Forward Football joins the select group of Event Partners of Soccerex 2024. The largest global football conference this year will take place on May 30 and 31 in the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam.
Beer Flik, CEO/ Owner of Forward Football, explains why Forward Football has committed itself to this prestigious event and the Soccerex network .
Flik: “Based on our mission to improve football, it is of course important that we share our innovations in the field of research, technology, data analysis and software with the international football community . Because Soccerex is visiting Amsterdam, our home base, this year, this is also the perfect opportunity to put the Netherlands on the map as the cradle of AI and software innovations for talent development in football.”
“Is that the Netherlands?”
Flik: “The Netherlands is of course known around the world for its disproportionate performance in football in relation to its population. Apart from the ‘Dutch School’, we are also known for training very talented players. Although some still ignore it, technological developments, digitalization, AI, data tracking, etc. offer enormous opportunities for talent development in sports. That influence is inescapable for business, government, society and therefore also for professional sports such as football. Forward Football has the ambition to become a global leader in additional applications for talent development from the Netherlands through innovations from this angle. We would like to uphold the Dutch name in football. Not only from a 4-3-3 game view, but also from ‘next level’ innovations that make today and the future possible. Less focused inwardly and on the past, but more with an open mind looking at all the possibilities that can improve our football.”
“ Why is Forward Football the right Academy Innovation partner of Soccerex 2024?”
Flik: “As far as I am concerned, Soccerex is the Champions League in the world of football events , knowledge exchange and networking. I am firmly convinced that our knowledge from long-term research (TPC – The Perfect Choice ) and the solutions we create from there in the field of data tracking, AI and analysis software, are also from that level. For example, using player position data and our smart ball , we have developed Machine Learning data models that support the playing style development of an academy with unique assessment parameters for team and players. How they contribute in possession of the ball, when losing the ball, without the ball and when winning the ball. That is really unprecedented and definitely at Champions League level. That is why Soccerex and Forward Football fit together very well.”
“What will Forward Football do at Soccerex 2024?”
Flik: “First of all, we will surprise visitors on the exhibition floor with demos of our sports technology products (and in particular our LPM data tracking system with smart balls ), AI data models and analysis software. For example, we are launching a number of models that provide insight into everything you want to know about passes, dribbling and interceptions. We are also launching the new 2.0 version of our Technoleon software, in which training and match performance analysis from AI are combined with analyzes visualized on the field in moving images.
In addition, we will provide a theme on ‘innovations in talent development’ on Thursday during the conference. In a plenary session we will give an inside look at what we are currently developing with various universities in the field of AI and we will organize a panel discussion on the topic of ‘how an academy can develop players in the complex areas from space dominance and block forming and what role technology, data and AI could provide a helping hand in this. We are of course very much looking forward to that.
Naturally, we engage in discussions with many visitors from clubs and associations to improve football and talent development in particular, using smart solutions and an open mind for new opportunities that today and the future offer us.
Finally, we will also try to get as many club officials and staff as possible to come to Soccerex for a day through marketing campaigns . To enter into dialogue and gain new experiences, knowledge and contacts. I know better than anyone that innovation starts with creativity, exchanging ideas and broadening your own scope with new insights. In short, we are going to put a lot of energy into it!”
“When will Soccerex 2024 be a success for Forward Football?”
Flik: “We would like to contact as many representatives of clubs and associations as possible and enter into discussions with them about talent development 2.0. In addition, it would be great if we could start a discussion about how you can embrace new possibilities in talent development with an open mind and implement them in your own environment. Personally, I think it is very important to open eyes within the Dutch football community and to create new partnerships. For example, between specialists from the clubs and sharing much more knowledge with each other and learning from each other, instead of just catching flies. In Belgium you see all kinds of forums emerging from performance coaches, for example, who unite themselves (outside the association) to share knowledge in the form of best practices . There is a lot of energy in that and it is very useful to experience. Let us also open the gates in the Netherlands and thus serve (the international position of) Dutch football instead of just your club.”
