Division Club Research Articles

Monitoring hip adductor strength in professional women's football players over a season: A prospective study

ObjectivesTo describe the changes in hip adductor strength of professional women's football players over a season. DesignOne-season prospective study. SettingFacilities of a national first division club. ParticipantsProfessional women's football players. Main outcome measuresMaximum hip adductor isometric strength in the long-lever and short-lever positions at four timepoints: early preseason, early season, mid-season, and end-season. ResultsTwenty-two players completed the study. Hip adductor strength values in early preseason (134 ± 29 N in the long-lever position and 317 ± 68 N in the short-lever position) were significantly lower than in the early season (171 ± 29 N and 363 ± 54 N) and mid-season (163 ± 23 N and 369 ± 53 N). By the end of the season (150 ± 19 N and 345 ± 39 N), strength values had significantly declined from both early and mid-season levels. Visual inspection of individual athletes' strength evolution over time reveals heterogeneous responses, with some players showing trajectories opposite to the group at specific time points. ConclusionsHip adductor strength increased from the preseason to the start of the women's football national league, remained stable during the first half of the league, but slightly declined in the second half. The heterogeneous responses among athletes underscore the importance of individualized monitoring throughout the season.

Place Matters: A Study on the Influence of Birthplace and the Place of Development on Soccer Academy Players' Careers.

The effect of birthplace (the place where a player is born and grows up) is one of the key variables associated with soccer player development and achievement. However, recent studies have questioned the influence of contextual variables on selection and promotion processes related to birthplace. The main purposes of this study were: (1) establish whether there is a difference between the birthplace and sporting growth according to the stages of entry into the academy, (2) to evaluate the influence of geographical and contextual variables on sporting development, and (3) assess the chances of making a professional team debut. Applied logistic regression was used in order to analyse the birthplace and growth of 1411 male soccer players, of which 40.1% are incorporated in the U-12 category from a Spanish First division club, and the results showed a statistically significant association between a change from one's birthplace to the place of sporting growth and later success (79%). Key contextual variables such as number of inhabitants, population density, proximity to sports facilities, average household income and presence of sports clubs have been considered. The analysis of the contextual variables revealed that there was a positive relationship between certain variables, like a higher population, and being selected for the academy (p < 0.01; r = 0.28). Finally, the findings showed that players who experienced a geographical transition were 38% more likely to make a professional debut. The importance of considering the place of sporting growth when analysing the "birthplace effect" has therefore been demonstrated.

Economic impact of muscle injury rate and hamstring strain injuries in professional football clubs. Evidence from LaLiga.

The aims of this study were: 1) to describe the total muscular injuries, and specifically HSIs, and their corresponding missed matches; 2) to analyse their economic impact; and 3) to estimate the loss of incomes due to TV rights, in first division clubs from LaLigaTM depending on the expected and actual ranking position during the 2018/2019 season. To do that, a cross-sectional study for season 18/19 and for all players of the 20 Spanish professional football clubs was performed. The economic impact of injuries was estimated considering the missed matches and salary cost of all players and the audio-visual income loss was estimated considering the Spanish Royal Decree of Law (RDL 5/2015). The high number of muscular (270) and hamstring injuries (57) implies a high cost for professional first division football clubs, specifically € 365,811 per month for the former and € 47,388 per month for the latter. In addition, reaching a worse than expected position in LaLigaTM ranking involved a loss of 45,2 million € in TV rights incomes. The high cost of muscle injuries in first division teams justifies the need for multidisciplinary teams that are capable of reducing the number of injuries as well as recovery times.

Air pollution, a worthy opponent? How pollution levels impair athlete performance across physical, technical, and cognitive domains

