Training Ground Guru

18/11/2025

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Episode #75 of the TGG Podcast, in association with Teamworks

Merijn Zeeman ~ Outsmarting the opposition with AZ Alkmaar

Training Ground Guru | This is THE portal for staff working in – or aspiring to work in – professional football.

18/11/2025

"Beating a stronger opponent by outsmarting him."

Before becoming General Manager of AZ Alkmaar, Merijn Zeeman was Sporting Director of Team Visma | Lease a Bike

"We were a very good team, but there was one guy who was better than we were."

This is a great story from Merijn in the latest Episode of the TGG Podcast, about how Team Visma l Lease a Bike used analytics to plot a strategy to beat Tadej Pogačar, the outstanding rider in the world, at the 2023 Tour de France.

"We modelled his physical capabilities and our strategy was bringing him to that moment his weakness was clear. We brought him to that point that he collapsed."

These are the lessons that Merijn is taking into football with AZ Alkmaar. The bigger clubs in Holland have budgets 4x bigger than theirs, but they aim to beat stronger opponents by outsmarting them.

https://trainingground.guru/podcast/merijn-zeeman-outsmarting-the-opposition-with-az-alkmaar/

14/11/2025

Former Doncaster Rovers Manager Gary McSheffrey has been promoted to Chris Wilder’s First Team staff at Sheffield United

Former Doncaster Rovers Manager Gary McSheffrey has been promoted to Chris Wilder’s First Team staff at Sheffield United.

14/11/2025

🚨 NEW JOB ALERT!

Head of Physical Performance at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC

"Will develop and oversee the sport science framework across the club in all aspects of physical performance."

This role will develop and oversee the sport science framework across the club in all aspects ofphysical performance.

14/11/2025

Our next TGG x Twelve Football Analytics Member Masterclass is on Monday at 7pm UK

Professor David Sumpter will be exploring whether 2025 was the year that the Premier League took analytics seriously.

TGG and Twelve are proud to unveil our next quarter of expert Masterclasses for Analytics Members.

14/11/2025

🚨 CLOSES SUNDAY!

Junior Data Analyst at Celtic FC

Working under the mentorship of the Lead Data Analyst, this role will support the club’s growing data operations across our department.

14/11/2025

Jay Lefevre is leaving his role as Head of Scouting Operations at Celtic FC after six years to take up the same role at Swansea City Football Club

Jay Lefevre is leaving his role as Head of Scouting Operations at Celtic after six years to take up the same role at Swansea City.

13/11/2025

Delighted to announce two more speakers for our Big Data 2025 Webinar on December 9th:

Tom Worville: Well known from his work at Analytics FC The Athletic RB Leipzig and more. Now consulting with teams across the world on data scouting, squad planning, Head Coach recruitment and performance analysis..

Dominic Jordan ~ Man Utd’s first Director of Data, who is now Chief Data Officer for Twelve Football. Has experience in building and scaling data teams in businesses ranging from cutting-edge start-ups to FTSE250 companies.

They join:

Tiago Monteiro ~ Data Scientist in FC Porto Performance department, focusing on performance and match analysis. Works across First Team and Academy, delivering decision-ready insights through visual analytics and data engineering/ modelling.

Matteo Matteotti ~ Head of Data at Parma Calcio 1913, where he has worked since May 2022. Also heavily involved with the club's Gialloblù Open Analytics Lab, which is a space for collaboration and innovation, opening doors to the analytics community.

And more to come...

Our Big Data Webinar is back and will again deliver insights into how leading clubs and federations are working with analytics.

13/11/2025

🚨NEW JOB ALERT!

Group Director of Player Health & Performance at City Football Group

"This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of player health and performance across a truly global football organisation."

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of player health and performance across a truly global football organisation.

13/11/2025

Norwich City FC owners Norfolk Holdings are in the process of buying src ftbl, the analytics company co-founded by Sarah Rudd.

The move would see src become Norwich’s in-house analytics arm, in much the same way that StatDNA did with Arsenal.

Norwich City’s owners, Norfolk Holdings, are in the process of buying src ftbl, the analytics company co-founded by Sarah Rudd. The move would see src become Norwich’s in-house analytics arm, in much the same way that StatDNA did with Arsenal.

12/11/2025

"One of the ambitions is that in maybe five years we can win games because we understand the game better through data than any other team."

Merijn Zeeman | General Manager at AZ Alkmaar

Podcast Episode · Training Ground Guru Podcast · 10/11/2025 · 47m

11/11/2025

🚨 CLOSES TOMORROW, MIDDAY!

Academy Regional Scout (London) at Newcastle United

Training Ground Guru | This is THE portal for staff working in – or aspiring to work in – professional football.