Sports analysis Q&A

Happy Sunday everyone! For this week’s newsletter I thought it would be a good idea to collate some of the best questions I have received when doing sports analysis Q&As and share the answers to you.

Since starting my YouTube channel, I think I have done 4 of these videos where I open it out for people to submit questions related to sports analysis and I 'try' to help out and give my opinion. I haven't done one for a while so I will likely do another and so if you do have a question to submit, then get in touch!

Anyway, I've added 6 questions for you to review here and maybe, they may resonate with you...

Question 1 - I've applied for lots of jobs with no replies. Any advice?
The simple answer to this is to simply ask. Yes, in an ideal world, you would receive a reply from every application, but the unfortunate truth is, that this simply doesn't happen.

The main reason being the large number of applications. However, I really do think that if you make it through the first step and are invited to interview or do a short task, or have a call, you should definitely be given some form of response.

In the case of not receiving anything, if you want feedback, it is definitely worth asking and you can do this simply by a short email. You may well be annoyed you got nothing back, but I would still definitely keep it very professional. Say that you appreciate being part of the process and although you fell short this time you would be grateful to receive some feedback so you can understand where you could improve on for the future.

If you ask and don't get anything, there's not much else you can do, and I'd just move on. However, I think if you do always make it your job to ask, and you word your request properly, you will begin to receive some feedback. Some may be generic but that won't always be the case. Any feedback you receive can be banked and used for your development.

Question 2 - What time off do you get as an analyst?
The answer to this really depends on the type of analyst that you are and the industry or sport that you work in. If you work for a team (in any sport) you will find that any time off usually has to come around the season. This may be less strict if you are with academy teams and whether you have others in your department to fill but in general, you time off will come in the summer (off-season).

If you are a recruitment analyst, you will more so work around the transfer windows and so you may actually be busier over the summer. You then have data analysts to consider too. I think the main thing to consider is that if you are employed by a professional club, it is usually the needs of the club that comes first. You will get random days off in the week depending on the fixture schedule and maybe even after a few good results as a reward. Then, when the season ends, you usually have at least a full month off to make up for the intense time during the season.

I did a video actually on the average week of a football analyst which seemed to go down well. Check this out to see how busy a week can be during the season...

Question 3 - Thinking about doing freelance work. Where to start?
Great question. Ultimately freelance work is where I started all those years ago at the time of struggling to find a job. I think freelancing is a great way to earn extra money but also to network and learn new skills.

This doesn't mean you have to go completely out on your own, you could just be doing a bit on the side of your main job (do check any employment contract first though if you are at a club to make sure you aren't breaking any rules!).

Anyway, when going freelance you will have to find customers that will be willing to pay you money. To do this you may have to begin building gup an online presence, so you get noticed. Another great method it to simply offer to do a project for someone for free as a way to prove yourself. After you have example work and some testimonials, finding other paying customers will be much easier.

I will also say, keep going and good luck. In my opinion there is definitely a way to make decent money as a freelancer in the sports analysis space of you go about it correctly. Niche to a skill that people want and if you are good at it, they will pay you.

Question 4 - Should an analyst have coaching qualifications?
A very popular question that I get asked a lot. It is also one that I pose to a lot of my guests over on my podcast (which you should definitely check out).

My opinion is that although I don't think you NEED to have them, they are definitely a great way to stand out from others. I am seeing more and more jobs being advertised that are asking for these and I think if you are looking at becoming an analyst, you should explore your options.

With a better knowledge of coaching, you will have an increased knowledge of the game, probably build rapport with coaches better, which could then lead to a better level of trust between analyst and coach. The role of an analyst has changed a lot over the last 10 years. An analyst is no longer just there to film and code and so the additional knowledge of the game and the coaching process is a definite benefit.

If I was in the position of looking to forge a career as an analyst, I probably would look to get some coaching qualifications too.

Question 5 - How to step up from academy analysis to first team?
Another question I get asked a lot. For this I think you really have to take the initiative and ask to give up some time shadowing the first team around your current academy role. Although this may be tough to balance, there will be opportunities such as evening games for example.

If working with the first team is your ultimate goal, you have to make a plan on how you will get there. I would be speaking with the current 1st team analyst and asking to help them out with certain tasks during the week, and match day. As long as you don't let your current roles slip, you should be fine to do this. You need to understand the differences and once you have don't this for a certain amount of time, you can add it to you CV. Although you may be employed as an academy analyst, if you can prove you have spent time with the first team too, and got experiences with your current club, this could go a long way in your development.

Remember, if you don't ask, you won’t get. Always ask and be proactive in your own career!

Question 6 - Asking for a pay rise as an analyst?
This is a great question and one that I plan on doing a whole video on in the future. A lot is said about the low pay of analysts, and I think that is a real shame. If you are in a position where you are adding value to the club, you should definitely be fairly compensated.

Before going in and just moaning about what you get without a plan, I would consider doing the following things first:

• Try to find out what other analysts are on in similar roles. Are you getting less?
• Keep a track on how many hours you are working week to week.
• Make a note of your responsibilities that are vital to the team.
• Have a target number in mind that you think is fair and then you have to justify it.

As mentioned, I will be doing a video on this topic and go into more detail so make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube, so you don't miss that!

If you would like to check out more questions and answers, you can check out the video below. This is the 4th Q&A video I have done in the last year, and you will find the other three linked in the description below...

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