Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the conditions for competitive football
around the globe dramatically. Several competitions and leagues have been
cancelled or postponed. Players have firstly been forced to training in
solitude. In a second stage, players start training in small groups with strict
contact restriction and return to competitive play might occur after only few
weeks of normal team training preparation. These special circumstances are
likely to impact football performance and injury risk in the upcoming
competitions. Thus, clubs, coaching and medical staff, as well as players are
challenged on the prioritization of fitness and performance, which easily can
create several “catch-22-dilemmas”. The present article presents views on
fitness training, physical preparation and recovery during these uncommon
conditions, and how elite football players can return to the competitive field
well-prepared for post-crisis football endeavours around the world. Due to
the multifaceted physiological demands in elite football, the long recovery
requirements after match-play and an upcoming reality with many games
within a short period, elite football players, managers and clubs may face
extraordinary challenges associated with return to play under the current
circumstances.
around the globe dramatically. Several competitions and leagues have been
cancelled or postponed. Players have firstly been forced to training in
solitude. In a second stage, players start training in small groups with strict
contact restriction and return to competitive play might occur after only few
weeks of normal team training preparation. These special circumstances are
likely to impact football performance and injury risk in the upcoming
competitions. Thus, clubs, coaching and medical staff, as well as players are
challenged on the prioritization of fitness and performance, which easily can
create several “catch-22-dilemmas”. The present article presents views on
fitness training, physical preparation and recovery during these uncommon
conditions, and how elite football players can return to the competitive field
well-prepared for post-crisis football endeavours around the world. Due to
the multifaceted physiological demands in elite football, the long recovery
requirements after match-play and an upcoming reality with many games
within a short period, elite football players, managers and clubs may face
extraordinary challenges associated with return to play under the current
circumstances.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Managing Sport and Leisure |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 18 May 2020 |
Keywords
- Fitness training
- performance
- fatigue
- recovery
- testing
- injury
- soccer