Abstract
Qualitative research investigating soccer practitioners’ perceptions can allow researchers to create practical research investigations. The extra-time period of soccer is understudied compared to other areas of soccer research. Using an open-ended online survey containing eleven main and nine sub questions, we gathered the perceptions of extra-time from 46 soccer practitioners, all working for different professional soccer clubs. Questions related to current practices, views on extra-time regulations, and ideas for future research. Using inductive content analysis, the following general dimensions were identified: ‘importance of extra-time’, ‘rule changes’, ‘efficacy of extra-time hydro-nutritional provision’, ‘nutritional timing’, ‘future research directions’, ‘preparatory modulations’ and ‘recovery’. The majority of practitioners (63%) either agreed or strongly agreed that extra-time is an important period for determining success in knockout football match-play. When asked if a fourth substitution should be permitted in extra-time, 67% agreed. The use of hydro-nutritional strategies prior to extra-time was predominately considered important or very important. However; only 41% of practitioners felt that it was the most important time point for the use of nutritional products. A similar number of practitioners account (50%) and do not (50%) account for the potential of extra-time when training and preparing players and 89% of practitioners stated that extra-time influences recovery practices following matches. In the five minute break prior to extra-time, the following practices (in order of priority) were advocated to players: hydration, energy provision, massage, and tactical preparations. Additionally, 87% of practitioners advocate a particular nutritional supplementation strategy prior to extra-time. In order of importance, practitioners see the following as future research areas: nutritional interventions, fatigue responses, acute injury risk, recovery modalities, training paradigms, injury epidemiology, and environmental considerations. This study presents novel insight into the practitioner perceptions of extra-time and provides information to readers about current applied practices and potential future research opportunities.
Highlights
Soccer is an intermittent team sport, requiring periods of both low- and high- intensity activity, and skill execution
The requirement for ET in soccer tournaments is becoming more prevalent, with 50% of knockout matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup requiring 120 min of match-play when compared to 25% at the 2002 and 2010 FIFA World Cup’s, and 38% at the 2006 competition
Support for current rulings to remain was explained by three second order themes, namely: lack of evidence of risk (e.g., ‘I don’t think extra time poses a ‘risk’ to players who have played the full match and so I am unsure what the rationale for a fourth substitute is; if they want to avoid meaningless periods of play due to fatigue, reintroduce the golden goal concept’), players are fit enough (e.g., ‘players are able to complete 120 minutes’), and preparedness (e.g., ‘the better conditioned teams should be rewarded for their hard/smart work’)
Summary
Soccer is an intermittent team sport, requiring periods of both low- and high- intensity activity, and skill execution. During an English Premier League reserve team cup match, with data derived from 10 Hz GPS units, Russell et al [5] observed reductions in total distance covered, high intensity distance covered, number of sprints and the total number of accelerations and decelerations. As these are important aspects of successful soccer performance [6], it appears that ET has negative implications for players
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