AZ Alkmaar is building a data-driven culture to stay ahead of the competition. Merijn Zeeman shares his lessons from the cycling world to shape the future of football recruitment. According to Zeeman, it's not the financial resources that make the winner, but the conviction in the process. AZ Alkmaar has a focus on the two or three areas where it can differentiate. In recruitment, that's the use of data to stay ahead of the competition.
How does it work?
AZ Alkmaar uses data to stay ahead of the competition. Zeeman describes the common tension between scouts and data analysts. But he emphasizes that it's not the data itself, but how you use it. AZ Alkmaar has a clear role division: data informs about the quality of players, scouting evaluates the personality and behavior of players, and the technical director and leadership make the final decision.
Why work with external models?
AZ Alkmaar has its own data team, but why work with external models? Zeeman gives a simple answer: it's like playing poker against a professional. You might win once or twice, but over time, the professionals will win more often. Recruitment decisions are worth millions of euros. A disciplined data-led approach produces a higher success rate than intuition alone.
What comes next?
AZ Alkmaar will further develop the data-driven culture to stay ahead of the competition. Zeeman emphasizes the importance of transparency. If a club takes transfer decisions based on predictive models, that should be clear. AZ Alkmaar is currently 6th in the Eredivisie with 48 points, 14 wins, 6 draws, and 10 losses out of 30 games. They are 26 points behind PSV Eindhoven in the title race. Their next game is against Feyenoord on January 31, 2027.
