11 Questions with Jose Rodriguez

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 Jose Rodriguez:

How did your first opportunity in football come about?

It happened two years ago, when I ended a scouting course in Portugal, the organization recommended me to GD Chaves in First Division. After a short interview by phone, I started to work in the scouting department of the club. They wanted to explore the Brazilian market and, like I am Hispanic-Brazilian, they trusted that I could give a great support with knowledges. Middle in the season, a good friend offered me the opportunity to go to Finland and work as a scout and giving support to the analysis department of VPS, an important team of Veikkausliiga.

 

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

 

Since I was born, 99% of my thoughts had been focused on football, sometimes in an obsessed way. I knew that my life would involve football, but I didn’t know how. But it was during my trip to Portugal, where I met my good friend Pedro Piccioni, and spent a few days there as he was working at the Belenenses youth academy. These few days changed my life because our great conversations about football and saw his work there inspired me to choose a similar way in my life.

 

I believe a lot in data. I think that is a great support for all the areas which are involved in the football world. However, I want to clarify that data could be really dangerous and harmful if you don’t give the right sense with specific filters or values, and for that you must have a good knowledge about the game.

 

What player or concept you fascinates you? What caught your eye?

 

I love high pressing and offensive transitions, it’s so amusing. I don’t believe in the typical sentence “the best player”. I think, that each player has their skills and the mission of the staff is to obtain the best version of him. Firstly, you have to analyze all the players, then you should to develop a plan to get the best of each one (a structure, automatisms, how to pressing, how to attack…) and, finally, train them to give their best performance.

 

What is the biggest misconception you’ve found in this space?

 

As I have mentioned before the wrong idea about data or what is important data. The success of data usage has an important relationship with the game knowledge and how this drives you to filter and use that in a great way. What is more important? A player who can run long distances or how the players run? Messi is one of the players who runs less in matches  because he moves cleverly he uses less energy.

 

If you could start over what skill would you build on first?

 

I don't want to change any moments of my life, because all of these moments made me the professional and the person who I am today. But if I had to change something, I would choose not to study journalism but instead to study sport sciences or a degree in computer programming.

 

What is more important player development or recruitment? Why?

 

Both things are important for a club. You should recruit well and then try to develop young talents. Recruitment and player development have to go together.

 

What is your favorite sports moment? Why?

 

The smell of the grass when you arrive at the field before a game starts or the moments and feelings that happen in the locker room.

 

What coach/player/team inspires you? Why?

 

I love the intensity of Klopp's teams, the high pressing of Roger Schmidt's teams and the way that Marcelo Bielsa works and how he always improves all the players.  I like how Tite (a brazilian coach) analyzes rivals and manages the squad in their personal life too.

 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into this space?

 

Trust that it’s possible have the chance to work in the football world. It’s the most important thing. Then, spend many hours studying the game and trying  to know all the aspects it involves and network, by doing courses and, even, going to some talks about football.

 

Who is your favorite athlete? Why?

 

He is out of football world, Rafael Nadal. His mental management is amazing and how he overcomes bad moments. He is a winner and people should follow his example.

 

What is your favorite quote or saying?

 

“There is no defeat in the heart of those who struggle”