What's going on here?
What to expect, what not to expect and what this is (hopefully) going to look like going forward.
Where have I been?
Nowhere, really. I’m sure almost all of you have and continue to see my name pop up on Twitter. That’s been the case for nearly two and a half years, ever since I “dropped out” of the space in April 2023, which for many may have been a day to celebrate the cleansing of their timelines from confusing data visualisations and lukewarm takes.
My absence has been in large part due to my (part-time) employment. For a while, I tried to juggle university, public analysis, and professional analysis, but I ended up spread a bit too thin. The obvious one to drop, despite all the fun, was the Twitter/Freelance gig. In the meantime, I have been fortunate enough to work with a number of different stakeholders in the football industry, possibly even a club you support (no, not that one). With this has come an infinite number of learning opportunities and a vastly improved approach to this sort of thing, thanks to new and improved frameworks. Hopefully, this will end up better than the last thing you read of mine.
I still work in that role; however, I am nearing the likely end of my academic career, as I will soon complete my master's degree. Hence, I’ve some more time on my hands and would like to do something productive while I remain in purgatory (the graduate job search).
What are you signing up for?
This old quote and section done.
BBC Scotland’s obsession with all matters Ibrox has even reached as far as promoting an obscure analytics Twitter account with just over 6,000 followers.
If you want to find a full-back in the Slovenian Second Division that hits certain stats Patrick Caskie is your man, complete with graphs that look like images of the solar system and in-depth explanations of how X, Y or Z would fit in perfectly with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.
- My “friends” at videocelts.com
If you’ve forgotten what sort of analysis this quote was based on, then here’s a starter, main and dessert to remind you.
“Replacing a Monster” - Finding Fenerbahce a Kim Min-Jae Replacement
Rangers Summer 2024 Recruitment Plan (One that you’ve never read)
On a serious note, during my time off, I spent a considerable amount of time reading and learning from others in both the public and private spheres, and I hope to emulate their excellence. I’m aiming to provide the same quality and focus of analysis that you find whilst reading the authors below.
For the foreseeable future, I hope to churn out 1/2 longer reads per month - mainly opposition or player analysis/scouting, accompanied by a monthly audio/visual component, such as a Q&A, a live stream, or a podcast. We shall see what I can manage with my fairly jugaad setup.
This may change when (which feels more like an if right now) I get a full-time job. When that happens, I hope to continue, but without the same ironclad guarantee as I can give at the time of writing. In the meantime, you’ll also see more stuff on Twitter. It won’t be at the same level of “mass” as it was previously, but there will be some article previews, data visualisations, and general insights.
The first order of business will focus on Panathinaikos, with an analysis of new and rumoured signings to follow.
How can you support?
In whatever way you want, really.
Reading, engaging with, and sharing any pieces of work always benefits me and will hopefully provide you and your friends with a new/fresh perspective that they may not often interact with. All pieces of work will be freely accessible, so there is no need to pay for a subscription. However, there is the option to pay a monthly fee (£4), as I realistically need some compensation to offset some of the losses (access to data/Tableau, etc.). However, I’d rather lose money and democratise access than limit the potential for discussion and dialogue. That being said, 10% of all donations will be donated to Defence for Children International - Palestine (DCIP) every month, so by assisting the sustainability of this operation, you will also help the most vulnerable, a win-win in my eyes.