Journal article
What's in a game? A systems approach to enhancing performance analysis in football
PLoS One, Vol.12(2), pp.1-15
2017
PMCID: PMC5315401
PMID: 28212392
Abstract
Purpose: Performance analysis (PA) in football is considered to be an integral component of understanding the requirements for optimal performance. Despite vast amounts of research in this area key gaps remain, including what comprises PA in football, and methods to minimise research-practitioner gaps. The aim of this study was to develop a model of the football match system in order to better describe and understand the components of football performance. Such a model could inform the design of new PA methods. Method: Eight elite level football Subject Method Experts (SME's) participated in two workshops to develop a systems model of the football match system. The model was developed using a first-of-its-kind application of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) in football. CWA has been used in many other non-sporting domains to analyse and understand complex systems. Result: Using CWA, a model of the football match 'system' was developed. The model enabled identification of several PA measures not currently utilised, including communication between team members, adaptability of teams, playing at the appropriate tempo, as well as attacking and defending related measures. Conclusion: The results indicate that football is characteristic of a complex sociotechnical system, and revealed potential new and unique PA measures regarded as important by SME's, yet not currently measured. Importantly, these results have identified a gap between the current PA research and the information that is meaningful to football coaches and practitioners.
Details
- Title
- What's in a game? A systems approach to enhancing performance analysis in football
- Authors
- Scott McLean (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringPaul M Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and LawAdam D Gorman (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringGemma J M Read (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and LawColin Solomon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.12(2), pp.1-15
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0172565
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- PMID
- 28212392; PMC5315401
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2017 McLean et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science; School of Law and Society; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450598202621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Sport Sciences