Premier League Manager Dismisses Assists as ‘Useless Statistic’ in Football
- A Premier League manager has generated big debate by asserting that the assists metric in football is useless
- The head coach says he is not impressed by the assists statistic ahead of his team's huge EPL fixture on Wednesday
- The trainer has vast experience having coached and managed multiple teams in different countries
A Premier League manager has set the football world abuzz with a bold statement ahead of his team’s highly anticipated Premier League clash against Manchester City.
In an interview before the game, Ange Postecoglou declared that the assist, often seen as one of the most celebrated statistics in modern football, is "the most useless statistic in world football" and expressed his belief that it holds little to no relevance in assessing a player's performance.
Source: Getty Images
Postecoglu says assists are useless
The Tottenham manager, known for his no-nonsense approach to the game, has always prided himself on focusing on the holistic nature of football rather than relying on individual metrics that may not truly reflect the dynamics of a match.
His latest comments underscore his unwavering conviction that statistics like assists do not adequately capture a player's contribution to a team's overall performance.
The assist metric, which tracks the player who directly sets up a goal, has become one of the most scrutinized metrics in the game, often used as a benchmark for evaluating attacking players' influence.
From Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, and Harry Kane, assists have become synonymous with creativity and vision in the world’s top leagues.
However, Postecoglou, speaking ahead of Tottenham Hotspur vs Man City EPL clash, believes the metric oversimplifies the complexity of football.
''The assist is the most useless statistic in world football. You come off your backside, fall to somebody on the halfway line and he scores and it is an assist. So it doesn't impress me''
Is Postecoglu right?
His statement from the Spurs boss highlights his preference for a more comprehensive understanding of a player’s role on the pitch.
Postecoglou, who has led teams to domestic success in Australia and Japan with his dynamic, attacking style of play, is well aware that football cannot be reduced to mere numbers.
He insists that the beauty of the game lies in teamwork, intricate build-ups, and moments of magic that cannot always be neatly quantified.
While some might dismiss Postecoglou's remarks as controversial, others in the footballing world are likely to voice support for his views.
Many believe that modern football places too much emphasis on statistics, sometimes overlooking the nuance and flair that make the sport special.
The rise of metrics like assists, goals, and xG (expected goals) has led to a culture where individual stats are often given priority over team dynamics and intangible contributions.
For Postecoglou, football is about collective effort, fluidity, and unpredictability rather than relying on isolated statistics.
Football philosophy
The manager’s perspective also speaks to his philosophy of football, one that emphasizes hard work, adaptability, and creativity in equal measure.
He is adamant that his players should not be fixated on individual accolades but should rather focus on creating and exploiting opportunities for the team, with players like Premier League star Mohammed Kudus quickly coming to mind as the Ghanaian continue to work his way up.
Source: Getty Images
According to Postecoglou, the assist statistic fails to take into account the broader context of a goal, such as the movement leading up to the opportunity or the build-up play that might have gone unnoticed.
Inaki Williams Ghana milestone
YEN.com.gh earlier reported Inaki Williams has overtaken Andre Ayew as Ghana's second-highest goal-scorer in Europe's best five leagues.
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