Premier League club aiming to get AI boost over rivals by hiring a scientist
Aston Villa want to use 'prototype' data science and AI to steal a march on rivals.
Aston Villa are hiring a scientist to use frontier data and technology such as artificial intelligence to gain a cutting edge over rivals.
The Premier League club is seeking a ‘curious, diligent and technically rigorous professional’ to turn complex information into wins.
The successful applicant will ‘prototype technologies’ to put the Villans ‘at the forefront of generative AI adoption’, according to an advert.
Advanced computer science fields such as deep and machine learning are at the heart of the role at one of English football’s oldest sides.
The applied scientist will work in these complex realms across the club’s departments, spanning scouting through to first-team matches.
The successful candidate ‘can expect to work and lead on a range of football-focused research projects’, including a ‘causal understanding’ of how to score more goals, according to the job description.
One of the responsibilities reads: ‘Explore and prototype technologies to put AVFC at the forefront of Generative AI adoption.’
One of the rewards will be an ‘attractive remuneration package’.
Liverpool has already become one of the first teams in the world to use an AI system for tactics at corner kicks, called TacticAI.
The tool, which suggests adjustments to players’ positions, has been developed by Google DeepMind in collaboration with the Reds.
Manchester City, who play local rivals United in the Community Shield today, have a lead AI scientist at their parent company.
Laurie Shaw, a former Yale University astrophysicist, joined the club in 2021 in a move which was viewed by sports scientists as a sign of things to come in the elite tiers of the beautiful game.
At PSV Eindhoven, science has gone one step further, with brain tests being used to assess the potential of young footballers.
Dr Shweta Singh, assistant professor of information systems and management at the Warwick Business School, said: ‘It is genuinely exciting to see a new job posting like this.
‘For a Premier League football team like Aston Villa to embrace integrating cutting-edge AI technologies into their club operations is an indication of the future of sport, I’m sure.
‘The job posting highlights a visionary approach, reminiscent of how AI has revolutionised strategy and decision-making in fields like Formula 1, who use generative AI to analyse historical data from its archives and speed the flow of facts and statistics to the live television coverage.
‘The emphasis on “generative AI” and a “causal understanding” of scoring more goals suggests a deep commitment to leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to gain a competitive edge.
‘It’s inspiring to think about the possibilities — using AI not only to enhance on-field performance but also to innovate across the club’s various departments. This role represents a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of AI adoption in sports, tackling complex challenges and contributing to a holistic, data-driven transformation.’
Football's 'robot coach' on the horizon
Data analytics have already been used for many years at the elite level of world football. AI is well known to the general public via ChatGPT, while machine learning, as specified in the Aston Villa job, refers to the way a system can spot patterns and adapt over time.
According to analyisport, the huge volume of football data has created the ‘perfect environment’ for machine learning.
The online training hub says: ‘AI can be trained to spot patterns in the data that might otherwise be overlooked by humans. It can also help automate processes to make them quicker and more accurate. In fact, it’s already being used in ways you might not expect.’
AI can be used to track complex player data in real-time via cameras, keep players fit and detect causes of injuries and is being used in a refereeing system called semi-automated offside technology.
Professor Karl Tuyls, a researcher at analyisport, says something like an automated video assistant coach that can give pre and post-match analysis may become reality in coming years.
AI is already being used to predict how players will act in certain situations and how they would perform if recruited at a given club.
Fans also have access to such tools, including through breakdowns of club and player data offered through the xvalue platform. The data-driven system offers in-depth analysis and understanding of the game to benefit users with an interest in the game, including professional coaches.
Highly detailed breakdowns of players and teams, including maps tracked by heat, shots or passes, are part of the platform.
However the Villa role shows how the club, which was founded in 1874, is taking this type of expertise in-house to develop its own systems and bring its understanding of football into a new generation.
The scientist will work across areas such as coaching and analysis, scouting and recruitment and performance.
The person will have a highly specific set of qualifications, including a PhD or equivalent experience in a quantitative discipline.
Demonstrable experience in statistical methods, causal inference and machine and deep learning are also among the essentials for the right candidate, according to the advert.
While the selected person will have a challenging brief, they will be able to build on a propitious set of statistics for Villa’s 2024 to 2025 campaign.
Under head coach Unai Emery, the club finished fourth in the table last season — the Villans’ highest place since the 1995 to 1996 season.
The closing date for the job passed on August 4, with the recruitment underway as the club gears up for the first game of the Premier League season away at West Ham next Saturday.
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