IntroductionAir pollution is a global issue known to effect on human health and performance. In the context of highly skilled athletes, the influence of air pollution on players' physical and technical abilities are established, yet its effects on cognitive performance have received little consideration. This study aims to address this research gap by comprehensively examining the influence of air pollution on the performance of highly skilled athletes using a holistic approach, including both the athlete's brain and body. MethodsBetween 2016 and 2022, a total of 799 soccer players (578 males, 221 females) belonging to a German professional first division club were measured on a battery of performance assessments, including physical, technical, and cognitive tests. The performance data were combined with the average daily concentration of three pollutants: PM10, O3 and NO2. ResultsIncreased levels of PM10 and O3 were primarily associated with decreased physical and technical performance, including slower sprinting times, impaired change of direction and worse speed and accuracy in the technical assessment. For instance, if the assessment test was held when PM10 levels were at 20 μg/m3, players ran an average 22 ms slower on the 30 m sprint test, 36 ms slower on the change of direction test and showed a 1 % decrease in accuracy on the technical assessment (p < .001). Furthermore, higher concentrations of NO2 negatively impacted cognitive performance across four separate tests of athletes' executive functions (p < .05). ConclusionBy encompassing physical, technical, and cognitive assessments, this study highlights the multifaceted nature of performance impairments resulting from air pollution exposure in a population characterized by have exceptional abilities across all three domains. These findings underscore the widespread impact of pollution on a diverse sample of athletes and emphasize the need to consider air pollution in the broader context of its effects on human health and the environment.

Effect of Different Nonstarter Compensatory Strategies on Training Load in Female Soccer Players: A Pilot Study.

In soccer, the day of the week with the highest external load is match day (MD), with starters (>60 minutes per match) showing higher levels of physical fitness and seasonal high-intensity loading. It is necessary, therefore, to determine training strategies to reduce the differences between starters and nonstarters. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the external load of different training compensatory strategies with match external load in female nonstarters. A strategy combining small-sided games (SSG) and running-based drills (RBD) would reproduce match demands, with RBD leading to greater high-intensity running and SSG leading to a greater number of accelerations and decelerations. Descriptive and comparative study. Level 4. The training and match external load of 14 female players belonging to the same reserve squad of a Spanish First Division Club (Liga Reto Iberdrola) was registered. In the first session after the match (MD+1), nonstarters (<60 minutes in the match) performed 1 of 3 different compensatory strategies: RBD, SSG, or a mixed intervention combining the previous strategies (RBD+SSG). Starters carried out a recovery session. A marked difference in load was observed between the compensatory training strategies and MD. In comparison with MD, RBD showed greater high-intensity and sprint distances and lower acceleration, SSG showed less high-intensity running and sprint distances, lower peak velocity, and greater acceleration, and RBD+SSG registered lower accelerations. In addition, nonstarters covered greater high-intensity running and sprint distances in RBD and achieved higher accelerations in SSG. RBD and SSG compensatory strategies could be recommended to nonstarter female soccer players in MD+1 to compensate for match external load deficits. This study provides comprehensive information on the compensatory exercises of female soccer players, which can be useful for strength and conditioning coaches when developing recovery strategies during a microcycle.

The transfer market for non-big five clubs: The case of the Swiss Super League

Introduction&#x0D; The objective of this research is to study the strategies of Swiss first division clubs in the transfer market. In a context where the revenues of the big 5 clubs (before Covid-19) keep increasing (especially TV rights), the weak financial capacities of the non-big 5 clubs, especially in terms of their low revenues from media rights, push them to devise different strategies. Given the profiles of the clubs, how do they organise their strategy on the transfer market - T - (purchase-sale)? We seek to answer the following questions: What is the importance of transfers on the economic model of Swiss first division clubs? What share of their budget do they represent?&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; Market purchases/sales (from 2015 to 2020) define our T (Transfers). We therefore seek to understand the strategy of Swiss clubs in the transfer market from a purely economic point of view (we do not take into account the sporting aspect) and to see what profits Swiss clubs make thanks to T. We then compare, season by season and club by club, the results obtained on the transfer market in relation to the clubs’ budget. We supplement this quantitative data with qualitative interviews with scouting managers from 8 Super League clubs in order to understand the professionalization of Swiss clubs in this area. We carried out an empirical data processing - k-means - to propose a typology of the 12 Super League clubs according to their role in the transfer market and the importance of the T compared to their budget.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; &#x0D; Cluster 1 - The low importance of T: The T represents a very small part of the clubs’ budget in this cluster. Transfers have a very low importance here.&#x0D; Cluster 2 - Singularity of FC Basel: FC Basel is alone in this cluster with sales and purchases well above the other clubs.&#x0D; Cluster 3 - Confirmed importance of the T on sales: Clubs in this cluster are close to the cluster number 2. Sales are here very important for clubs.&#x0D; Cluster 4 - A balance of the T between purchases and sales: The purchases and sales are balanced. Clubs in this cluster sell and spend just as much to strengthen themselves.&#x0D; &#x0D; Discussion - Conclusion&#x0D; We can see that when a team succeeds in establishing itself in the Super League with stable revenues, it can hope to make purchases on the transfer market thanks to sponsorship or ticketing, which allow it to increase its budget. And when a team manages to qualify for European competitions, its strategy can be diversified and we can see teams making more substantial purchases. Moreover a club can move from one cluster to another quickly. The professionalisation of the scouting of young players also plays a very big role and the resources and professional skills of each club in this area can be very important.

