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11 Of The Most Common Soccer Injuries

18 Aug, 2023

The 2023 Women's World Cup has been full of incredible action, from Japan smashing a much-fancied Spain side to top Group C to Sweden's dramatic Last 16 penalty shootout victory over holders USA. However, the competition has also been missing some huge global stars — Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Vivanne Miedema, Christen Press, Marie-Antoinette Katoto — all of whom are out of action with an ACL injury. In recent months, debates...

Geir Jordet: Sports Psychologist and Scanning Expert

15 Aug, 2023

"There are so many ways you can create a career in football," says Geir Jordet, PhD, discussing his unique pathway within the industry. A Professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Jordet has gained widespread recognition for his work researching, teaching, and consulting on psychology and elite performance in football. For over 20 years, he has worked with leading clubs, organisations, coaches, and individual players, targeting the...

The Beep Test In Soccer: A Guide

07 Jul, 2023

The beep test is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding cardiovascular workouts there is. Used within a variety of different sports — tennis, basketball, athletics, and more — it's a versatile type of physical test that suits a number of purposes. But probably the sport that is best known for implementing this training technique is soccer. As teams across Europe launch into their pre-season schedules with an...

Bartek Sylwestrzak: Ball Striking Specialist Q&A

15 Jun, 2023

In recent years, the role of specialist coaching in football has grown significantly. In order to achieve marginal gains on the pitch, various clubs have increased their focus on set piece coaching , or training in breathing exercises and sleep. However, there's one crucial area of specialist coaching that remains hugely under-explored: ball striking. Bartek Sylwestrzak has dedicated his career to studying this field. Over the course of...

Soccer Skills: La Pausa

18 Mar, 2023

Spain is a nation that has given many things to the world of football. From their incredible run of trophies between 2008 and 2012 (Vicente Del Bosque's tiki-taka team won two European Championships and a World Cup in this period) to the production of mind-blowingly technical players such as Xavi and Andres Iniesta, the Spanish have had an undeniable impact on world soccer, particularly in the 21st century. It may not be a surprise,...

GPS Tracking in Soccer: How can a team use GPS to improve performances?

02 Mar, 2023

Professional soccer has come on a long way since the days of boggy pitches, meaty challenges, and comparatively small player wages. Sports science, technology and data has made crucial inroads within the game, becoming an important aspect of the daily operations of pro clubs across the world. From the introduction of specialist sports analyst roles to the employment of large teams of sports science and medical stuff at clubs such as...

What Is After-Care In Football?

20 Mar, 2022

After-care is a hot topic within the world of football right now. This is hardly surprising, given the increasing volume and consistency of conversations surrounding men's mental health, both in professional sport and wider society. Growing concerns about the formative role that professional academies play in the personal development of their players have caused some organisations to start conducting research. One recent study found that...

10 Great Books About Football Coaching & Tactics

13 Mar, 2022

For budding coaches, tacticians, scouts, analysts, and general football lovers, there are few better ways to absorb knowledge about the game than by reading. Alongside the various online resources for footy obsessives , there are tons of amazing books out there dedicated to explaining tactical trends, training set-ups, football history, and so on. That being said, it can be hard to know which ones to read, and which ones to swerve. That's...

7 Great Resources for Football Scouts

23 Feb, 2022

Thanks to technological innovation and ever-changing attitudes, football scouting is arguably more accessible than ever before. Whether you're an experienced professional or a budding scout (if you're the latter, check out our article on how to get started in football data & analytics ), there are tons of resources available to you, both online and in person. If you're looking to expand your skill set and further your scouting...

7 Easy Steps to Get Started in Football Data & Analytics

11 Feb, 2022

The role of data and analytics within football has grown demonstrably in recent years. Clubs like Brentford and Barnsley have been able to punch above their weight thanks to progressive data-driven recruitment and performance strategies. Meanwhile, metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) have become a key part of mainstream football parlance, regularly used on flagship shows like Match of the Day. Just ten years ago, the data used by clubs...

The Return Of The Long Throw-in: Who Is Behind Brentford F.C.'s Innovative Set Piece Strategy?

02 Feb, 2022

Many people have been surprised by the bold and refreshing approach Brentford have taken to their first ever Premier League season. But anyone who's watched their progress in recent years will know that this is a club that tends to do things differently. From scrapping their academy in favour of an innovative B Team model , to employing a data-driven strategy long before many English competitors, the West London side have been highly...

How to be a Football Coach in the UK

01 Feb, 2022

Competing in the world of football is a dream job for many people, but what if you want a more managerial role? Have you ever wanted to be responsible for ensuring the fitness of some of the world's best football players? Does the idea of being a key role in the development of players excite you? If so, then you may want to consider training to be a football coach! Coaching a professional football team, especially one in the premier league...

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