Energie Cottbus relies on state-of-the-art scouting: Insider reports!

Energie Cottbus relies on state-of-the-art scouting: Insider reports!

As is well known, football is a science in itself, and that also applies to scouting. In an exciting interview, Maniyel Nergiz, the new squad planner at Energie Cottbus, shed light on the darkness of modern scouting. Since the beginning of the year, Nergiz, who can look back on an impressive career as an assistant coach and analyst at clubs such as Verl and Paderborn, has been responsible for discovering the best talent for the third division club. In a conversation with DAY24 he explains how he goes about it.

The scouting team under Nergiz has adopted a modern system that is divided into three main phases: First, the data-based pre-filtering of the players takes place, then the video scouting is carried out, and finally the live scouting comes into play. The last phase is particularly crucial. “We not only work based on data, but also see it as essential to observe the players live,” says Nergiz.

The importance of data in football

Data analysis is becoming more and more important in football. Nergiz himself experienced this during his previous activities. Loud IST University The database enables an objective assessment of player skills, which should complement classic scouting. The GSN index offers a detailed way to evaluate players based on four essential pillars.

What is particularly impressive is the trend that larger clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig are increasingly relying on data analysis. In a world in which every relevant football game is analyzed, it is becoming increasingly important for smaller clubs like Energie Cottbus not to lose touch.

Energy Cottbus and the regional focus

Nergiz emphasizes the priority given to the regional league. Cottbus has a focus on regional talent in order to offer players a pleasant integration through proximity to family and friends. "The differences in the level of the regional leagues are often not as serious as one assumes. For example, the regional leagues Bavaria and North tend to perform weaker," explains Nergiz.

Another point that Nergiz makes is the medium to long-term view of foreign markets such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. “That’s not realistic at the moment, but we’re keeping an eye on it,” said the squad planner.

The future of scouting

The trend towards data-supported scouting is undisputed. In less than five years you will find positions like “Head of Data Analysis” in many clubs Millernton convinced. While visual scouting still has its place, data analysis brings great advantages - it can help prevent misjudgments and thus increase the efficiency of the entire process. Combining both approaches could be the key to success in scouting.

With this innovative approach, Energie Cottbus is on a promising path to discovering the talents of tomorrow and being successful in sport at the same time. Nergiz has the skills to use a good instinct and sound data analysis to find talent who can help the club.