ANALYST KIERAN LANDS HIS PRO CHANCE
PERFORMANCE analyst Kieran Stephens is well used to running the rule over young footballers – but this time it’s his own efforts that have come under the spotlight.
Stephens has spent three years working for Western League Premier side Mousehole providing detailed analysis of video footage of the firstteam fixtures.
And his work has not gone unnoticed as Stephens has been recruited by League One club Ipswich Town, who boast one of the best academies in the country.
A Sports Science student at Liverpool John Moores University, he will undergo a one-year internship at Portman Road, working mainly with their Under-23 and Under-18 teams.
And he revealed that the Tractor Boys were very impressed with the analytic methods used lower down the pyramid.
“My role at Mousehole certainly raised eyebrows at the interview,” he said. “They found the approach used by Mousehole very unusual for that level of football.
“It’s been my ambition since the age of about 14 to specialise in the use of data in football, as a means of supporting improvement, and I’ve been fortunate to be able to work with a club like Mousehole who also think this is the way forward.
“It’s going to be massive for me to be working within the professional game – a huge learning experience. I hope now to gain a coaching qualification and get a fulltime job with a professional football academy. In the meantime, I’ll be spreading the word about Mousehole and maybe finding a way to be still involved.”
Mousehole boss Jake Ash added: “We are so pleased to have played a very small part in helping Kieran develop his skills and to step up into the full-time game. I just hope he can still help us next season!”