One interesting piece in the article where Dan Ashworth is interviewed in the Chronicle today is that he admitted the club uses a robot that draws the white lines on the training pitch in Benton.
We know Newcastle uses the latest technology for lots of things, but there’s only so far you can go without humans being involved.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the computer technology that’s now getting a lot of publicity but has been researched for years (decades) in computing science.
There’s a lot that AI can do to help sort through various things in a mundane way from a database and get the results quickly to the user.
But it still takes human beings to look at the results and decide what to do – based on those results – and that’s where the skill comes in.
People remember the sci-fi film of 1969 – “2001: A Space Odyssey” when HAL the computer (it’s IBM with the letter after each in H (I), A (B), and L (M) ) went out of control and almost took over the Spaceship near the end of the movie, until the computer was immobilized (phew – that was close).
AI is a concern today, but it’s been talked about for years in computing, and even decades, and like all technology you have to be careful how you use it – remember splitting the atom led unfortunately to the atomic bomb.
Now back to more civil and humane things in this article – here are some interesting comments from our Sporting Director Dan Ashworth as told to Chronicle Live today:
“I listened to Elon Musk’s conference the other day with interest – that none of us are going to have a job soon!”
“You’re right, we do have a robot painting the line out there. What we try and do on recruitment is marry up the objective – data – with the subjective – the opinion – to check and challenge what the answer may be.”
“So we aren’t just data-driven, although we are data-informed. “It is also having the industry knowledge and suitability.”
“A player suited for Newcastle United in the Premier League and for Eddie Howe might not be suited for Aston Villa and Unai Emery.”
” So that is where you bring the subjective part into it – is he or she a good player, which data can drive but not get away from the industry knowledge and scouting reports and experience.”
“So we use both – there are so many players out there and you can’t scout them all.”
“We bring them down to a manageable number and then check them with our eye, with our subject opinion, and then it will get challenged again as the player starts to come through the system.”
“I always think it is important that you have some industry knowledge assessing the data.”
“The example I use is I can go to the stock exchange and get the same data as an experienced trader, but that data could mean nothing to me and yet the experienced trader can make sense that data and make an educated decision on what stock to buy or sell.”
“We would be getting the same information but for me, it could mean absolutely nothing.”
“Certainly a large amount of reference checking from players they’ve played with or coaches, agencies, just try and get as much information as you can.”
“We do that for lots of different roles as well, not just players, you do your references in any field of work, whether it’s an academy coach or head of psychology.”
“You want to try and get as many reference points as you can about what sort of person you’re bringing into your organisation but you never truly know until that person starts working.”
Newcastle could put various characteristics (reference points) down for a man to replace Tonali in January for a topical example – if that’s the only thing the club wanted to do – bring him in on loan until the end of the season.
The various databases of (central midfield) players could then be searched to come up with say the top 5 players who play nearly exactly the same way as Tonali.
Note that the information has to be available in the databases, but at the end of the day, it’s experienced Sporting Directors like Dan Ashworth who will choose the best player suited to the club, from the players returned by the computer.
Ashworth shows a lot of common sense in those comments above, and what he has is experience in his field – that’s something you cannot beat.
So we seem to be in very good hands with Dan Ashworth leading the way on player recruitment, and we have already seen that over the last two years when we have made some stellar signings.
Certainly signing Dan Ashworth was one of those stellar signings.
252 comments so far
Flurzinho
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:43 PM
Comment #1Get Onana signed.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:44 PM
Comment #2Interesting that Dan should say he or she in those comments, so he must be involved in the lasses teams scouting as well.
cleveleysbob
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:44 PM
Comment #3Good afternoon.
DrGloom
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:45 PM
Comment #4Luckily for Everton the current bottom three are so bad they’ll probably avoid relegation
Raj From Bangladesh
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:46 PM
Comment #5A whole article attributed to Jane. Interesting. Looks like there’s been an infiltration or gun pointed at someone.
Where’s Sarah Connor and John Connor?
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:47 PM
Comment #6How long before we have players that are biconically enhanced, might help sort out the injuries problem? 🙂
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:51 PM
Comment #7League table adjusted already.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:52 PM
Comment #8That deduction puts them on 4 points and 19th place just 5 points behind Bournemouth who are 17th.
They will probably catch them by Xmas. 🙁
A Geordie Mongrel
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:57 PM
Comment #9“Gentlemen, we can rebuild him”! 😆
Uncertain Toon
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:03 PM
Comment #10Aye,
They could have done the Everton case last season, Seems the powers that be have given them a lifeline doing it this season and decided to try and stop them going under.
The clubs that did go down last season might have something to say!
A Geordie Mongrel
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:08 PM
Comment #11Aye, Burnley in 2021/22 and Leicester in 2022/23. They may wait for the appeal to be denied first.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:10 PM
Comment #12I’m sure I read that those clubs were suing them, might have been fake news.
Small World
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:10 PM
Comment #13As
onmeedsun
Nov 17, 2023 at 12:36 PM
Comment #158
Said.
The Everton thing stinks. It should have been done and dusted last season, but wasn’t. It could have been done prior to the start of this,but that may have proven to be dis-heartening to Everton, and given the newly promoted teams a boost. Also, would have made Everton’s close season recruitment a difficult sell.