Financial Health and Self-Sustainability of a Small European Football League: The Realities of Top-Flight Croatian Football

This study aims to evaluate the financial health of Croatian top division clubs, locate their primary source of funding, and assess their capacity for self-sustainability. To conclude the current financial condition and long-term (un)sustainability of Croatian club football, selected financial categories and ratios for HNL clubs from 2018 to 2021 were compared with UEFA benchmarks. The horizontal financial analysis results were presented in aggregate league- and individual club-level form and compared to other leagues, averages, and UEFA recommendations. The research revealed significant operating losses covered by net transfer income, unacceptable high wage-to-revenue ratios, and inferior operating margins. Financial stability should not be upheld only as a means to an end for UEFA licensing but for the long-term viability of every football club and the community in which it is embedded. A focus on long-term internal, organic development (i.e., investing in academies, infrastructure, technology, and human capital, as well as actively supporting young players in the first eleven) can yield an edge against more prosperous competition. Without it, top Croatian clubs will eventually realize that the stream of talented players will thin out and, with it, the golden vein that keeps them financially alive.

Effect of playing position and microcycle days on the acceleration speed profile of elite football players

The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in the A–S profile of elite football players induced by playing position and the microcycle day. Players belonged to a second division club in the Spanish La Liga competition. They were classified into five playing positions: central defenders (CD), full backs (FB), midfielders (MF), wide midfielders (WMF) and forwards (FW). Microcycle days were categorised according to the days until matchday (MD, MD-1, MD-2, MD-3, MD-4 and MD-5). Data was collected along six microcycles, including one match per microcycle. The variables analysed were: maximal theoretical acceleration (A0), maximal theoretical speed (S0), maximal acceleration (ACCmax), maximal speed (Smax) and A–S slope (ASslope). Significant differences were found within positions and microcycle day for all variables (p < 0.05). Match day (MD) showed greater values than the training sessions in A0, ACCmax and Smax (p < 0.05). The highest values for variables associated with acceleration capabilities were found in CD on MD, whereas speed variables were higher in WMF. MD-2 showed the lowest values in all variables except for ASslope. Maximal acceleration and sprint abilities are therefore affected by playing position. Wide positions showed the highest speed capacity, and CD presented a likely acceleration profile. Higher values for all variables concerning the microcycle day, were achieved on MD, and were not reproduced during training with the consequent injury risk and performance decrease it takes.

Characterising groin pain in rink hockey: Function and five-second squeeze in Spanish players

ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between history of past season groin pain and current pain during the five-second squeeze test (5SST) with groin function and adductor strength in rink hockey players. DesignCross-sectional. SettingFirst (Ok Liga), Second (Plata) and third division (Bronce) clubs. Participants: Sixty-eight female and 183 male hockey players. Main outcome measuresSeasonal prevalence of groin pain (time/non-time-loss). Adductor strength and pain during the 5SST. Function was evaluated with the Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS). ResultsSeasonal time-loss groin pain prevalence was 21%. Male players had 3.5 higher odds of having had an episode of time-loss groin pain during the previous season compared to female players. The adductor relative strength was no different between players with and without previous season groin injury (p = 0.53-0.55), while the HAGOS results differed between groups, with past season groin injury players obtaining lower values in all subscales. HAGOS scores differed between the 5SST pain intensity groups (p < 0.01). ConclusionsMale players had higher odds of having had a groin injury in the previous season compared to female players. Players with pain during 5SST and previous season groin injury reported functional deficits, while strength remains identical to their healthy counterparts.

