with Statzpack. Our partnership will allow us to provide even more value to our customers.”

As a basis of our partnership Statzpack will offer Select customers preferential offers on use of our stats collection system. The Statzpack system allows soccer coaches to track and record player and team stats as the game is played, and get instant analysis and reports, that can be shared with fans, parents and administrators. Teams have the choice of an Apple App (for iPhone & iPad) and an Android App, that operates on over 400 smartphones and tablets. Our customers include high school, college, academy and soccer schools.

For more information about SELECT Sports visit http://www.selectsportamerica.com.

Euro 2012 – some interesting stats

admin — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:57:32 +0000

It all starts today! It is helpful to review previous Euros and International Tournaments together as the number of games played in any single tournament may not provide a sample which is representative.

Looking at the Euros from 2008 along with the FIFA World Cup of 2006 and 2010 certain trends become apparent with regard to the first goal scored

In 2008 the team scoring the first goal had a 76% chance of winning the game and an 88% chance of avoiding losing

How did this compare with other tournaments and what were the characteristics of these ‘first goals’?

Aspect	2006 FIFA World Cup	2008 UEFA Euros	2010 FIFA World Cup
Games won by the team scoring first	88%	88%	95%
Team scoring first avoids losing	71%	76%	81%
First Goal scored in first 30 minutes	55%	53%	52%
First Goal from a Set Play	50%	40%	33%
First Goal scored within 20 seconds of regaining the ball in open play	80%	50%	68%
First Goals scored in open play including an element of turning with the ball and/or dribbling past an opponent	90%	95%	75%
First Goal scored including a cross or cut back from the flanks	60%	60%	40%

In 2008 The Official UEFA Technical Report noted that:

50% of all goals came from Crosses or Cut backs
Half of the EURO 2008 goals from open play were the result of a fast break/counter-attack
Only 5% of goals came from long range shots

Coaches may want to view the Official UEFA Technical Report of the 2008 Euros

What implications are there for coaches?

Can you establish if there are similar trends to these in the competitions and tournaments in which your team plays?
Does your team’s style reflect the need to take the initiative and score the first goal?
Does the time you devote in your team practice to attacking and defending set plays reflect the special importance of set plays in scoring ( or conceding ) the first goal ?
What is your team’s efficiency in ‘transition’ when your team gain and lose possession of the ball. What % of first goals and all goals do you score (and concede) within 20 seconds of possession changing?
In Open Play – Is your attacking team organization arranged to maximize the value of counter attacks, dribbling, turning and attacks from the flanks. Do you recognize the need to minimize these risks in how your team defends?

Ominously Germany scored first and won every game in their Qualifying Group and was the only team not to fall behind in any game during the Euro 2012 Qualifiers. According to the Castrol Index Germany scored more goals from quick counter-attacks than other team in the qualifying groups for the 2012 Euros

Taken with persmission from Robin Russell at Sports Path E-Learning Blog.

Nutrition for Soccer

admin — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:39:10 +0000

Jay Williams is a Professor of Exercise Science in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in exercise physiology, kinesiology and muscle biochemistry. His research focuses on the responses and adaptations of muscle to activity, inactivity and disease. He also has a long history of working with athletes ranging from kindergarten soccer players to Olympic tracks and field athletes.

He runs a great blog http://www.scienceofsocceronline.com/

Two years ago he published ‘The SCIENCE behind Soccer Nutrition’ and he has just published a follow up: The SCIENCE Behind Soccer Nutrition: Training Journal

The SCIENCE Behind Soccer Nutrition gives you the “whys” about diet and performance and provides a broad set of guidelines for eating a solid diet. The Diet and Training Journal is a bit different. It is designed as a tool, as a way to promote changes in nutritional habits that will instill a solid diet. In short, this journal encourages you to examine how you prepare for a match and to take ownership of your diet and training. By recording and reflecting on nutritional selections and performance, you will be able to raise your game to the next level.

The Diet and Training Journal chapters include instructions on why and how to keep a diet and training journal as well as detailed information on nutritional choices:

- Why Keep a Journal?

- Making Solid Selections

- How to Keep a Journal

Also included are 12 weeks of daily journal pages – one page for each day plus a weekly reflection page. Match-day pages are also included so that you can reflect on your match performance. Both books are available for less than $10 (£6) for further details click here

New Apple iTunes Statzpack App Available

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:56:08 +0000

We have a new version of our Apple iTunes App available to download. We have made a few tiny tweaks and a name change to Statzpack Soccer.

