Using MCDM techniques for talent identification and management in sports

Abstract

Talent identification in sports is a process of identifying individuals with the potential to excel in a particular sport or athletic activity. It entails evaluating a range of psychological, technical, tactical, and physical characteristics in order to pinpoint those who have what is needed to excel in a given sport. Talent management involves strategic management, nurturing already existing talent, and providing support to optimize performance with a vision for long-term success. MCDM Techniques provide a solid framework for determining the best solution to a decision problem taking into account the alternatives and free of any bias. In this paper, we explore the use of MCDM techniques for Talent Identification and Management with a special focus on football. We compiled data of five different players from Europe’s Top 5 leagues using WhoScored and applied AHP and TOPSIS methods to rank and order attackers, defenders, and midfielders on multiple facets of their game. AHP helps to establish a structured and objective framework for determining the criteria and sub-criteria. TOPSIS is then used to rank these players on the basis of these criteria, thus providing valuable insights to clubs for talent identification and player selection in football. With sophisticated football strategies, and with an increasing number of players to pick from, it is becoming harder to distinguish them based on numbers. This study presents a feasible solution to address the issue by objectively evaluating all criteria in a scientific manner, in order to select the most qualified individuals.