Artificial Intelligence influence will grow in football according to experts

AI and the use of machine-powered learning is becoming more prominent in the game and is the next step in using data which has served the likes of Brighton and Brentford so well in recent years.

With more high-quality data available and advanced metrics, AI will be able to recommend tactics, which players to play in which game, when to make substitutions and who to buy in the transfer window.

And Aldo Comi, chief executive of leading global football analytics provider Soccerment, reckons we could see the implementation of some unusual tactics.

“Eventually, it will be able to do things like that. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the advent of AI in football,” he said. “We saw in chess how AI invented some strange strategies which were difficult to accept by humans. They were counter-intuitive but ultimately they were right.

“At some point you will have managers listening to their assistants who listen to AI. The AI will come up with some strange solutions from a tactical point of view.

“Like for instance going 2-4-4 instead of 4-4-2. AI will provide very counter-intuitive solutions and strategies, but the outcome will be the same as in chess.

“I envisage a future where AI will support managers. It is difficult to see a future where there are no coaches. I hope that does not happen. To have a future where you have no coaches and just AI taking care of the tactical part would be too weird.”