After the step-by-step process of building key report sections, drawing tactical diagrams & descriptions, the learning modules transition into the practical applications of opposition analysis. You’ll see how it’s tied into the working week, how and when information is fed to players, and how opposition analysis impacts training design at the professional level.
HOMECOURSESOpposition Scouting & Analysis
Opposition Scouting & Analysis
Full
Syllabus
10+ hrs
Duration
Bespoke Course
Feedback Available
Included
Certificate
Opposition
Scouting & Analysis
Learn to build your own opposition analysis report with this step-by-step guide. As you progress through the learning modules, you’ll see real-life examples of key report sections from professional football clubs and Opposition Analysts.
Club’s staff who have taken our courses before
Clubs/Federations
Featured Course Contributor:
Jim Curtin – Head Coach, Philidelphia Union
You'll learn from:
✅ Exclusive video interviews with professional Analysts and Head Coaches
✅ Tasks to profile teams and players with stats using professional match data
✅ Exclusive articles and case studies on the inner workings of professional clubs
✅ Real-life opposition reports provided by professionals
✅ Feedback from a Professional Analyst
Highlight opposition strengths, weaknesses and common patterns of play
Draw key diagrams and descriptions matching how professionals write reports
Structure a professional looking report with key sections
Full Course Description
Featured
COURSE TUTORS
Oliver Gage
Oliver also launched an analysis education platform for players and coaches named CoachTech which has ceased operations as he joined the APFA.
Lucy Rushton
Lucy Rushton is the General Manager and Head of Technical Recruitment & Analysis at DC United in MLS and one of the most prominent female’s in professional football. Prior to her role with DC United, Lucy was the Head of Technical Recruitment & Analysis at Atlanta United where Lucy was pivotal in identifying and signing Miguel Almiron who was later transferred to Newcastle United for an MLS record fee. Lucy won the MLS Cup in with Atlanta 2018.
Jim Curtin
Jim Curtin is Head Coach of Philidalphia Union. Under Curtin, the Union won their first ever MLS regular season title and no team has taken more points than them from 2019-2022. Known for his innovative approach to analysis and player involvement, Curtin could be described as a modern facilitator who gives players ideas and tools to self-develop with targeted guidance.
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COURSE MODULES
Get to know the course contributors, complete your first basic task and start you opposition report.
Read case studies on set-pieces and see walk through videos from professional Analysts breaking down corners and free kicks. Draw set-piece diagrams to add to your report.
Hear from professional Head Coaches and Analysts on the importance of opposition analysis and how it’s helped them win games in the past.
See how professionals focus on individuals and include them in reports. Write a summary comparing two professional strikers using match video provided.
Learn about common report structures, download resources to help throughout the course and build your introduction pages.
See how data is used to evaluate individual players at the professional level and how this can be applied to a report. Complete a step-by-step task comparing two players with data sets used by professional clubs.
Hear from Coaches and Analysts on the opponent’s attacking tendencies. Read an attacking play case study and draw diagrams of attacking patterns. Discuss them with other learners.
See how professional Coaches & Analysts present opposition information to players. Read about professional club video sessions, team, group & individual feedback and information overload.
Hear from the experts on the use of data, how it can be beneficial and the issues with it’s incorrect use. Download a Premier League data set and complete a step-by-step task to profile two opponents in attack.
Learn how professional Coaches & Analysts involve and include the players in opposition analysis process to help with buy-in.
Hear from Coaches and Analysts on the opponent’s defensive tendencies. Draw diagrams of defensive patterns and discuss them with other learners.
See how opposition analysis information is used to influence training sessions, how and when to deliver this information to players.
Read about measuring defensive pressure with data and see how professional teams can spot patterns in defensive event data to target areas to attack.
Download two full professional games and write a report using the knowledge gained throughout the course. Submit your report for a professional Opposition Analyst to review, provide feedback and issue your certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Anybody who wants to learn about Performance Analysis, how it’s used to make more informed football decisions, and how professional teams use it. The course has been tested by professional Coaches & Analysts as well as those aspiring to gain a paid role in the industry. It’s suitable for Coaches or Analysts in US colleges, academies, semi-pro and professional teams. It’s also a great first step for those hoping to gain a role in the football industry.
The course is online and on-demand so you can learn on your own schedule and at your own pace. All the course content is embedded in webpages, so as long as you have an internet connection you can access it.
A combination of the APFA ambassadors and course contributors. Everybody who had input to the course has worked as a professional Analyst or Head Coach.
Most people take 15-20 hours to complete the course, but you can go at your own pace.
Your final report will be reviewed by a professional Analyst. The APFA has an extensive network of Analysts who want to help others progress their career and upgrade their skills.
No. Although the course could easily be split into different levels, the APFA has reviewed this strategy and it’s commonly used to boost income for companies rather than add learning value. This is against the core beliefs of the APFA.
Course fees help fund the APFA in giving back the football community. They help us power the website, put on networking and career events, host webinars and fund opportunities for under-represented groups. The APFA also donates to charitable causes. For more information on this check out the ‘About Us’ section of the site.
Possibly. But this course requires, watching lots of video content, reading PDF documents and building a written plan. You might be able to do it on a tablet with a larger screen, but a laptop would be best.
When you’re ready, purchase the course and you’ll receive a confirmation email with access details. The course will also be available via your membership account which you either already have, or you’ll create during the checkout process.