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This season brings with it a new face to European football: the face of Major League Baseball-esque statistical analysis. In March, Dutch side AZ Alkmaar hired Billy Beane as an official advisor.
While the manager (he's now the general manager) of the MLB's Oakland Athletics, Beane helped usher in the strategy of using statistical analysis to identify and recruit players who are undervalued in order to compete with teams that have larger budgets.
Beane was part of the duo that created a frenzy back in 2002 when the Oakland A’s won 20 consecutive games, initiating a very successful era for the club. This is the same edge that AZ Alkmaar are hoping for as they chase Ajax, FC Twente, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord.
It will be interesting to see if other clubs adopt a similar strategy. Statistical analysis is already making headway in soccer (Manchester United alone employ 10 stats analysts), but no club has yet to become a true champion of the discipline.
"I am truly excited for the opportunity to be part of AZ Alkmaar in an advisory role," Beane told AZ Alkmaar's website. "Despite being a great football club with a storied history, they face many of the challenges we have with the Oakland A's. My love for football and AZ's vision of the future of the club made this an attractive pursuit."
AZ Alkmaar likely attracted Beane because of its American flavor. Former USMNT midfielder Earnie Stewart is the club's director of football affairs, and former baseball player (with the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels) Robert Eenhoorn is the club's general manager.
"I have known Billy for a while, because of my history in baseball. When we approached him for this role with AZ, he was immediately enthusiastic,” Eenhorn told the website. "He has been able to close the gap with the big market teams, by being innovative. We are very excited and look forward to work with him. Billy will give his advice from the States and he will visit Alkmaar a few times a year."
Most managers are still distrustful of stats, preferring to rely on their own instincts. You can bet AZ Alkmaar's experiment will be closely watched, and, if it works, might push the stats trend even farther.
