Episode 20

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Published on:

11th Aug 2025

Ep20: Inside the Machine – How Smart Clubs Build Player Shortlists in 2025

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Summary

In this episode of the Football Insights Academy podcast, Tom Butterfield and David Bromley discuss the evolution of football tactics and the importance of structured recruitment processes.

They delve into the 11 stages of recruitment, emphasising the need for clear objectives, key performance indicators, and the role of AI in enhancing recruitment strategies. The conversation highlights the significance of defining team playing styles and the practical application of these strategies in real-world scenarios.

Takeaways

Football is becoming increasingly organised with structured tactics.

Set-piece coaches are now integral to team strategies.

A consistent and repeatable recruitment process leads to better results.

Defining clear objectives is crucial for effective recruitment.

AI can assist in specifying recruitment needs and objectives.

Understanding the team's playing style is essential for recruitment.

Role specification helps in identifying the right type of player.

Key performance indicators guide the evaluation of potential recruits.

Shortlisting candidates streamlines the recruitment process.

The target acquisition process ensures realistic player options.

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About the Podcast

A.I. In Football
Recruitment Decisions, Done Properly.
AI in Football: Recruitment Decisions, Done Properly is a practical podcast about how football clubs make better recruitment decisions in an AI world — without the hype.

We don’t chase novelty tools. We focus on the thinking and structure that makes any tool useful: clear role briefs, behaviours over labels, constraints and trade-offs, repeatable shortlisting, and decision review that actually improves the process.

Each episode gives you something you can use:

- Role Definition Templates (behaviour-based, not position labels)

- Question sets that lead to better shortlists

- Meeting Structures that stop recruitment becoming a persuasion contest

- Simple Ways to Stress-Test Decisions (“what would make this wrong?”)

- How AI Fits Safely: drafting, checking, standardising outputs — never replacing judgement

If you work in recruitment, scouting, analysis, coaching, or you’re aiming to, this show is for you. Clarity First. Tools Second.
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About your hosts

Thomas Butterfield

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I'm a very approachable obsessive learner who is always interested in the stories of others, and how that information and experience can be used to help others move the needle of their life in a positive direction.

As a result of the work I do adults and younger people understand the importance of being an active participant in their own health.

The result of this is we at Elevate Health Chiropractic and Wellbeing are putting better educated individuals into the community who are making better health decisions for themselves and those they care for the most.
They move better, they eat better, they think better.

They Feel Better.

We are always looking to work with and help individuals and organisations who value their own health, that of their family, or their staff high enough to take that next step with Elevate Health, Chiropractic and Wellbeing.

David Bromley

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For the last fifteen years I have applied my analytical, systems-evaluation and financial background to the football industry.

As a long-term student of the game I hold coaching badges from the English Football Association and am a certified member of the Professional Football Scouts Association.

I hold distinctions in the Prozone (STATS) Professional Performance Analysis/ Performance Data & Recruitment Certificates Levels 1,2 & 3 in addition to being an F.A. Registered Intermediary.

My experience in football has enabled me to view player recruitment from the 'sharp end' and allows me to tailor my service to meet clients' best interests.