AVAILABILITY EQUALS WINNABILITY: THE EFFECTS OF A PERIODISED TRAINING MODEL ON PLAYER AVAILABILITY IN ELITE SOCCER – A CASE STUDY (PART 3)
FEATURE / Damian Roden
In the first edition of the Football Medicine and Performance Association Magazine (issue 32), the structure and rationale behind the training model implemented during Seattle Sounders’ MLS Cup Winning Season in 2019 was discussed. It detailed the intricacies of a typical training week, how this contributed to the highest player availability in the club’s history and more importantly, how the team started and finished the season so strong. Whilst the structure of a typical week from a training and loading perspective was significant, the decision-making process and the management of individuals within the framework of the model was of equal importance.