Transfer Policy (5 replies)
I get the implementation of stats driven recruitment and think it’s smart to a point, stats unfortunately don’t give you the wider football context like the intricacies of how teams play, how someone plays in their team role wise and what the league they play in is like.
This season and last season we have mostly gone for signings that have not played in England before. I think that this is meaning things that a thorough scouting team would pick up beyond baseline stats is being missed.
I get the model of premier league teams been stat and data driven mostly to good success. What’s missed is next to the stats there are vast scouting teams that for every player they’re interested in from data watch numerous others who don’t look like they will translate.
This is obviously a great thing to strive for but it takes time and is a gradual process - much like seeing good first team ready youngsters after gaining category 1 academy status.
We need to be looking mostly at experienced Championship players/players that have been decent at this level for another team. With a couple of signings being data driven from other leagues/nations rather than the other way around.
People may think i’m wrong on this but I think the over reliance on data alone is leading to some signings just not being game ready for the demands of the league.