Short and sweet: Juergen Klinsmann (left) sits in a car as he records a podcast after the Poland-Argentina match at Stadium 974. — AP
THE black SUV packed with football fans wearing Lionel Messi shirts pulls up alongside a World Cup -branded vehicle, both inching forward in late-night traffic after leaving Argentina’s game against Poland.
Two men in the Jeep Wrangler with Bahrain licence plates look over, waving and smiling after seeing Messi play in the 2-0 victory but oblivious to the storied occupants in the back seat of the van.
Juergen Klinsmann, Faryd Mondragon and Cha Du-ri.
One is a World Cup winner. Together, they were selected for eight World Cup tournaments. Altogether, they made 235 appearances for Germany, Colombia and South Korea.
And now they are on the same broadcasting team making rapid-reaction podcasts that break down team tactics and strategy as they drive to the next stadium or back to their hotel in the upscale Pearl district.
So fresh is the data-driven analysis, the FIFA vehicle is loaded with microphones primed and recording about 20 minutes after the final whistle at Stadium 974.
The Associated Press joined one of FIFA’s podcast crews – three football greats and three expert performance analysts – making their first draft of the Argentina-Poland match for what will become FIFA’s official tactical history of the World Cup in Qatar.
A World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990 and twice a World Cup coach – with Germany in 2006 and the United States in 2014 – Klinsmann is de facto leader of this broadcasting team. It has an easy camaraderie.
Recording starts after the van crests the parking lot speed bumps and the eight-seater turns onto Ras Abu Abboud Expressway.
The FIFA technical team have a high-tech operation. Each uses an Apple tablet to see games from cameras at wide-angle vantage points on the halfway line and behind each goal. A vertical on-screen panel stores clips of key action and tactical insight.
The FIFA data expert shares instant analysis that can also be given to official broadcasters.
FIFA have committed to publishing reams of data within four hours of each game.
It is processed by a team of analysts working in Britain, a World Cup debut project to inform and educate fans and coaches worldwide.
The bigger picture is the FIFA Training Centre website, a free resource aiming to teach coaches in all 211 member countries. It is overseen by Arsene Wenger, who once coached Klinsmann at Monaco.
“The wish from FIFA’s side was, ‘Help us understand what is really relevant,’” Klinsmann said.
“For the younger generation it’s no big deal, but for us it’s, ‘OK, how do we connect all this data, with all the statistics. Does it make sense?’
“We are kind of bouncing off each other, the data guys with the football guys. We keep learning.”
FIFA have made all the podcasts, video clips and training ground routines freely available. Even for those passengers stuck with their phone in traffic. — AP
