Movements, pace and training loads

Are there any benefits for football coaches using GPS in football?

Yes, definitely. The coaches have the benefit of knowing the players’ movements, pace and training loads.

In what way?

The coaches can see the real performance in terms of what the player does and then they can use statistics to give the player feedback. For example, what has the player done? Has he been active enough? If you follow the players' performance continuously with GPS, can you see the development.

Why is it important to keep track of the training load?

So the training is adjusted accordingly. The coaches can get a total picture of the training period through the information they gain using these kinds of measurements. I think the perception of elite players look a little different today. It has especially affected the overall training schedule, which is watching the players very carefully. I can compare with an instrument that is not as effective as GPS, which is heart rate measurement as we work with. With these tools, the coaches can get a lot of information about what the players do.

Is it interesting to know the players' running distance?

This, I believe we can benefit from, you get an overview of how far players run. We have worked with it for many years and it has been useful. I know many coaches, even internationally, who use similar information as a feedback to the players. What the coaches can show the players in numbers are good and not only in a subjective way, so the coaches have obviously benefits of knowing it.

What are the benefits of knowing the speed-zones the players have moved in?

This information can absolute affect the coaches training schedules. The coaches know the players must have stamina to cope with 90 minutes but also have a high top speed. This allows coaches to plan the training based on the demands of football. So from there you can see that this kind of knowledge is very important.

Can coaches use this in the training plans?

Yes, I am sure about that. If you compare with other sports, for example, if you’re a 400-meters runner, you know exactly what your training load is. The more knowledge the trainers get about the demands of the players, the greater chance of finding a good combination of endurance training and sprint training.

Can you explain more?

I belong to those who believe that the Swedish training tradition has to change, because we have a long pre-season and often a rough climate. So I think it has developed a training tradition that is not as good as on the continent. This I think can be improved with this kind of technology.

What do you think of heart rate as an aid to the GPS?

It complements what pace the players have run with. If you have access to these numbers, you can use this as an important complement to the GPS information. Certain periods, the player can work very hard without being in maximum speed. Then there is a complementary picture to show that football players can have a very high heart rate though they walk and jog a lot. So it gives a complementary picture, so you got benefits from both GPS and heart rate. I think in general this kind of information is good.