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The Impact of Changing the Coach on Injuries in Professional Sport—Example from Practice



Author(s)

Fabijan Rajič^1,2 and Marko Grubić³

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DOI:10.17265/2328-7136/2018.03.004

1. Zagreb Football Association, Frankopanska 2/III, Zagreb 10000, Hrvatska, Croatia
2. Croatian Football Federation, Ulica grada Vukovara 267a, Zagreb 10000, Hrvatska, Croatia
3. Lokomotiva Football Club Zagreb, Radoslava Cimermana 3, Zagreb 10000, Hrvatska, Croatia

The role of coach is a significant factor for players, both mentally and physically, as the sport environment is an important social context stimulating players to develop social skills, work discipline and habits. In order to achieve a quality relationship between players and coach, it is essential to create mutual trust, which is the key factor of a well-functioning team. Changing the coach changes the whole psychophysical concept of the training process, training approach, and changes the team itself. The change of coach affects the psychophysical condition of the players not because the previous coach was better or worse, but because of the change itself. Due to the new conditions, players are often distracted, anxious, and lost focus during the training. Consequently, by trying to prove themselves again and in fear of a new coach, the player may lose concentration resulting in an irregular movement balance, and due to insufficient muscle strength to overcome the external force, new injuries or reoccurrence of old injuries are possible. The most common injuries are ruptures and strains of muscles and ligaments reinforcing the most heavily stressed joint while performing a certain movement. A positive factor of having a new coach is the great need to prove oneself, especially in players that were not recognized by the previous coach. Coach changes are often counterproductive because players get used to character, tactics, training methods, and teamwork organization. Due to the new coach’s lack of knowledge about the psychophysical readiness and the ability of each individual player and his specific training methods, injuries are often inevitable.

Coach change, coach, injury, professional player.