Football Technology Helps Coaches Prevent Injury to Players

How Does Technology Help Elite Athletes

There is an increase in football teams using technology to assist in player performance. Managers are increasingly making use of real-time data for matches, with companies such as STATSports producing technology that provides 32 in-game metrics

Three Quarters of Premier League Clubs Use Technology on Player Performance

A pod attached to the back of the vests collects analytics using software that monitors the movements of a player up to 1,000 times a second. Pitchside beacons, held on tripods, bounce a signal from GPS satellites to the pods, and the data is then transmitted to the smartwatches and tablets in real time.

Reported in the Times Newspaper it says:

“Now, this allows you to affect things live so you’re not trying to manage after the events,” Sean O’Connor, the co-founder of STATSports, based in Newry, says.

“People are able to take that data during games and make decisions,” he said. “What that allows you to do is build a profile on a player. You expect a player to do X, Y, Z in training and games. When they start to move away from those norms it can be for good or bad reasons.

“If they are in a training session and there is 25 minutes left and they have gone way past what you normally expect them to do, then you can make a call to either taper it off or take them in early.

“It’s the same concept in a game as well. If the manager is deciding between two players to replace, he could ask his coach what feedback can you give, physically.”

Players wear GPS vests

 
Players wear GPS trackers which monitor 32 different categories including speed, distance run, heart rate and acceleration. The tracker sits in a vest which can be worn underneath players’ shirts on matchday. Data collected is beamed to a satellite.

Boosters allow real-time tracking

 Portable beacons stationed on tripods around the pitch bounce a GPS signal to the trackers which allows them to collect data in real time.

Results beamed to coaches’ watches

 Coaches can access live performance statistics on their laptops, tablets or smart watches via an app. They will be able to know more accurately if a particular player needs to be rested.