11 Questions with Oliver Zesiger

The pursuit of wisdom in any walk of life quickly reveals that what you think you know is not nearly enough to get you to where you want to go. As I'm starting out in my football scouting journey I challenged myself to reach out to those already working in various roles in football to answer a short list of questions. My goal wasn't to get answers but relevant perspectives on the game within the game.

Here is Oliver Zesiger, Switzerland Co-Head Researcher for Football Manager:

How did your first opportunity in football come about?

Depends on if you count Football Manager as football or not. But in real football, I got my breakthrough in August 2018.

What attracted you to scouting/analytics? What’s more intriguing now names or numbers?

It's what I've done for Football Manager for a decade. I was a miserable office worker and decided I need to work where my passion lies: football. Scouting was the logical choice in connection with FM.

I don't care about names too much. Numbers are a part of scouting. They can surface good players. But in the end, I trust my eye. I think the ratio numbers/eye is about 30/70 for me.
If you could start over what skill would you build on first?

There isn't one skill I would start with. Scouting is broad. You need the eye, the understanding of statistics, the persistence, the adaptability, the ability to improvise. All these attributes and more make a good scout.

Do you see player development as more of an art or a science? Is development on the club or the player? Why?

It's both science and art, but also much more. It's understanding a player, his personality, his surroundings and so on and adapt it to the situation and the needs of a club, while still working with a whole team. For example deciding if you work on a player's weaknesses or if you work on his strengths more. Those are essential questions.

What is your favorite sports moment? Why?

I watch all kind of sports. Because you can learn concepts of other sports and adapt parts of it to football. My favourite moment, among many, was when Marc Hottiger scored against Italy in 1993. Not only was it the winner, but it also opened the door for the first World Cup since 1966.

What coach/player/team inspires you? Why?

Ruedi Zbinden, the chief scout of FC Basel, always was an inspiration. He has the eye and the persistence, plus the knowledge and the network. He has discovered Mohammed Salah and many more for the club.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into media/analytics?

Be persistent and use modern media to get your name out there. Football isn't a bubble any more and people from the outside are more than welcome if they are a missing piece.

What is your favorite app/tool to use (for work or fun)?

There are several video-sites that I use. These are essential for my work.

What other sport/hobby/discipline do you feel improves your work as an analyst? Why?

I benefited massively from my work for Football Manager. I trained my eye and learned how to judge a player. Plus, I got a reputation. All of it helped on my way to a job in football.