Sports Science Feedback Strategies within Elite Football

The Football Exchange and School of Sport and Exercise Sciences are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed individual to join them on a full time, fully-funded PhD studentship for a collaborative project with West Bromwich Albion Football Club.

Why Join Us?

In the recent Research Excellence Framework 2014, the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences was ranked among the leading Sport and Exercise Science providers in the UK across all major University League Tables and in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences was ranked sixth in the world, and the university has recently been awarded ‘University of the Year’ at the Educate North awards 2017 ( https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/faculties/faculty-of-science/school-of-sport-and-exercise-sciences).

Our Project

The aim of the project is to appraise the current sports science feedback strategies employed within elite football. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this programme of research will specifically focus on achieving three key aims:

• To examine the views of key stakeholder’s towards the current sports science feedback strategies used within elite football.
• To examine the different types and timing of the feedback of sports science information to the key stakeholders within elite football.
• To plan, design and implement novel sport science feedback strategies to key stakeholders within elite football.

The supervisory team will consist of Dr Matthew Andrew (Senior Lecturer in Expert Performance and Learning) whose research surrounds skill acquisition and expertise, specifically the influence of different types and timing of feedback on the skill acquisition; and Professor Barry Drust (Professor of Applied Physiology), whose specialist area of research is the physiology of intermittent exercise, more specifically the physiology of soccer-specific intermittent exercise.

Alongside their studentship, the successful applicant will be situated within West Bromwich Albion Football Club and will be directly responsible to the Heads of Department: Mark Gillett (Performance Director) and Mark Harrison (Academy Manager)

The successful candidate will report daily to Matthew Green (First Team Fitness Coach) and other members of the Sport Science department. Operationally, they will be expected to support all Professional Development Phase (U18-23) science and fitness practices.

Typical duties may include:

• Monitoring of training load.
• Upkeep of databases and records.
• Delivery of conditioning and recovery sessions.
• Attendance and delivery of sport science services at matches.
• Monitoring of player physical and physiological status.

**Entry Requirements

Applicants wishing to be considered for the position should have a BSc degree (2:1 or above) in Sport and Exercise Science or a related discipline. Applicants who hold a Master’s degree in a relevant subject area are highly desirable.

Applicants must have a strong quantitative research methods background. Good organization and written and verbal communication skills are essential. Applicants who have previous experience working within a professional football club are highly desirable.