Always on the lookout for innovations, Englishman Sammy Lander, already a specialist in substitutes (see his talk on Vcoaching), now holds a position as a Refereeing Analyst consultant and just finished an experience with an MLS club. His mission? "To study referees with the same rigor as we analyse opponents, by creating a profile of their behaviour and decision-making." Habits, positioning, handling of fouls or cards, ways of interacting with players and staff. Through a combination of data and video, he identifies how a referee can impact a team's game or match plan. "If you know a referee's behaviour, you can adapt to it," asserts the Englishman, who already wants to implement this new role in Europe, convinced that integrating referee analysis into pre-match preparation is useful for coaching staff to adjust certain instructions. “For example, some referees only speak with the captain, while others prefer to talk to several players… These nuances, once understood, can influence the dynamics of a match. The objective isn't add any narrative or pressure around referees. They have a tough job already, and hopefully this can ease the pressure of them by understanding them better", specifies the specialist. Already present in some sports like rugby and basketball, this approach is still new to football. For how much longer?
The Englishman Sammy Lander, a substitution consultant for several Premier League clubs, has also specialized in the study and analysis of referees / ©Vcoaching