Leeds United’s director of football Victor Orta has taken part in Cadena SER’s podcast Play Futbol this week.
Spanish outlet Estádio Desportivo brings some of his quotes from the interview, in which he explains his job at the Elland Road side.
Orta has spoken a lot about Big Data and how it impacts his work, since they use these numbers to evaluate the current squad and keep an eye on potential targets.
“The arrival of Big Data in football is a reality, but conceiving the data as the only solution to a sport is a mistake. Football isn’t a repetitive sport. It’s different from baseball. The entire Big Data option comes from Money Ball and a lot is being invested in football in that regard,” Victor Orta told Play Futbol (via Estádio Deportivo).
“And so far it’s improving, but it’s not being achieved, nor do I think it will be able, to measure everything by the data. I don’t close the doors to modernity, because it’s about gathering information and as a club source it’s positive.”
Asked about how he applies the Big Data to his work, he gave them another explanation.
“For example, I do an Old Style viewing with my team of scouts looking for a ‘number 8’ and from which we get four interesting names. And, as I know that the coach likes to steal in the opposite half, then I apply the filter and see which one is the one who steals the most in the opposite half. That is, it’s about applying filters, but taking into account our game model.”
Since this isn’t an easy subject, Orta was asked to give them another example: “We don’t have people to have two or three scouts per league or to constantly watch the Swedish league, so what I do is reverse the process. First, I use the filter for 19-year-old players who have played at least 60% of the minutes. And then, with the names that we get out, we do the viewing with my work team.”
With Estádio Deportivo being a website from Sevilla, they highlight Orta’s quotes about the Spanish side, especially because he’s compared the fans of both clubs.
“Leeds is a religion. It’s a Latin club. The truth is that I have been very lucky with the fans. Surely, those of Sevilla and those of Leeds are in the top 10 of a possible ranking of world fans: in follow-up, in passion, in songs… That is lucky. Sevilla and Leeds have that of the people, of a special heart … Of that of Elche, for their unconditional support in a terrible moment of the club, I also have a pleasant memory.”
Orta has also talked about Sevilla’s director of football Monchi, who’s been an inspiration for his career.
“I spent seven years at his side. He’s my mentor, from whom I have learned many things and a large part of who I am today is thanks to him. We had several discussions and, for example, he would come and tell me: ‘This player is the best on the list’. And you got your chest out, as technical secretary, and he would tell you later: ‘But he’s the second best for Sevilla’. They are touches of genius.”
