Since it began back in 1888, football has become bigger, better and far more of a spectacle. But where does it stop and at what cost to the wellbeing of players?
Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Carabao Cup, FA Cup are leagues and competitions that English football teams participate in- not to mention The Euros and World Cup for their national teams.
UEFA Champions League Expands: More Games, More Pressure
In recent news, UEFA Champions League announced that they’d be adding extra games into the stages, making the competition longer and more exciting for fans. The combination of such extravagant competitions, with their training and travelling, means that it can become very tiring and have negative impacts on players’ wellbeing.
Player Concerns: More Games, Less Focus on Wellbeing
This announcement has been met with criticism from players as they haven’t been consulted about this and fear that it’ll affect their wellbeing. Whilst players understand fans may want more games and chances to see their beloved teams at centre stage, their wellbeing should be considered in such decisions as they already lead such strict training and game schedules. Players also have to deal with scrutiny on global scales as well as pressures from supporters and themselves.
Travel and Training: The Hidden Strains of Football’s Expanding Schedule
Training hard for the competitions and leagues is something they’re used to, but if they’re pushed too far and if the competitions keep growing, their performances will drop as they can’t keep up due to tiredness and mental stress or pressure. Champions League goes all across Europe, and so it involves a lot of travel, which can affect training and their mental wellbeing- sometimes, they just want to be home.
Balancing Performance and Wellbeing for Peak Football Quality
Not only do players and teams want to win, but they value the actual game and performances; they want to play at such high standards and execute brilliantly played football for themselves and for supporters. Overall, the quality of their performance, and their wellbeing (both mental and physical) will worsen if their wellbeing is neglected.
The Importance of Investing in Player Wellbeing
The Clubs or the players may not have a say in the Leagues and/ or Cup competitions, but they do have a choice to invest in wellbeing themselves. Investing in exceptional occupational health would mean that players’ mental and physical wellbeing becomes a priority no matter what and they can help ease any struggles with their ever-growing, heavy responsibilities and performances.
UKIM’s Wellbeing in Sports Package: Supporting Players On and Off the Pitch
At UKIM Occupational Health & Wellbeing, we developed our bespoke Wellbeing in Sports package because we understand the mental challenges that go hand-in-hand with being a professional player. With our in-house team of psychologists, counsellors, and occupational health experts, there’s an abundance of tailored support available to help players navigate their mental health and wellbeing, both on and off the pitch.
Our Wellbeing in Sports Includes:
- Immediate Support: Immediate support and guidance to manage mental health challenges.
- Clinical Audit Trail: A date and time stamped record of the history and details around the wellbeing actions you've taken to protect your athletes and your club.
- Psychological Expertise: Personalised counselling to enhance resilience and performance.
- Mental Wellbeing and Anxiety: Programmes to manage anxiety and improve mental health.
- Reducing Stigma: Safe, non-judgmental environment for seeking help.
- Welfare of Children in Sport: Support to ensure young athletes' wellbeing and development.
- Transition Support: Assistance for young athletes adjusting to public exposure and wealth.
- Career-Ending Injury Support: Tailored support to cope with emotional challenges and explore alternative paths.
- Social Media Guidance: Strategies to manage online criticism and cultivate a positive presence.
- Clinical Escalation: Access to a panel of clinical experts to support with a range of medical issues, should this be required.
