Jens Melvang, a former footballer now working as senior product manager at Stats Perform, the parent company of Opta, shares a similar perspective. Part of his role is translating the more technical aspects of the data they produce for coaches at football clubs. However, integration, it would seem, is not always easy.
"I often see that data scientists can be isolated at clubs," he tells Sky Sports. "That's a shame because they are adding a lot of value. So the biggest obstacle is making sure these more technical people are part of the process."