- Pirates have big plans to conquer Africa
- Jacobs outlines how Pirates work while others sleep
- Pirates recently concluded a tour in Spain
WHAT HAPPENED: Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns have always been the trend setters and pioneers when it comes to the use of modern day technology. But their rivals, Pirates are planning to take a giant step to move far and beyond Downs with data systems.
Jacobs, who is the Pirates' performance analyst head, says he and his team are working tirelessly trying to arm coach Jose Riveiro with as much information he needs about his club and most importantly, the opposition.
WHAT WAS SAID: "Usually when everyone else has a bit of downtime we’re up until late putting together the data for the coaches the next day," Jacobs was quoted as saying by iDiski Times.
"The data we gather goes really deep into understanding a player and his performance, and how this fits into the coach’s tactics and playing style.
"It really helps us to give a comprehensive picture to the coaches. Players also like feedback in order to work on their games and empower them," he added.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The bigger goal is the upcoming Caf Champions League where the Buccaneers have been absent since 2019. They, along with Downs, will represent Mzansi in the inter-club showpiece.
"We’re looking forward to contributing to the club’s journey in Africa. We won’t leave any stone unturned in understanding the teams we’ll be facing in Africa and finding the best possible solutions to beat them. It’s nothing new to us as a club or a department. On the contrary, we’re even more prepared for it now.
"We were one of the first clubs in South Africa to have GPS tracking in our stadium. We were also one of the first clubs to have a full-time analyst. Pirates have always tried to stay ahead of the game. We have to constantly be thinking outside the box of ways to improve," Jacobs added.
WHAT'S NEXT: Pirates recently concluded their pre-season tour of Spain where they tested themselves against the likes of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Independiente Del Valle and Las Palmas.