Analytics the way forward..?

[LBNo11]

...all over the Fulham twitterverse - I don't dismiss the theory, but as things stand such statistical based psychometrics are a luxury whilst we are in such a parlous position in the football league. As things stand analytics and theory are no substitute for knowledge & experience, for that you have to employ the right people.

I think it's possible they can work in conjunction with conventional methods of recruitment, but would like to see a dummy programme running alongside any success to see efficacy:-


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/fulham/12131412/Forget-Moneyball-Fulham-are-taking-Football-Manager-approach-in-hope-of-returning-to-big-time.html

[RaySmith]

This sounds terrible - a transfer 'expert' who never watches games and just goes by stats, and comes into conflict with the regular coaching staff!

Football is a team game, and the best player on paper isn't necessarily the right one for your team, and the experience of the coaching staff helps get the right players for the club, who fit in.

I fear the worst with this, but maybe the report overplays this man's importance.

No wonder no- one wanted to manage us!

[ron]

Just what we need; another parallel method of man management/team selection to conflict with what has been agonisingly slow to have been put in place. This smacks of the club and its fortunes being used as a pastime and a hobby for Clan Khan.

Perhaps "Timeform"...the brainchild of the late Phil Bull in the Horseracing world....works well in a sport where pace, timings over distance and other stats are a good judge of class and performance, but as has been said, football is a team game played by humans that need to motivate themselves and interact with others to the best advantage.

Still, perhaps conflict and resentment work well in the car bumper (call them 'fenders'!) trade, and encouraging them at the Cottage might just do the trick.

...Or how about shaving off that moustache and doing an episode of "Undercover Boss", to see how the Kahn trillions are being p****d into the Thames?

[MJG]

Is it a luxury when you have financial restrictions and are looking for an edge. Not saying I want a 100% process like this but we need to look at other ways of finding players and this is possibly one of them. But of course you also need a safety valve so that these things don't take total control.

[Oakeshott]

"so that these things don't take total control."

Absolutely right.

Phil Bull was mentioned in a previous post. He was one of the first to bring measurement into race analysis, along with the likes of PA Selby and G Hall in the UK and numerous others in the States. Unless one has true inside knowledge, being continually successful backing horses involves heavy reliance on properly identified and deployed data, BUT it needs to be interpreted and that is in no small part where human creativity comes in. Assuming that we get the balance right, I see only advantage in allying statistical analysis with creative management skills.

[H4usuallysitting]

This report is complete and utter tosh - we're not 4 points of the drop....we're 3 points.......stick that in your analytical pipe and smoke it...... 075.gif

[filham]

A few weeks working with Brian Clough would have done Kline the world of good.

[filham]

I wonder if Kline has a stat. rating for each Fulham player tucked away somewhere in his office , what a treasure that would be for some reporter or head coach to get their hands on. Pure news value of course no practical use whatsoever.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear !

Just when you think we might be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel soon, then this news comes along.

I'm all for using whatever tools are available to get the job done as best as possible but when you bring different personalities and practises into any situation there's a risk of friction.

Put aside the official comments and look at what's being done.

Kline has been brought over from the USA to do a job, know's nothing about the sport on or off the pitch but he's been given a job and its one he's developed himself and is passionate about.

He's been backed by the owner and will be looking to make a name for himself and like anyone with a great idea he will be looking to get everyone onside with his baby.

The owner and his son are already onside and maybe Rigg sees it as a useful exercise but what happens if the manager keeps rejecting players that are put before him?

How many of this seasons signings have been Kline recommendations or his analysis has helped clinch the deal?
Because it ain't worked so far.

What happens to the working environment if Kline thinks he's being ignored or the manager/coach thinks he's being undermined?   

How far does the owner allow his son and business partner to run with there fancy ideas?

Early days, maybe, but already the questions are mounting up and there's no sign of any eureka moment!

Kline's already been a cause of disruption within the camp, reportedly, so what's next?

I don't see this ending well.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

The Telegraph article is clearly designed to stir up controversy about a division in the club between between Kline and the manager. The usual suspects on here, who are never happier than when they can exploit some negative rumour, just pile in.

The club have said that Jakanovic has the final say. End of story.

[bill taylors apprentice]

The Telegraph article is clearly designed to stir up controversy about a division in the club between between Kline and the manager. The usual suspects on here, who are never happier than when they can exploit some negative rumour, just pile in.

The club have said that Jakanovic has the final say. End of story.

But that's not the point.

This man is not just any old employee, he has ties with the board that makes things awkward to say the least.

If you take the spin out of all the reports from both press and club it still leaves an individual that has an agenda that could be in conflict with the good of the club.

Maybe I'm wrong, watch this space!   

[filham]

The Telegraph article is clearly designed to stir up controversy about a division in the club between between Kline and the manager. The usual suspects on here, who are never happier than when they can exploit some negative rumour, just pile in.

The club have said that Jakanovic has the final say. End of story.

But that's not the point.

This man is not just any old employee, he has ties with the board that makes things awkward to say the least.

If you take the spin out of all the reports from both press and club it still leaves an individual that has an agenda that could be in conflict with the good of the club.

Maybe I'm wrong, watch this space!   

Sounds to me as if you could well be right, we could well do without this type of division in the club.

[bill taylors apprentice]

The Telegraph article is clearly designed to stir up controversy about a division in the club between between Kline and the manager. The usual suspects on here, who are never happier than when they can exploit some negative rumour, just pile in.

The club have said that Jakanovic has the final say. End of story.

But that's not the point.

This man is not just any old employee, he has ties with the board that makes things awkward to say the least.

If you take the spin out of all the reports from both press and club it still leaves an individual that has an agenda that could be in conflict with the good of the club.

Maybe I'm wrong, watch this space!   

It would be interesting to see how this situation works out. But I feel you could be getting warm. 

Who knows???

It might be a match made in heaven, but my reading of the situation (and some assumptions, I agree) is this Kline bloke is not just some geek in the back room crunching the numbers for the important people, he is one of the important people! 

Of course Jok has the final say on players, but the point is its only human nature if some billy big b@ll@cks with the owners ear wants to see his project prioritized and the centre of attention.