Les Ferdinand is one of the leading all time Premier League goal scorers and was a Director of Football at QPR after retiring from the game

A top former footballer gave a fascinating talk to Performance Analysis students at Middlesex University about what is required to work at the highest level of the game. Les Ferdinand, the ex-OPR, Newcastle and Tottenham striker who won 17 caps for England, made a visit to the MDX London Sports Institute (LSI) in the West Stand at Saracens’ Stone X Stadium.

The former striker is the 12th highest goal scorer in the history of the Premier League with 149 goals and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995/96. Les also won the Football League Cup in the 1998/99 season. After retiring from the game, he worked as a Director of Football at QPR between 2015 and 2023. In addition, Les’ family has remarkable sporting pedigree with his second cousin Rio Ferdinand, widely regarded as one of England’s greatest ever defenders. Rio’s brother Anton was also a top centre back playing for West Ham.

During the recent visit, Les spoke to the MSc Sports Performance Analysis students about his views of data driven analysis in football from his perspective as a player, coach, and director of football. The talk provoked a very lively question and answer session, giving the students valuable insights into the requirements of working in elite football. 

Speaking about the event Nic James, a Professor in Sport & Exercise Science, said: “Les enthused our students with his honest and practical vision of data driven analysis. His clear message was that data supports decision-making in many different aspects of football, but human insight remains the guiding feature at all levels. He reminded students that excellent communication within teams, typically players, coaches and analysts, remains the preeminent dynamic enabling successful teamwork. Les concluded his talk by answering many thoughtful questions from the students and complimented them on their enthusiasm, knowledge and ambition to work in elite sport. In response, the students commented on how Les had inspired them by validating the appropriateness of the knowledge they are gaining from the course, whilst offering them insights as to how to present this knowledge to facilitate and provoke the choices made by elite athletes and coaches”.

MDX staff would like to thank Seamus Brady, a PhD student at Middlesex University and ex-Tottenham Hotspur analyst, who organised the event.

Find out more about the MSc Performance Analysis at Middlesex University.