Journal article
Complexity in the beautiful game: implications for football research and practice
Science and Medicine in Football, Vol.4(2), pp.162-167
2020
Abstract
Like many other sports, football is increasingly being described as a complex system. To date, however, there has been little explanation of complexity beyond the team level, and no formal examination of the extent to which the known characteristics of complex systems are present in football. This commentary reviews known characteristics of complex systems and discusses the extent to which football match, club, and league sub-systems exhibit them. It is argued that all three football sub-systems do indeed exhibit the characteristics of complexity, and as such it is concluded that football can be described as a complex system. The implications for future football research and practice are discussed. Applications of complex systems modelling techniques are encouraged, both to model football systems and to identify how different systemic variables interact to influence performance. A paradigm shift away from reductionism toward holism in football research is advocated.
Details
- Title
- Complexity in the beautiful game: implications for football research and practice
- Authors
- Paul M Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastScott McLean (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Science and Medicine in Football, Vol.4(2), pp.162-167
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Ltd.
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1080/24733938.2019.1699247
- ISSN
- 2473-3938; 2473-3938
- Copyright note
- Copyright (c) 2020. This is an electronic version of an article published in Paul M. Salmon, Gemma J. M. Read, Guy H. Walker, Nicholas J. Stevens, Adam Hulme, Scott McLean, Neville A. Stanton. (2020) Methodological issues in systems Human Factors and Ergonomics: Perspectives on the research–practice gap, reliability and validity, and prediction. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries 3. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=2473-3938&volume=4&issue=2&spage=162
- Organisation Unit
- Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Law and Society
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450664902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
- Research Statement
- false
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