Prevalence and predisposition to deep vein thrombosis in professional male soccer players

The long recovery time required after deep venous thrombosis (DVT), or other serious manifestations of venous thromboembolic disease, can lead to a reduction in sporting condition and economic losses. Neither are such events always free of clinical sequelae. This study examines the prevalence of DVT in male, professional soccer players in Spain. A questionnaire on DVT events experienced by players in the ongoing 2015-16 season, and the previous 10 seasons, was sent to the medical services of all first and second division clubs in Spain. The genetic predisposition of those who suffered an event was investigated using the inCode thrombus test, as well as in 73 players who experienced no such event. Four subjects were diagnosed with DVT via clinical history and ultrasound or D-dimer determination. This associated prevalence (1.2/1000) is higher than reported (1/10,000) for this age group in the general population (18-35 years). All four affected players carried a risk allele (A1) at the ABO locus, three were homozygous for the risk allele of FactorXIII, and one was heterozygous for a risk allele of FactorXII. Among the 73 players who experienced no DVT, 3 high risk genetic variants associated with thromboembolic events were detected in 7 players (9.6%), either in the SERPINA_A10, FactorV, FactorXII, or FactorXIII genes. DVT prevalence in professional soccer players is higher than expected for the same age segment, and highlights how genetic predisposition towards thromboembolic processes and sport-associated environmental risk factors work in tandem in the DVT appearance.

Extraordinary Funding and a Financially Viable Football Industry—Friends or Foes? A Norwegian Football League Perspective

Financial distress has been frequently addressed in the sports business and management literature; however, surprisingly little attention has been devoted to implications for financial viability derived from funding beyond what the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) defines as relevant income in football, henceforth referred to as extraordinary funding. This study critically discusses and reflects upon whether extraordinary funding can contribute to financial viability. To address this issue, we draw on approximately 100 financial statements for Norwegian top division clubs and their cooperating companies for three fiscal years. Results indicate that, although extraordinary funding contributes with sorely needed funds, thus from the outset contributing in making clubs more robust, the manner in which extraordinary funding occurs is still of great importance from a viability perspective. In this respect, it is useful to distinguish clearly between ex ante and ex post funding. While ex post funding can be argued to be counter-productive to financial viability (e.g., cloaking inadequate finances, providing incentives for overspending, and rewarding clubs that overspend), ex ante funding is more in line with sound financial management (e.g., funds that are contingent upon a history of sound finances, incorporated in budgets). One important implication of this study is that ex post funding can contribute to crowding out of good practices, as clubs that overspend can be rewarded for their actions by having funds injected ex post.

Are spectator preferences weaker for cup compared to league competitions? Evidence from Irish soccer

ABSTRACT This paper exploits data from eight recent playing seasons to examine the spectator appeal for League of Ireland fans of the national soccer challenge cup competition (the FAI cup). The study finds a sizable spectator attendance penalty for Premier Division clubs in FAI cup games for the earlier rounds of the tournament compared to league fixtures against the same opposition. However, this is reversed by the penultimate stage of the tournament. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Scheduling Multiple Sports Leagues with Travel Distance Fairness: An Application to Argentinean Youth Football

The first division clubs in Argentinean professional football maintain teams in each of six youth leagues, classed by age as major divisions (Under-20, Under-18, Under-17) and minor divisions (Under-16, Under-15, Under-14). Regular season play in these leagues typically follows a single round-robin format; the minor divisions play the same schedule as the majors but with the home-away status of the matches reversed. This setup can give rise to very significant differences in travel distances between the major and minor division teams of a given club, which is a frustrating situation for club officials, coaches, and players alike but almost impossible to avoid with manual season scheduling techniques. Nor are these methods able to take into account any number of other criteria that go into the design of a satisfactory match calendar. This paper reports on models developed using mathematical programming to simultaneously schedule multiple leagues while also meeting a series of other desirable conditions. The central criterion is a better balance in the travel distances of the various teams, pursued through the application of two alternative solution approaches: one based on regional team clusters and the other on explicit analysis of actual distances between the teams’ home venues. The solutions generated by these approaches have been used by the organizers of the Argentinean youth leagues to draw up their season schedules since 2018, which has resulted in a series of benefits for all stakeholders.

