Research in football: evolving and lessons we can learn from our mistakes

McCall, Alan

Abstract

Background: Football is evolving in many ways, including technical and physical demands as well as the scientific research underpinning and providing many recommendations to practitioners on how to optimise performance of players and by default, team performance. Evolution is a natural process and necessary to grow and develop and research into football is no different. Researchers are by nature, curious and inquisitive and trying to push the boundaries of knowledge; however, researchers are also humans and humans are open to making errors. The important point is that researchers learn from both their own and others’ mistakes, evolving, growing and developing in response. By doing so will maximise the impact that research can have on the field. Purpose: With this commentary, I discuss lessons that can be learned from some common mistakes I and others have made in football (and sports) related research and some insights to evolve our profession for the better.

Citation

McCall, A. (2021). Research in football: evolving and lessons we can learn from our mistakes. Science and Medicine in Football, 5(2), https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2021.1899275

• Journal Article Type: Commentary
• Acceptance Date: Mar 2, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Mar 28, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Deposit Date: Apr 22, 2021
• Journal: Science and Medicine in Football
• Print ISSN: 2473-3938
• Electronic ISSN: 2473-4446
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 2
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2021.1899275
• Keywords: Soccer, science, errors, evolution, methodology, sports medicine
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2763754