Giorgos Mpelalis is one of the Greeks who excel abroad. And not just anywhere, but in the lounges of the Premier League.
Belalis is a football analyst and member of the technical staff in the infrastructure departments of Luton, the team that was promoted to the top division of the English league last year and is fighting for their stay.
He spoke to the newspaper “Peloponnisos” regarding what it’s like to work at such a high level, the conditions that prevail in England, how they perceive football and the chaotic differences that exist with our country.
For some what you are doing is a super job… Or is it not?
“If you haven’t played football professionally, the role of analyst is a role that can put you in the field more easily than the role of coach would put you. Many children choose it, but there are also difficulties. It’s not that easy to work at this level. When you are dealing with veteran footballers who have played in the Premier League, the Championship, the standards are very high. You have to respond quickly to what they ask of you. Yes, it’s a job that everyone would like, but the pressure is great.”
What made you seek your fortune in England?
“In Greece I played football at an amateur level in Fthiotida and Athens. When I reached 23-24 I realized that it would be better for me to get involved in coaching. I worked in various infrastructure departments in Athens and started to get interested in analysis. This made me leave for England, as in Greece there is no master’s degree in analysis and also the Greek teams have few positions for analysts in their staffs”.
What master’s degree did you do in England?
“It’s called Perfomance Analysis in Sports, I did it in Manchester and it deals with the analysis of sporting performance in general. Physical condition, tactics, psychology and more.”
And how did Luton come regarding?
“After I finished my master’s degree, I did my internship at Oldham Athletic’s Under-18s, who were playing in League Two at the time. I saw that Luton, who were in the Championship at the time, were looking for staff, I applied, went through all the interview stages and got the job in the U16s the year before.”
Well you are working for a second season at Luton…
“Yes, I’m now in my second year.”
What are the most important differences you have identified in the functioning of the academies between Greece and England?
“The differences are chaotic. The people working in the academies know the subject very well, it’s their main job. In Greece, football is their second job. When doing it as a side job, the person has no time to improve themselves and by extension the players. This is the first and main difference. Obviously there are big differences in terms of organization and logistical equipment.”
What else;
“Football is a huge thing in England. No matter where you turn in England you will find an amateur football academy. Therefore, the pool of players is also large. By the term “academy”, in Greece we mean an amateur academy. In England, the word academy only refers to professional groups. All the rest are called grassroots.”
What is the daily life of a football analyst like? What exactly do you do during a day?
“A typical day starts at 8am where we go to the team restaurant for our breakfast with the rest of the technical staff, then we go back to our offices where we have the morning meeting. There, the academy manager will ask the U21 and U18 coaches regarding the training content they have prepared.
The medical department will then report the injuries and the plan these players will follow. Then we the analysts will inform him regarding the content of the analysis that we will present to the coaches and players (team, sub-team or individual). We will go out to the field to set up our cameras and equipment to film the practice. After the training is over, we upload it to the platform where the coaches and players have access, so it’s immediately available.”
Is the men’s team following the same plan?
“Approximately the same with some variations of course, as the needs are different at first team level.”
And how does the day end?
“After the end of training we go for our lunch. If there is a second practice, we will do the same steps. If there is none, we proceed with the analysis for the next game or organize our plan according to what the coach has asked us. At 5-6 in the followingnoon we will leave the training center.”
I imagine it’s getting even more pressing…
“Of course, If there are 2 or 3 games in the week, you will be there until later.”
How many analysts are you on the team?
“There are two of us full time at the academy and we also have three people from Universities doing their internships. A total of five.”
Are academies in England graded?
“Yes, on four levels. At level 1 are the academies, such as those of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Southampton and Leicester. At level 2 are academies, such as QPR and Jesuit, at level 3 such as Luton, Stevenage, Northampton. As you can see, the criterion is not in which Division the first team competes.”
What criteria determine the hierarchy in academies?
“Various criteria, such as the academy’s facilities, the training methodology and in general the number in the individual sections of the academy.”
A level 3 academy, does that mean it also has players of the same level?
“Not necessarily. For example Luton’s academy is the equivalent of a tier 2 academy. What holds us back is the facilities. At the end of the season, our academy will undergo an assessment to move up to the second level and I can say that I am very optimistic as the management has expressed a desire to improve it for our players and in addition to enable the team to attract footballers who in the past did not have Luton as their options.”
How is the atmosphere in the city and in the team?
“The atmosphere in the team is amazing. In the city it is also fantastic. I will tell you an example. The training center is located next to a highway. Every day cars pass by and honk their horns! Whether we win or lose, the fans are by our side. This is where the team’s success comes from. It’s a great achievement what Luton have done, to claim their stay so far.”
All this has nothing to do with Greece…
“Basically, it’s a difference maker. I will tell you regarding my own city, Lamia. It has around 60,000 inhabitants and I don’t need to tell you how many people go to the stadium. It’s absurd to have teams in the Super League and not have 5,000 and 10,000 people in the stadium every Sunday.”
Before you moved to England did you think it was absurd?
“No (laughs). Now I consider it…”.
Do you watch the first team games?
“I try to go as often as I can. Being around first-team analysts gives me first-hand experience of what it takes for an analyst to be in a Premier League team. I have a great relationship with them and they are always available for anything I want to discuss, just like any member of the technical staff has open communication with everyone.”
Did you have problems getting started because you are from another country?
“I will be honest. Although I thought there might be some prejudice, as in Greece we are not famous for our football, no, I didn’t encounter anything.
England is a multicultural country, it has a different social culture. If you do your job right, you have no problem in England. Also, the English teams have special departments dealing with equality and diversity.’
Are you serious?
“Of course, there is no club without such a department. These sections ensure that there will be no such issues between players. Training days are constantly held for the players, but also for the parents. It’s a very big part in England.”
How do parents behave and how does the academy treat parents?
“A parent is always a parent. The English parent has the same mindset, but there are appropriate structures and safeguards in place from the team so that the troubled parent is not allowed to externalise their behaviour. You won’t see parents hooked up yelling and fighting with each other.”
Where do parents sit during training?
“They sit in the stands. It is easier to see them speaking in the small age groups, K8-K9, but to a very small extent, not what is done in Greece”.
If something more extreme happens?
“Then the head of the age group will speak to the head of the academy and he will call the parent in for a discussion.”
At K16 and K18 level?
“It may happen that the parent has the opinion that his son can play better in another position. We are more open there. There will be a discussion and we will analyze the reasons why his son plays in this particular position.”
Why is it so difficult for you to play football in Greece?
“Everyone knows how the situation is in our country. Unfortunately, the analysis in Greece is at a very low level and is not given the attention it deserves. This results in no positions being available and also the few that are, are almost never advertised so that guys like me who live abroad have the opportunity to apply.”
So do you see your future in England?
“I will be honest. I like Greece. My plan is to return, following acquiring all this know-how that exists in England.”
To end nicely, I want you to tell me something else that would cause a sensation in terms of Greek football…
“I’ll tell you. This year we have tremendous success in the static phases. The U18 coach last year, got promoted to the first team and became the coach of the static phases. The team looks at all the people in the organization and sees where they can help, how good they can be and how to get the best out of them.”
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