Sheffield United expand data revolution from transfer market as Ruben Selles eyes marginal gains in promotion bid
Sheffield United expand data revolution from transfer market as Ruben Selles eyes marginal gains in promotion bid
Sheffield United’s data-driven revolution has been well documented from a transfer market perspective - but the Blades’ new owners are also keen to use it to overhaul other areas of the club. While the club has long since used statistics to shape their recruitment work, there has been a definite shift in approach since the COH Sports group assumed control just before Christmas.
As we have reported, former poker player turned data analyst James Bord is now playing a major part in United’s approach to signing players, with two young players arriving from the Bulgarian top flight and one from Peru in the space of around six months as gambles for the future.
But the old-fashioned eye for players and thumbing through contact books are also playing a part, with new boss Ruben Selles being reunited with his former Reading defender Tyler Bindon when the Nottingham Forest man signed on loan last week.
Selles may be walking into more of a head coach style set-up than the one experienced by his predecessor Chris Wilder, but the Spaniard has insisted that the final say remains his on the players who enter the building.
Sheffield United exploring data benefits in other areas to give “marginal gains” in Premier League bid
“How we are working now, we create a recruitment process,” he said before jetting to Girona for a pre-season training camp that will further help him impart his methods on his new players. “We have the data part of it with the analysis of what we wanted, but we have the final decision on the players that are coming.
“But that is only part of it. I think people get - I would not say confused - about the AI model. It's to be more effective in what you do. If you want to send a letter or something, you can tell ChatGPT what you like and it will give you a version which you can modify. We're talking about the same.
“As a club we have put together a vision of a certain type of player for every position, we have the requirements in terms of statistics and translated to football. So let's go and identify who are the best players for that model, and then let's see if that statistical element matches with the football vision, the video and the analysis and let's see what type of person we are bringing.
“And then let's make a decision. We will have some players we can identify from our side and we will check that against the personality we want to bring. It's not going to be check, check, check, go with the three and it's done.”
Interestingly, United are also looking to use data in other aspects, with co-owner Helmy Eltoukhy’s medical background potentially giving United another edge as they look to go one better than next season’s play-off final defeat and regain their place in the Premier League.
“It's never going to be 100 per cent but it's a tool that's going to support us,” added Selles of AI. “Not just in recruitment but controlling fatigue, controlling the load of training. Those elements are there to give us those marginal gains.
“If we do use that in the proper way, then we can get our team in a better position, with more availability for the players and more points and a better finishing situation. We believe in that. But football is football, and we have to never forget that.”