Our guest on Episode #69 of the TGG Podcast, in association with Teamworks, is Luke Bornn.

Luke has been one of the leading figures in sports analytics for more than a decade. After working as an Assistant Professor at Harvard University, he became Head of Analytics at Roma and then with the Sacramento Kings.

In 2020 he co-founded Zelus Analytics, a sports intelligence platform providing data-driven insights to top teams, including Toulouse and AZ Alkmaar.

In 2024, Zelus was acquired by Teamworks and became Teamworks Intelligence. Luke spoke about what he's been doing since we last spoke on the pod in 2021, about his groundbreaking work with Toulouse and about the future of sports analytics.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode and if you do, please give us a follow via your preferred podcast provider.

Tracking data has transformed the way clubs analyse the game.

This cornucopia of information is shaped and analysed by data scientists to create valuable insights for coaches, managers, Heads of Recruitment, Sporting Directors and more.

But how much do you know about tracking data? Ie what it is, how it's collected, how it's analysed (and by whom), and how different departments and personnel use it?

This episode of the TGG Podcast sets out to answer those questions and more.

Our guests are:

Michael D'Auria: The Executive Vice President of Partnerships, Sports and Technology for Genius Sports, the official tracking data provider for the Premier League. Michael has been at the cutting edge of tracking data provision for more than a decade, having previously been Chief Commercial Officer for Second Spectrum.

Dominic Jordan: Chief Data Officer for Twelve Football and the former Director of Data at Manchester United. Dominic 'builds great teams to help great companies become leaner, greener and better equipped to succeed in a data-rich world.'

SHOW NOTES =>

MICHAEL D’AURIA

02:03: Michael defines tracking data.

06:00: Relaying the data to teams and users after matches.

07:17: How tracking data revolutionised data science.

08:20: The origins of tracking data.

08:50: The first time football started to use it.

09:23: Capturing the data at Premier League & Championship matches.

11:56: Positioning tracking cameras inside a stadium.

12:40: Methods of passing data to coaching staff during a match.

14:05: A club data scientist’s job on a matchday.

14:45: The software used to present the live data.

16:00: What managers and coaches see on their tablets during a game.

18:53: Liverpool’s use of data over the years.

19:48: Tracking data’s ways of assessing a player.

22:34: Hopes for sharing data between worldwide leagues.

24:10: Mesh tracking explained.

30:05: Liverpool’s views on early tracking data.

31:24: The future of data science staff at football clubs.

32:32: Does use of data lead to success?

DOMINIC JORDAN

37:13: The difference between event data and tracking data.

38:58: Rise in the number of data staff at clubs.

42:04: Different kinds of tracking.

44:55: How clubs use tracking data.

49:02: Getting tracking data to clubs during a match.

51:07: Tracking data workflows.

56:49: Managers’ views on the use of data.

Our guest on Episode #67 of the TGG Podcast, in association with Genius Sports, is Andrew Nestor.

Andrew is the Sporting Director of West Brom, working under new owner Shilen Patel. When the duo arrived in February 2024, the club's finances were in a "perilous" position.

Since then, they have focused on rejuvenating the squad, while being mindful of profit and sustainability rules.

Speaking the morning after West Brom's last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Bristol City, Nestor told us about his role as Sporting Director, his strategy at the Championship club and how he cut his teeth in football as owner, CEO and General Manager of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the US.

SHOW NOTES =>

03:35: Andrew's thoughts on Baggies manager Tony Mowbray and the squad.

04:35: How he has found his role so far.

06:02: First impressions of West Brom on arriving at the club.

07:23: The Baggies were known as being innovative before Andrew's arrival - was that the situation he found?

08:16: How he worked on changing the squad, which was the oldest, based on minutes played, and fifth highest-paid in Championship.

10:00: The part the club's Academy plays in Andrew's strategy and extending the stays of younger players.

11:40: His thoughts on West Brom's style of play and how to adapt it.

15:16: Bringing in a data team to support the club's scouting process.

18:40: Planning for life in either the Championship or the Premier League at the same time.

19:25: Why Tony Mowbray was appointed as head coach.

23:57: Keeping a long-term vision for the club despite external pressure.

25:08: Carlos Corberan's departure.

26:52: Andrew's first off-the-field job in football with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

29:05: His career outside the game before that.

29:41: Success at Tampa Bay and working with Paul Mariner and Paul Dalglish.

31:39: Meeting WBA chairman Shilen Patel for the first time.

32:23: Leaving Tampa Bay to go to Bologna.

34:44: How Andrew and Shilen ended up joining West Brom.

35:42: Shilen's involvement with the club.

36:32: Andrew's first experience of being a Sporting Director.

37:33: His wide remit at The Hawthorns.

39:06: Working closely with Ian Pearce.

39:54: The club's financial situation, largely affected by the loss of parachute payments.

41:52: What are the Baggies' short and medium-term prospects?

43:56: Reflections on the January transfer window.

46:07: Where Andrew bases himself.