Elite football player engagement with performance analysis

Abstract

Abstract:Despite the wide spread employment of Performance Analysis (PA) within the football coaching process to enhance augmented feedback, until recently little consideration has been given to the context in which PA delivery takes place at elite levels and subsequently impacts on players receiving such information. The aim of this investigation was to explore players' preferred engagement with the PA approach. Comparisons were also drawn between Senior and Academy players. Method: A two phase methodology was employed. 48 male footballers from three English Championship football clubs completed an online questionnaire. Following this 22 players were selected using an opportunistic sample to complete a semi-structured interview. Results/ Discussion: In total, the hierarchical content analysis identified 26 higher order themes and 103 lower order themes. Three key themes emerged and were explored within the discussion: (1) the level of debate and player interaction differed greatly during video feedback sessions, (2) the use of video analysis is central to player self-reflection but the level of engagement with self-reflection varied across players, (3) the majority of players preferred some delay (between 24 and 48 hours) before receiving video feedback. Chi-square statistical analysis identified no meaningful differences in the responses between Senior and Academy players and as a result only descriptive findings were reported. These factors have provided further insight into the practical contexts in which PA is used and perceived by elite players. The most eminent findings have potential implications for coach and analyst education. Further contemplation should be given to the level of interaction during PA feedback as a result of the willingness and ability of a coach to engage a player in discussion regarding their performance and PA use within the player self-reflection process. Keywords:Match analysis, Video feedback, Player perceptions, Qualitative approaches, Hierarchical content analysis. Introduction:Augmented feedback is a broad concept and its many forms have been extensively reviewed (cf Hodges and Franks 2008). Augmented feedback has also been identified as an integral part of the delivery of the performance analysis (PA thereafter) process and approaches (O'Donoghue, 2010). Despite this there seems to be a gap between the research surrounding motor learning, feedback approaches (Hodges and Franks, 2008) and how this might translate to the delivery of PA information. Therefore one would suggest that the application of PA, within the feedback process specifically, hinges upon the ability of the coach to deliver information correctly and efficiently whilst taking into account a number of contexts, interpersonal and social factors Groom et al., 2012;Booroff et al., 2015).An important question that is key to the present study is the extent to which coaches are engaging players during video sessions and the impact these sessions have on a player's learning and subsequent performance. Traditionally spo...

The implementation of performance analysis and feedback within Olympic sport: The performance analyst's perspective

“…The interview was completed in a one-to-one format (participant and interviewer) lasting 85 AE 15 min and recorded via Dictaphone in a similar manner to Wright et al 28 and Francis and Jones. 25 Interviews were transcribed within Express Scribe (NCH Swift Sound) and then offered back to each participant to verify response accuracy and provide additional information where appropriate.…”

“…Similar to Mooney et al, 29 about three-quarters of participants provided video/data post-performance frequently, with > 86% suggesting that increasing this would be beneficial to learning, although this mainly affirms their belief in their role. Francis and Jones 25 and Wright et al 28 also suggested the use of video and data supports individual reflection and enables a deeper understanding of performance through a more holistic view. Moreover, increasing feedback, either directly (coach input) or indirectly (individual reflection), may create greater opportunity to impact development.…”

“…Wright et al [26][27][28] assessed the role, value and engagement of the coach, analyst and athlete within the feedback cycle. The majority of coaches were provided with video after most games 26 with coaches stating their philosophy and time impacted upon both analysis and feedback provision (see also Groom et al 18 and Mooney et al 29 ).…”

“…These studies have begun to demonstrate the importance of the analyst's role within the whole feedback process (from capture to feedback) regarding input and, in some instances, session delivery. Wright et al 28 investigated player views towards timing, frequency and duration of sessions, with the majority of players preferring feedback delayed by two or more days (58%) within 11-30-min (89%) sessions.…”

Strategies for Maintaining the Coach–Analyst Relationship Within Professional Football Utilizing the COMPASS Model: The Performance Analyst’s Perspective

“…O’Donoghue (2010) showcased that performance analysis has become a validated support structure for coaches and athletes and although there is a body of research which investigates the role of the analyst (Bampouras et al, 2012; Wright et al, 2013) and the perceptions of performance analysis within the coaching process (Francis and Jones, 2014; Wright et al, 2016), there is a scarcity of information surrounding the way coaches create, interact and maintain working relationships with performance analysts (Wright et al, 2013). The relationship between the analyst and coach has however, been shown to be so important that coaches would attempt to recruit analysts that they have worked with in previous roles when they gain new employment (Reid et al, 2004; Butterworth and Turner, 2014; Huggan et al, 2015).…”