Small World
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:12 PM
Comment #14having said that -10 points is nothing.
Didn’t EH take over at Bournmouth on -17pts? or am I imagining that?
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:19 PM
Comment #15All these ten points will do is add to the scousers victim mentality and make them more unbearable than normal.
Davas
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:22 PM
Comment #16I think Burnley will definitely have grounds to sue both Everton and the premier league. I’m sure, at the time, Burnley were going to sue but were told by the PL that Everton hadn’t broken ffp , or something along those lines.
Regan
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:23 PM
Comment #17Leeds.. Leicester and Burnley have already written to Evertons new owners 777 saying they intend to sue them if they were found guilty..
Could get interesting..
😆
Uncertain Toon
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:28 PM
Comment #18Be interesting come the season’s end, see how many points they stay up by
lesh
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:32 PM
Comment #19Why no Everton decision before now? Might it have something to do with a part-completed new stadium?
Regan
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:33 PM
Comment #20Some of these teams near the bottom need to get on the carling..
😆
Lord Scattercash
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:33 PM
Comment #21If you only get 10 points deducted I’d regard that as green flag to spend soend spend
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:37 PM
Comment #22Probably have been fairer if they had retroactively been relegated to the Championship and one of the relegated clubs reinstated in their place to take affect immediately..
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:38 PM
Comment #23LS
Aye, it’s barely even a smacked bottom!
Regan
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:42 PM
Comment #24Feel a Viv Nicholson moment coming on..
😆
Uncertain Toon
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:43 PM
Comment #25Regan,
100% 😆
Sir Pugalot, the Dutch Bulldog
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #26If you like the Who. Band Townsend, etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WJnEe9AARQ
Lord Scattercash
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:48 PM
Comment #27EGB.. its not to a club like everton who are always near the bottom of the league…but to a club like us I think 10 points is a hit worth gambling on to short cut the long term objectives
Lord Scattercash
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:50 PM
Comment #28Regan…she got it bang on…what a ride! 😉
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Comment #29Lord Scattercash – Everton have sold several top players to try and balance the books and get away with the FFP infringements. That’s totally different to blatantly flouting FFP and then not even trying to balance the books by selling players.
If Everton got a 10 point penalty for this, what some are suggesting would be a much bigger penalty.
It’s not even a possibility. Not a chance.
cleveleysbob
Nov 17, 2023 at 1:55 PM
Comment #30I think the 10 points is a reflection of their overspend only being approx £20M.
The allowance is £105M over 3 years, and Everton came out @ £120M + something!
So 5points for every £10M approx. I wouldn’t want us to go too daft with any overspend as it would still have a major knock on effect. We could be winning the PL and get knocked down to 5th, or just managing 5th and get knocked out of Europe completely.
It’s really only a “nothing” punishment if you’re a mid table club and still stay up! You’d only lose £xxx for dropping a few places. If you’re a top team it could be very painful.
Careful what you wish for. 😉
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:06 PM
Comment #31TDS/Bob
If the deduction had happened when it should have done then it would be a massive difference to the clubs who were actually relegated.
It is nowt to Everton now though even it is a correctly applied decision.
Davas
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Comment #32It looks like the previously relegated clubs are after compensation:
From the BBC:
“Relegated clubs have applied for compensation
The chair of the commission, David Phillips KC, also referenced applications for financial compensation from current Premier League clubs Burnley and Nottingham Forest and last season’s relegated sides, Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton.
Phillips said he was “satisfied that the applicant clubs have potential claims for compensation” – but noted the commission holds no “inherent jurisdiction” and it is instead “the role of the Premier League to bring and prosecute complaints”.”
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:10 PM
Comment #33LS
Aye you could be right but I somehow don’t think our (shrewd) owners will take any chances on trying to bend the rules with that EPL sword of Damocles constantly hanging over them. 🙄
Davas
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:13 PM
Comment #34The premier league were apparently pushing for a points deduction to set a precedent. Wonder if they are sharpening their swords for City’s case.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:14 PM
Comment #35Actually it will be Luton in 17th place on 6 points so a win takes Everton out the relegation places. 🙁
Lord Scattercash
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:25 PM
Comment #36TDS…your arguement of selling players to try to stay within FFP is seriously flawed…it was the buying of those players in the first place that got them into trouble!
You have to present annual accounts to show you are within the allowed guidelines…so much can be done with accounts and if we spend big in January and get more sponsorship later in the year (easy peasy with PIF cajouling companies to sponsor), then we can easily balance the books by the time we present our audited accounts.
Everton got it badly wrong and nearly rescued it…we wont get badly wrong at all and we can still spend big in January
Lord Scattercash
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:28 PM
Comment #37Davas…they aint sharpening the sword for city…its being sharpened for us!
City will get a fine thats all
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:35 PM
Comment #38Uncertain Toon
Sad to say but when I see your avatar I tend to just scroll past it without reading the comment. Most of the time anyway.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:39 PM
Comment #39Lord Scattercash – what you are suggesting is what is already happening though! What you’re suggesting is entirely working within FFP rules but the other suggestion of just flouting them and taking a 10 point penalty makes no sense.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 17, 2023 at 2:41 PM
Comment #40EGB,
I’ve just came off the phone with clinath@ed and I was saying exactly that to him, poor UT must have loads of people skipping his posts now 😕