Tanzanian Association Oslo

aPanda hadi Darini (Ph.D)

Hongera sana Albin Tenga!

Mweka hazina wa Chama Cha Watanzania Oslo, Albin Paul Chilla Tenga, jana Jumatano, tarehe 26 Mei 2010 alitetea tasnifu yake (picha hapo chini) kwenye Chuo Kikuu Cha Sayansi ya Michezo “the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences”, Oslo.  Tasnifu yake ni ya kwanza ya aina yake hapa Norway. Ni matarajio yetu sisi wapenzi wa soka hapa kuwa utafiti wake unaweza kuisadia taifa Stars kufuzu kucheza fainali za kombe la dunia, zitakazofanyika Brazil mwaka 2014.

Albin Tenga Wednesday 26th May 2010 defended his thesis ”Reliability and validity of match performance analysis in soccer: A multidimensional qualitative evaluation of opponent interaction” for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the Department of Coaching and Psychology, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NSSS).

Main aim
The present thesis examined whether an assessment of opponent interaction can improve the validity of team match performance analysis in soccer. Thus, the main aim of this thesis was to develop, test the reliability of, and apply a new method for team match performance analysis which includes an assessment of opponent interaction by using multidimensional qualitative evaluation.  

Methods
This thesis studied 163 out of 182 (90%) matches played in the Norwegian men’s professional league in 2004. A total of 3260 random team possessions as well as 476 team possessions leading to a goal being scored were analyzed. These two data sets were analysed further according to the questions addressed in five independent studies.  

Besides including theory-based assessment of opponent interaction, the present thesis considered methodological aspects rarely used in the contemporary studies. These include complementary study designs, appropriate procedures for the random selection of events, estimation of sample size, and the use of a multivariate logistic regression model when analysing the results.

Main conclusions
A new method, representing a potentially valuable tool for more valid analysis of team match performance, has been developed as a reliable method for most variables used. This is the first method of its kind to directly analyze opposition relationship in real soccer matches by using a multidimensional qualitative evaluation.

Despite using very different research approach, results for effectiveness of playing tactics were very similar. Results from a cohort study show counter attack had more than twice so big chance to create a shooting opportunity than elaborate attack when playing against an imbalanced defence, but not against a balanced defence. Similar results were observed in a case-control study showing counter attack had 64% bigger chance to score a goal than elaborate attack when playing against an imbalanced defence. Conversely, there were clearly smaller proportions of both shooting opportunities and scored goals when playing against a balanced defence (tight pressure, present backup, and present cover) (6.5% and 0.9%, respectively) than against imbalanced defence (loose pressure, absent backup, and absent cover) (28.5% and 21.8%, respectively). At the same time, it was demonstrated that scoring opportunity or score box possession (shooting opportunity) can be used as a valid alternative outcome measure to goal scoring when comparing the effectiveness of soccer playing tactics.

The present thesis has also studied the effectiveness of playing tactics when playing home versus away. Both counter attack and elaborate attack produced larger proportions of scored goals at home (24.5% and 21.8%, respectively) than away (19.8% and 20.5%, respectively), with counter attack being more effective than elaborate attack when playing against an imbalanced defence at home, but not away.

In sum, these findings suggest that an assessment of opponent interaction is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of playing tactics, and hence improves the validity of team match performance analysis. The information about relative effectiveness of playing tactics, both offensively and defensively, is useful when soccer coaches and players practise how to take advantage of an opponent’s choice of playing tactics during a match-play. 

Albin Tenga (01.03.1962) is born in Tanzania. He has studied basic course in sports, physical education and 2-year course in coaching and theory of training with specialization in soccer at NSSS.

His Master’s degree in

sports science with specialization in sports biology, mechanics of muscles and match analysis was accomplished at NSSS, in a study that compared match performance and players movement intensity between two styles of play in soccer. Albin has been supervised byProfessor Roald Bahr and Associate Professor Lars Tore Ronglan in his PhD.

Evaluation committee 

Leader: Professor Glyn C. Roberts, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
1. Opponent:  Professor Mike Hughes, University of Wales Institute in Cardiff
2. Opponent:  Professor Ian Franks, University of British Columbia