Where are MSc PA Class of 2013 Now? Peter Clark

Here is a link back to the list of the Class of 2013 interviews and the original “Where are they now” blog post.

Basic Profile

Name: Pete Clark

PA Experience: 3 Years

Current job(s): First Team Performance Analyst at Leicester City Football Club (2012-Present)Performance Analysis Intern at Leicester City Football Club (2011-2012)Cardiff Met F.C Performance Analyst (2011)

PA Highlights:1. Being offered my first opportunity to work in professional football, leaving Cardiff Met as a full-time MSc Performance Analysis student and Analyst for Cardiff Met F.C, to join Leicester City Football Club.2. Making the transition from an intern position, to full-time at the end of my first season (2011/12).3. Promotion to the Premier League from the 2013/14 Sky Bet Championship.

Questions

1. Why did you decide to undertake the MSc PA course in September 2011 and what were you doing prior? It quickly became apparent that performance analysis was the field I wished to movie into during my undergraduate degree, particularly moving into the third year performance analysis modules and opting to undertake an analysis based dissertation. The innovative analysis modules, combined with seeing the potential that Cardiff Met could offer from a performance analysis perspective, meant enrolling on the MSc was certainly an easy decision. Prior to starting the MSc, I had spent a year as a teaching assistant back in my home town (Cambridge), a very different role to working in analysis, but a role vital to my development nonetheless. Prior to this role, I had completed my undergraduate degree in Sports Coaching, at what was then known as UWIC, for which I graduated with a First Class Honours.

2. What was your experience like during the taught modules from September 2011 to June 2012? With the role at Leicester City arising in late November 2011, I had completed three out of the six modules, fortunately one of them was the module I see as the most valuable in gaining employment, SSP7044 Work Experience. Being assigned to a team, and given the rein to employ analysis processes developed by the students, I saw this as unique aspect of the MSc and realised what a great opportunity this was. It was the second year the manager (Christian Edwards) had received analysis support. Myself and fellow analyst Jamie Ensom therefore began not only developing previous workflows (started by Emyr Humphries, now of Huddersfield Town), but also introducing our own ideas to provide a service to Christian and the team. Many of the principles and workflows developed in this time, still exist in my work today, making this time (although brief) invaluable to my development.

In terms of the other taught modules, Computerised Match Analysis was a great way to be introduced to a variety of analysis systems, albeit seemingly more technique based to begin with, moving towards more team based software as the module progressed. The assessment task for this module, to analyse a team sport and produce a feedback resource, was one in which I was reflecting upon recently. I opted to analyse Argentina’s passing style of play at the 2006 World Cup, epitomised by a 25 pass move, ending in a goal, from their 6-0 victory over Serbia. The scorer of this goal… Esteban Cambiasso, a player I now work with, and analyse on a week-by-week basis, quite surreal on the face of it, but the reality; if you want to progress and work at the highest level, players, managers and staff are no longer potential role models/celebrities from your youth, but friends and colleagues, much like in any other workplace. Many people ask what Esteban is like, in terms of his own analysis and reflection; he is meticulous, and very knowledgeable, as expected for someone of his calibre. To give an example, not only will Esteban review his own performance following every game, he will take the time to watch his teammates performances, not as a one off, but for every game, and for nearly every player.

3. What you have been up to since finishing the taught modules in June 2012? As previously mentioned, I finished the taught modules early due to the opportunity arising at Leicester as the performance analysis intern for the remainder of the 2011/12 season. The reason for my appointment initially was with the view to implementing analysis support using SportsCode. SportsCode was a product I had learnt initially through computerised match analysis, but predominantly through my own trial error and countless hours spent in the performance analysis lab, on the same computer, day in day out. At Leicester we are regularly hoovered around in the evenings, in the lab at CMU, we tended to be hoovered around in the early hours, definitely a sign that you’re an analyst!

During my time as an intern, I soon realised that I had joined a very forward thinking club and department, both driven heavily by the manager. I also saw an opportunity to make an impression, and hopefully be taken on as a full-time member of staff, a transition numerous members of staff had previously made, and continue to do so. This proved to be the case at the end of my first season, and when informed in person by the manager, it had certainly made the many hours spent working long into the night, more than worthwhile.

Since that day, I have been enjoying life both living and working in Leicester, and now am in my third full season at the club, each of which have provided very different but exciting challenges and experiences. Football is so unpredictable, I have learnt not be surprised by anything, it really is a roller coaster of emotions, which is why I guess so many people not only enjoy watching it, but the reason I feel privileged to work within it.

4. What is your current paid/ voluntary job(s) now and what does it involve? My role has developed quite significantly over the years; initially I was tasked with two main projects. The first, introducing review stations for the players. This was straightforward, having acquired the necessary tools at CMU, and one that was implemented almost immediately. The second was to establish a feedback report for the manager, coaches and players. Automated reports was an area had I spent time learning with the statistics windows in SportsCode combined with the visual elements in Numbers, therefore my grasp of the required workflow was present, it was the content I had to work towards establishing. After numerous meetings with the manager and the coaching staff, the content was finalised and I started producing and distributing individual player pages following each performance. I was also involved in tasks, such as opposition player profiling, leading up to each game, which was a good way for me to experience both pre and post-match workflows.

Since then, my role has evolved to be essentially a post-match analyst, meaning responsibility for the work that is undertaken following games, with Andy Blake, taking ownership for the pre-match duties. This is an arrangement we find works well in terms of continuity from week-to-week but also in being able to focus on developing specific workflows rather than being involved in areas of both pre and post-match. Andy and myself are both supported by our recently appointed intern- John Boston. John also looks after the recently installed IP Camera solution, used for the daily analysis/feedback of training.

5. How do you feel about your PA career so far and for the future? Three years in most professions is a relatively short period, however in football, it seems like an eternity! I have experienced some incredibly high points, moments that will stay with me forever, and I genuinely feel so lucky to have been a part of. With that, there have also been moments that I cannot even begin to describe (I’m sure you will know the more specific moment I mean!). Football is certainly the only sport I see myself working in, so for the foreseeable future, that’s where I shall remain.

6. What advice would you give to somebody who is about to embark in a career in PA? Performance Analysis is a discipline that is renowned for being difficult to gain employment in, whilst that is often the case, like any profession, if you have a skill-set which is valuable to a club/organisation, opportunities will certainly arise, it is just be about being patient and doing your best to make the relevant people aware of yourself and your abilities. In terms of such unique skill sets, finding what they might be is arguable the biggest challenge. ‘Big data’ and analytics may be something that becomes ever more present in not only professional sport, but certainly the football environment. One of the interesting areas for me, and something I certainly feel would benefit many, is the ability to create and write apps/programmes. Although there is currently a service for the majority of required workflows, customising or creating these and gaining an advantage over competitors, can only happen by having the skills to develop such programmes to suit your requirements.

7. Recount is a memorable moment/ story involving ? I only really knew Binh for a very short period, however in this brief period, we spent many, many hours together, the cleaners coming in, Adobe Premiere Pro crashing, Crocs, Wagamama’s, blogs and his general love for analysis are just a few memories I have of Binh, not so much a story/moment but some great personal memories nonetheless.

8.  Anything else?