Bauyrzhan Sagyndyk: “Individual player development is the new strategic priority of the SAU”

– Over the three years of the League and the SAU, significant work has been done in monitoring matches and players. Our specialists regularly visited clubs and conducted numerous educational seminars across regions. We also developed and launched the FF Manager digital platform for coaches, which quickly became an essential tool and gained recognition within the professional community.

In the new three-year cycle, we plan to shift to an updated strategy. First, we are moving from a global support model to a focus on individual player development. Our regional expert coordinators will work closely with clubs, including on-site.

The second major change is a stronger emphasis on studying players’ physical performance. Previously, we focused on defining team models; now we are shifting towards building these criteria for individual players.

We aim to track these indicators to gain a detailed understanding of how talented young players develop in our League and how training processes in each club affect them. Based on this data, we will provide clubs with recommendations for further development planning, ensuring clubs are more invested in player growth.

We expect this to positively impact our competitions: new stars and stronger individual players will emerge. And as the League grows stronger, so will the national teams.

Currently, we are conducting comprehensive testing and sending data to clubs so they can assess their players’ potential. Based on these evaluations, we will define the next steps together with the clubs.

At the same time, we will continue to analyse team performance as well.

– How will support be distributed among clubs and players under the new approach?

– Our vision is to provide football centres with recommendations, methodological support, and analytical data, giving them direction so they can focus on their most promising players. Each club must be заинтересован in developing its players through individual programmes.

Every club has its own philosophy, playing model, and infrastructure conditions. We will support them accordingly. Our task is not to dictate, but to highlight gaps and suggest ways to improve development based on available resources.

– What changes have been made to the team?

– The team has been обновлена by around 80%. New specialists have joined. Alexey Schigolev will oversee testing and the “Coach of the Future” project. Alexander Knyazev will supervise the “Player of the Future” project. Kanat Mussatayev will work with southern region clubs.

Experienced analysts remain as well. Evgeny Yarovenko coordinates regional work and shares his expertise, while Zhanna Malgazhdarova leads work with girls’ teams.

We have also added young specialists with strong potential, who have already proven themselves in a short time.

As the number of tournaments, matches, teams, and players grows, so does our unit. However, we focus not only on quantity but also on quality—we need strong, engaged professionals committed to developing the League.

– What are the key priorities for the upcoming season?

– First, the implementation of our two major projects: “Coach of the Future” and “Player of the Future”. As last year, selected participants will take part in the QJL All Star match.

We also plan to conduct fitness testing across all clubs and hold at least two coaching seminars. Additional priorities include comprehensive testing, coach evaluation, monitoring, and analysis of player activity.

In the long term, our goal is to build a large database based on fitness data within the next three years.

This season, U-15 teams will join the League, giving us four full seasons to track their development. Therefore, U-15 and U-16 will be priority categories, while U-17 and U-18 will also remain important.

– How is digitalisation evolving?

– Previously, we focused mainly on team analysis. Now, we are shifting towards individual data. Alongside tools like Wyscout and Hudl, we will now use Pixellot smart cameras.

These are installed at all League A stadiums. We will also use GPS trackers to measure player workload.

Additionally, we have introduced the OVR Performance platform, which allows highly accurate fitness testing. Measurements will be conducted several times a year to track dynamics.

At this stage, access to this data is limited to SAU specialists and clubs. In the future, it could be highly beneficial for national teams.

– Finally, how ready is the unit for the new season?

– The League team has done a great deal of work. We are ready for the new season and optimistic about the future. This year, we aim to lay the foundation for a digital ecosystem that will help players and coaches reach their full potential.