Jonathan Whitmore explained how artificial intelligence supports their work and how football analysis could evolve thanks to the data collected.
“Whereas in the past, searching for and processing information took hours, today automation is key. Some parts are already handled by artificial intelligence, but we still need to manually check the data. This results in a huge amount of work, but at the same time, the quality and speed are much higher.
"In the future, we may be approaching a time when the system can directly recommend tactical changes to a coach - for example, suggesting a formation adjustment because the team would have a better chance of scoring in a certain area.
"And all of this is backed by specific numbers that show, for instance, a possible fifteen percent increase in the probability of success.”
According to Whitmore, football analysis has moved to a completely different level. “People often think data stops at the number of touches, passes, or shots. Today, we also track off-the-ball movement, runs behind the defence, and everything that can disrupt the opponent’s back line.
"Almost every detail can be measured, which means we can evaluate what it means for the flow of the match.”
The full TV version of this episode of the Big Pete documentary series will be available on CANAL+ Sport and the CANAL+ streaming service in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Poland, Myanmar, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, and Hungary, and on SuperSport in South Africa and Switzerland.