Training Ground Guru

Tottenham have hired Sasha Satikova from Manchester City as they continue to build up their data science capabilities.

Satikova had worked for City since April 2021 as their Senior Data Scientist. Prior to this she was a Data Scientist for multi-national IT services and management consultancy firm Accenture and a Management Information (MI) Analyst for British Gas.

Spurs have made development of data science a key priority since Johan Lange arrived as their Technical Director in November 2023. Lange’s fellow Dane Frederik Leth heads up their Football Insights department as Head of Insights and Strategy.

The job of this unit is to provide data-derived insights that can impact decision-making across all departments, from First Team to Academy and including both men’s and women’s teams.

The overall mission is “ensuring that critical processes, from player recruitment to performance optimisation, are consistently informed by thorough, high-quality information.”

Tottenham advertised the Lead Data Scientist role on TGG in May and the job had three main components:

To lead the development and refinement of advanced statistical models and machine learning techniques, creating innovative metrics and insights that enhance the analysis of player and team performance.

Clubs are becoming more aware of the importance of implementing good data engineering as well as data science. James Young, Sunderland’s former Head of Data and Analysis, spoke about this at TGG’s Big Data 2021 Webinar.

He described data engineering as “moving data around and storing it in ways that can be leveraged” and added “it’s an old adage that if you put rubbish in, you get rubbish out.

“Unless you have nailed down the quality of the data you are holding, you won’t get anything useful out of the other side. If anything, you could get something misleading.”

Dominic Jordan, Manchester United’s former Director of Data, has welcomed the increase in the number of Data Engineering roles in football. Responding to a recent TGG job advert for a Data Engineer at Leicester City, he said: “A very nice looking job. As the Data Science space in football matures, you will be seeing a lot more of these.”

Brett worked for Brighton for more than a decade before exiting as Head of Performance and Medicine in August 2023. He had joined the Seagulls in February 2014 as Head Physio and was promoted to head up a unified medical and performance department in July 2020, replacing Tom Barnden.

However, Brett exited following a revamp by Sporting Director David Weir and Head Coach Roberto Di Zerbi and was replaced by Gary Walker. At Tottenham, he replaces Geoff Scott, who stepped down as Head of Medicine and Sports Science last month after 20 years with the club.

NATHAN GARDINER has returned to Tottenham as Head of Sports Science. The appointment marks a return to the club he served for 15 years to October 2020.

TOTTENHAM Technical Director Johan Lange says he and manager Ange Postecoglou are “aligned” to a club game model and methodology that will survive even if they leave.