In the first of a series of in-depth interview with each department at Oxford United we talk to Dan Bond about Performance Analysis
As we approach the exciting end of the season we asked the head of each department at Oxford United to give us a review of the year and explain to the fans how things work behind the scenes.
In the first of these reports Performance Analyst Dan Bond takes a look at how the use of technology is driving Oxford United forward:
“Seven words that have long dominated football are “That’s the way it’s always been done”. Performance analysis is an ever expanding, unknown sector of professional football in this country. Cooped up behind laptops and sheets of statistics, we Performance Analysts attempt to pick out the real FACTS about the game we love and methods in which such scientific fact can be used to improve the performance of the team.
“The past season at the club, my department has focused on three key areas; Our performance review, Opposition analysis & Player recruitment. We are extremely fortunate at OUFC that the chairman has a great interest in the use of video as a tool to aid coaching. The chairman is a director at ReplayAnalysis.com (Replay), a unique online video sharing tool.
“Replay is used from the u13 team right the way up to the first team. Following a game / training session the players can log onto Replay and view individual and specific unit clips of the game. The beauty of Replay is that the players can leave comments regarding the game and their clips for the coaches and the rest of the team. For example a wide player can log onto Replay and leave feedback as to whether they felt they were effective at dominating a full back? These points change each week depending on what the Gaffer, Mickey & Mel feel were good or need improving each week, following the pre match information given to the players.
“We take weekly specifically chosen statistics to back up the Key performance indicators (KPI’s) that the coaches agreed upon at the beginning of the season for specific units and positions. For example the percentages of successful final third entries for a forward; over the course of the season we have worked out that a certain average for each KPI is required to give us the greatest opportunity to win any given match.
“Every week we receive DVDs of the team we are about to play as well as a scouting report covering the opposition’s style of play, key players, set pieces etc. The DVD is clipped by myself and Mickey early on a Monday or Wednesday morning and then presented to the squad, highlighting key areas of weakness and ways in which we can maximise our effectiveness against the upcoming opposition. It is also my role to work with Mickey and the coaching staff to put together a weekly match pack, in which we discuss the opposition strengths / weaknesses and our aims with and without the ball. Through all these methods, as well as run throughs on the training pitch we aim to prepare the players using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic means of information.
“The new manager is extremely interested in the use of video analysis as a helpful tool in coaching and player improvement, especially at first team level. Myself and the manager work extremely closely during the pre-match preparation with regards to motivational tools & opposition information. Throughout the season I and my team of interns have put together a number of team & individual motivational videos and sound bites to aid the players’ pre match preparations. “
Next Up: We review the work of our Community Team