This is NOT an update to the current Statzpack app. It is a NEW app, with the exact same functions as the past one.

To download it follow this link and it will open iTunes, http://itunes.com/apps/statzpack-soccer

For a smooth transition, make sure if when you switch from the previous App to this one do the following:

1. Login and logout of your current App first.

2. Delete the current App.

3. Install the Statzpack Soccer App and log in as usual.

Getting started

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:24:06 +0000

Guidelines to using Statzpack

First off, if you dislike reading and prefer viewing there are tutorial videos available on each of stages are on Youtube. Watch a couple and hear our very own Jenny, the voice of Statzpack.

SIGN UP. First step is to sign-up to Statzpack as a Free Trial user here: http://www.statzpack.com/soccer_web/soccer/amember/signup.php

ORGANISATION NAME. As you sign up when you enter your Organisation Name, use the name of your club, for example ‘Beach FC’ or ‘Jersey United’. Do not use for example ‘Beach FC U16 Boys’. You can add team details later on.

SETTING UP: After you log into Statzpack, the first thing to do is go to Team Management and add your team and player details.

Team Level: Teams level names are based on their level or age, for example ‘U18 Colts’. The Team Levels are based on gender, so there is no need to add the sex of the team in the name of the Team Level, so for example if your Team Level is a girls team, there is no need to add this, for example do not add ‘U18 Colts Girls’. The system will note that this is a female team throughout and name it accordingly.   Nor should they be named based on the year – say 2012, or a campaign.

Adding a Campaign: A Campaign refers to a string of related games, for example ‘Spring Season’, ‘North County League Fall 2012’ or ‘Invitational Tournament’.

Adding Players: This is where you add your players. When adding your players they must be assigned to a single team. You can add one at a time, or import a list in .csv file format.
If you get fed up with this process, email us at players@statzpack.com, attaching the player details in any format.

Adding a Game:   You cannot add a game on the website without adding the previous data. At this stage simply follow the drop down options, adding the game date, time, opposition name and your team selection.

What stats to record? You can record any action/stat you want, and you can make your own set of action, into a Custom Set. For your first game stick with our ‘Default’ set.

You can edit this game data before a game on the website and the app.   GETTING THE APP. Depending on what device (iPad etc) you choose to use, the Statzpack app is free to download.

	APPLE: In iTunes, or the App store simply search for Statzpack Soccer, find the app and Install. Follow this link to get to iTunes: Statzpack App Apple
	ANDROID: On your Android device, again to the Android Market and search for Statzpack, click the ‘Install’ button. You can find the app here also: Statzpack App Android
	PC/MAC: Go to the Statzpack homepage and you will see an icon to download the App. Or go here to get the Statzpack App PC/MAC.

USING THE APP

A couple of things to note here.

For security purposes, before you use the App in any way you will have to log into to website first.

Plus, for the first login attempt you have to have a network connection. The App will verify if you are a valid user, go to the server and sync any new games.

As often you will not have wifi connection at a soccer game, open the app on your phone or tablet prior to the game with a good network before – perhaps even just after you have added the game on the website. Check this overview of how this all works. Once you are logged you will go to the Menu Screen. From here you can see games you have added to record, any past match history. You can review and edit the details of the games, for example player line-ups.

When you are tracking stats at the game if you press the score/clock bar at the top of the screen, you will see in flight stats. If you make a mistake, you can undo the last action. Set up a test out a couple test games. Get the feel for the app. You can delete them afterwards. If you ever need help, contact us at support@statzpack.com.

THE ANALYSIS

Once you have recorded your game stats, the data will sync up the server where you will get ready made analysis and reports. All this data can also be exported from the website to an excel spread sheet, using the Matrix Analysis function, under Analysis. The GameShare page is an automatically produced webpage that can be shared with your players, parents, fans etc. Check out more details on this feature here.

You can also give your players (or parents) access to see their own stats. Yes, players can get a secure access to see their data. Check out how to give them access and what they can see here.

IF YOU EVER NEED HELP?

At any time, if you need any help you can chat live on the website. If the icon is blue, we are available.

Or email us at support@statzpack.com

Watch at our videos: Tutorial videos on Youtube

If you need it we can arrange a suitable time to call you phone or by skype too.

Like our facebook page and follow us on twitter to keep up with our news.

Download a PDF version – Guidelines to using Statzpack