Strength Determinants of Jump Height in the Jump Throw Movement in Women Handball Players.

McGhie, D, Østerås, S, Ettema, G, Paulsen, G, and Sandbakk, Ø. Strength determinants of jump height in the jump throw movement in women handball players. J Strength Cond Res 34(10): 2937-2946, 2020-The purpose of the study was to improve the understanding of the strength demands of a handball-specific jump through examining the associations between jump height in a jump throw jump (JTJ) and measures of lower-body maximum strength and impulse in handball players. For comparison, whether the associations between jump height and strength differed between the JTJ and the customarily used countermovement jump (CMJ) was also examined. Twenty women handball players from a Norwegian top division club participated in the study. Jump height was measured in the JTJ and in unilateral and bilateral CMJ. Lower-body strength (maximum isometric force, one-repetition maximum [1RM], impulse at ∼60% and ∼35% 1RM) was measured in seated leg press. The associations between jump height and strength were assessed with correlation analyses and t-tests of dependent r's were performed to determine if correlations differed between jump tests. Only impulse at ∼35% 1RM correlated significantly with JTJ height (p < 0.05), whereas all strength measures correlated significantly with CMJ heights (p < 0.001). The associations between jump height and strength were significantly weaker in the JTJ than in both CMJ tests for all strength measures (p = 0.001-0.044) except one. Maximum strength and impulse at ∼60% 1RM did not seem to sufficiently capture the capabilities associated with JTJ height, highlighting the importance of employing tests targeting performance-relevant neuromuscular characteristics when assessing jump-related strength in handball players. Further, CMJ height seemed to represent a wider range of strength capabilities and care should be taken when using it as a proxy for handball-specific movements.

Ser futbolista juvenil en Argentina. Orígenes, escolarización, vivienda, sentimientos y expectativas de los deportistas en formación de un club de fútbol profesional.

Este artículo se propone trazar un perfil socio-demográficode los futbolistas en formación en Argentina a partir del análisis de múltiples dimensiones de la vida de esos jóvenes, que masivamente depositan en el fútbol sus sueños y deseos, desarrollando intensas e inciertas carreras socio-profesionales en los clubes de fútbol.Habitualmente, los clubes se ocupan exclusivamente de las variables de rendimiento (físicas, técnicas, tácticas), obviando cuestiones como origen, familia, escolaridad, vivienda, sentimientos, opiniones, consumos y otras dimensiones que hacen a la formación integral de los jóvenes. El artículo propone un abordaje cuantitativo y descriptivo de esas dimensiones, basado en 6 encuestas realizadas en 2018 a todos los futbolistas juveniles (entre 13 y 20 años) de un club de Primera División argentino.

Psychological Distress and Physiological Markers: Differences Comparison in First Division Football Players

This study aimed to determine the level of stress as measured through different stress measurement methods (DASS questionnaire, SIgA, pulse rate and oxygen saturation). The highest scores for depression, anxiety, stress, pulse rate were before the competition (M=8.365, SD=2.733), (M=8.689, SD=3.962), (M=10.068, SD=3.094), (M=63.27, SD=5.008) respectively. While for salivary IgA and oxygen saturation, the highest score was at resting time (M=112.147, SD=14.431), (M=98.3, SD=1.893) respectively. Descriptive method was used for data collection. Participants were 74 football players of all the first division clubs in Karbala, Iraq, aged between 18-22 years old. Depression, anxiety and stress were measured at three different time points (resting time, before the training, before the competition), while salivary IgA, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation measurement were measured through five different time points (resting time, before the training, after the training, before the competition, after the competition). It can be concluded that the combination of psychological distress and physiological markers can provide accurate measurements of stress.

