- HPAN will provide an independent resource to support ongoing player union activities on workforce issues in men’s football relating to performance, workload and emerging technology
- Forum will initially boast 12 expert practitioners operating in high-performance roles across elite sport
- Will strengthen ongoing efforts of Player IQ to establish expert networks to drive player-centric research and thought-leadership
FIFPRO has launched the Player IQ High-Performance Advisory Network (HPAN) to establish a dedicated forum for elite performance coaches to provide feedback and thought-leadership on priority topics such as player workload and performance technology.
HPAN will provide an independent and complementary resource to ongoing player union activities on performance issues. It will also inform player-centric policy development, and enhance existing evidence-based research and medical expertise.
Chaired by Dr Darren Burgess, a FIFPRO senior advisor on player workload and performance, the network will initially boast 12 expert practitioners operating in high-performance roles across elite sport.
All specialists currently work or have previously worked in high-level football performance environments and offer a regional spread of expertise. The group composition will be evaluated periodically and remain open to the future integration of additional experts.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to chair the FIFPRO High-Performance Advisory Network (HPAN) during it’s inaugural year,” said Dr Burgess. “Over the years, I’ve often held ad-hoc or informal discussions with colleagues and practitioners to exchange ideas and explore issues that have arisen in our work with teams and players, but HPAN now provides us with a unique platform to harness these discussions and use our collective expertise to address key industry challenges in a proactive manner.
“Our member experts will bring insightful perspectives, having worked extensively across both club and international football, with vast experience participating in and preparing players for a wide variety of national and international competitions, ranging from the Premier League to the World Cup and Olympic Games.”
The launch of HPAN will strengthen existing workstreams such as Player Workload Monitoring (PWM), enhance the understanding of emerging technology in both training and match environments, and anticipate emerging trends relevant for high-performance.
HPAN will meet collectively on a quarterly basis with further integration opportunities also planned at various upcoming events throughout the coming year.
Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO Director of Global Policy & Strategy for Men’s Football, said: “The establishment of the FIFPRO High-Performance Advisory Network is an important next step in strengthening our player-centric capabilities and addressing key industry challenges.
“We’ve gathered an exciting group of performance experts who possess extensive experience working with elite footballers from across all regions of the world. Alongside their football industry expertise, many members have also been successful working with elite athletes across other sports including basketball, cycling and AFL.
“The new expert network will build upon our existing medical research and evidence-based analysis and will add further value to our discussions as we explore best-practices, evaluate emerging trends, and optimise solutions that benefit players and the game overall.”
