Soccer Analytics FAQ

Understanding Soccer Analytics Careers

What does a Soccer Analyst do?

A soccer analyst turns data into information that coaches, scouts, and executives can use. The best clubs combine analytics with traditional scouting and coaching, and the analyst puts data in terms a head coach can use in practice, before and after games, and even at half time.

What KPIs are used in soccer to analyze performance?

Key performance indicators depend on the club, the department, the user, and the position, so there is no single list. In the Soccer Analytics course you work in the Wyscout platform and the course modules to create your own metrics and learn why flexibility matters when building KPIs.

How is data used in soccer recruitment?

It depends on a club’s budget and working environment, but data now informs recruitment at many levels. The course gives an overview of recruitment analytics and how performance, tactical, financial, and recruitment data combine into what is often called soccer intelligence, along with succession planning and identifying relevant targets.

What are the daily challenges facing a soccer analyst?

Analysts work with people of all ages and levels of knowledge, so they need to be flexible and to build an efficient workflow that delivers information on realistic timelines. The course covers workflow and how to build your own analytics toolkit, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran.

Do all soccer clubs hire analysts?

Clubs that want to win increasingly do. Analytics is now widespread at the highest level, with Premier League and MLS clubs employing analysts and some employing whole teams of them, and clubs at all levels are investing in data.

What is Wyscout?

Wyscout is a digital platform and scouting tool widely used in soccer, offering match video, player reports, statistics, and advanced search to clubs, agents, scouts, and analysts. It adds more than 1,000 matches to its platform each week, and learning it is increasingly essential for soccer scouts and analysts.

Who uses Wyscout, and why do youth teams use it too?

Wyscout is used by clubs and leagues around the world, from professional teams to youth academies. Youth coaches use it because they follow the same evaluation approach as coaches at the highest level.

Why do agents learn soccer analytics and Wyscout?

Soccer agents use Wyscout to scout players and to build video highlights of their own clients in a style that markets players effectively to teams.

About the SMWW Soccer Analytics Course

Who teaches the Soccer Analytics course?

The course is led by Dr. Danielle Prescott, Talent Scout for the English Football Association and the first female scout in Manchester United’s history, with mentors Dr. Lynn Lashbrook and Lee Fraser, England Women’s Physical Performance Analyst and a former Newcastle United talent identification specialist.

What does the Soccer Analytics course cover week by week?

Over eight weeks you cover the role of soccer analytics today, analytical tools and technologies, individual player analysis, team performance and tactics, data driven recruitment and scouting, advanced data interpretation and visualization, career strategies and networking, and the future of soccer analytics.

Which software will I learn in the Soccer Analytics course?

You get hands on training with Wyscout, StatsBomb, Hudl InStat, and Impect, and your enrollment includes a Wyscout password and course books sent to your home.

Will the Soccer Analytics course help me get a job in soccer?

It can help, though no course can guarantee a job. For eight weeks you learn alongside Dr. Prescott, guest speakers, and classmates who want careers in the game, and you learn techniques that professional clubs look for in new hires. Graduates receive an SMWW Certificate of Accomplishment signed by Dr. Prescott and Dr. Lashbrook, a personalized resume review, and the chance to join SMWW’s global scouting directory.

Can this course lead to a job with a club, UEFA, FIFA, or MLS?

Maybe. A great career starts with passion, smart choices, tenacity, and the right contacts, and the Soccer Analytics course is a strong place to build the what you know and the who you know. SMWW alumni work for European clubs, MLS and USL organizations, women’s clubs and federations, scouting agencies, and data companies.

Do I really get to talk with my mentors every week?

Yes. Dr. Prescott leads live weekly Zoom chats with Dr. Lashbrook, guest speakers, and your classmates. Each session is recorded, so you can watch later if you miss one, and class size is limited to 15 students.

What is the difference between Soccer Analytics and Sports Analytics and AI?

SMWW offers five sport specific analytics courses, which show how analytics is used across every role in an organization, plus Sports Analytics and AI, which goes deeper into technical skills such as R, SQL, Python, and data visualization. If you love soccer, take Soccer Analytics first.

Do I need special equipment, and what if I’m not a technology expert?

You need a computer with internet access, and your books and Wyscout password are sent to you. SMWW’s technical support team can help with everything from getting your microphone and camera working to general troubleshooting, so a computer and an internet connection are all you need.

What if I need one-on-one assistance?

SMWW staff are available by phone throughout the course for one on one help with coursework, live sessions, or career questions. Call 1 877 SMWW NOW in the United States and Canada, +44 0 871 288 4799 in the United Kingdom, or +1 503 445 7105 from anywhere else. Our offices are in Portland, Oregon, and London, England.

Do you have more questions?

Call the office and ask! 1-877-SMWW-Now in the US or Canada. In London at +44(0) 871 288 4799. Everywhere else at +1-503-445-7105.