Assessment of the maximal aerobic speed in young elite soccer players: Université de Montréal Track Test (UM-TT) vs. treadmill test

Summary Objective The main aim of this study was to examine the association between the Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) measured by the Universite de Montreal Track Test (UM-TT) and on a running treadmill test in young elite soccer players. Equipment and methods Fourteen U-16 male soccer players (mean ± SD: age = 15.5 ± 0.7 years; height = 1.76 ± 0.5 m; weight = 67.7 ± 4.5 kg) from a Spanish First Division club academy participated in the study. The participants were submitted to the Universite de Montreal Track Test (UM-TT) and an intermittent treadmill test with a one-week interval. Results The MASs, the speed at the last completed stage (16.6 ± 0.8 km h−1) and calculated using the formula of Kuipers et al. (17.2 ± 0.7 km h−1), were substantially higher (Effect size > 0.8) than that measured on the treadmill (15.9 ± 0.9 km h−1). The MAS measured by the UM-TT correlated highly (r > 0.6) with the MAS measured on the treadmill. Conclusion Despite the large association between both values, the MAS measured by the UM-TT differs considerably from the MAS measured on a running treadmill in young elite soccer players. It suggests that, in soccer training, caution should be applied when using the velocity of the MAS measured on the UM-TT or in a laboratory interchangeably.

تأثير الجهد اللاهوائي في زمن نزف الدم وتخثره لدى لاعبي الساحة والميدان للمسافات القصيرة بحث تجريبي

Examined the responses of bleeding time and clotting time under the anaerobic training of (6) players for short distances to the first division clubs (youth category) which were selected upon the way intentional. The research procedures included the Measurement of bleeding time and clotting time before training (warm-up and ran the 400 meters hard top) (pretest) and after (post test).The researcher concluded that the anaerobic training led to decrease in both bleeding and clotting time.

Keep the Ball Rolling: Information Diffusion within Large Sports-Related Networks through Social Mediators

Social media have enabled sports fans to interact with their favourite clubs, players, and fellow fans. By using a sample of over 4.5 million tweets, we applied a social networks approach to examine whether and, if so, how different types of users influence online engagement and patterns of information flow of professional football clubs on Twitter. We focus on five types of social mediators (i.e., key users who connect organizations with their publics): (1) organizational (e.g., teams or players), (2) industry (e.g., competitors or associations), (3) media (e.g., journalists), (4) individual (e.g., fans), and (5) celebrities. Our results indicate that the power of media social mediators—the most traditional mediators—has declined over recent years, and they were negatively associated with engagement on Twitter. Instead, relationships between football clubs and publics were primarily mediated by individual social mediators, for top division clubs in particular. Taken together, scholars and practitioners should recognize the potential impact of social mediators, given that even individuals can function as powerful users in the information diffusion process.

IMPACT OF COMPETITIVE LEVEL AND AGE ON THE STRENGTH AND ASYMMETRY OF YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS

ABSTRACT Introduction: Muscular strength is an essential capacity for soccer players; however, the profile of this capacity has not yet been clearly established in young players. Objective: To compare muscular strength performance in the countermovement jump (CMJ) task and the presence of lower limb asymmetry among soccer athletes of the under 15 (U15), under 17 (U17) and under 20 (U20) categories, and between two teams of different competitive levels. Methods: One hundred and fifty one young soccer players of three different categories (U15, U17 and U20) from two teams in the Brazilian first and second divisions performed six vertical jumps in a system of two force plates. Ground reaction force (GRF) was used to calculate jump height and to obtain the variables Peak force (FMAX), Impulse (I) and Peak power (PMAX) with regard to body mass and the respective asymmetry values. Results: No differences were found in the performance and asymmetry variable between the categories (Jump height: p=0.23; FMAX: p=0.15; I: p=0.11; PMAX: p=0.32; FMAX asymmetry: p=0.21; I asymmetry: p=0.58; PMAX asymmetry: p=0.58). The first division club had higher muscle strength and asymmetry values than the second division club (Jump height: p&lt;0.01; I: p&lt;0.01; PMAX: p&lt;0.01; FMAX asymmetry: p&lt;0.01; I asymmetry: p&lt;0.01; PMAX asymmetry: p&lt;0.01), except for FMAX (p=0.63). No variable had an interaction effect (club x category). Conclusion: As categories progress, jump height, relative I, PMAX and FMAX values and their respective asymmetries are stable. The asymmetry and strength performance of the first division club were higher than that of the second division club, except for FMAX, indicating that the competitive level may influence strength performance and the development of asymmetry. Level of Evidence II; Diagnostic study – Investigating a diagnostic test.