As fixture schedules become more demanding, player availability has become a key competitive advantage. FC Cincinnati Director of Sport Science Phil Keehne and former Arsenal Head of Sport Science Tom Allen explain how elite clubs use STATSports GPS technology across training, match preparation and rehabilitation to maximise player availability and performance.
How data guides decisions
Phil Keehne: Using STATSports GPS technology at FC Cincinnati gives us objective, reliable data on the physical work players complete every day. That allows us to understand the demands we’re placing on individuals and make better-informed decisions.
MLS paused for the recent World Cup, after which clubs effectively undertook a “preseason 2.0” before the league resumed. With players already carrying half a season’s workload, the data helped us assess training loads, using the summer conditions to accelerate fitness adaptations and monitor how players responded to the increased demands.
Tom Allen: The information provided from this wearable technology gives practitioners a trusted, objective picture of the physical work a player has completed. The key is interpreting that data alongside the training plan, match demands and everything else we know about the individual. The data informs the discussion, bringing different perspectives together, and turns the complexity surrounding the player into clarity.
If a player’s physical outputs differ significantly from their normal levels, it prompts a conversation to understand why. During congested fixture periods, that insight may lead to adjustments in recovery or training because every player responds differently to competition.
Putting the numbers into context
Allen: Player monitoring has evolved well beyond physical metrics alone. Physical data from a STATSports GPS vest tells us what a player has done, but not how prepared they are for what’s next. Sleep, nutrition, recovery, travel and conversations with the player all provide essential context. Two players may produce similar GPS outputs but they still require a clear, individualised plan.
Keehne: The data informs us what a player has done physically and the demands those efforts have placed on them. Recovery and wellness data adds another layer, giving us greater confidence in the advice we provide coaches. Understanding each player’s normal response to match loads helps us recommend targeted recovery strategies and keep players performing at their best.
The science of managing workload
Allen: Workload management is about ensuring every player completes the right work at the right time. At Arsenal, playing 63 of a possible 65 matches last season highlighted why this has to be an ongoing, individual process. Some players require additional recovery, others need extra physical stimulus – but the objective is always the same: preparing every player to execute the manager’s tactical plan.
Keehne: The live GPS data is equally important during injury rehabilitation, helping practitioners to safely guide players through speed progressions and return-to-play programmes, ensuring players meet session objectives while progressing their rehabilitation as efficiently and safely as possible.
Where expertise makes the difference
Keehne: This athlete-monitoring technology provides clarity and supports what coaches and practitioners see with their own eyes. Rather than viewing workload in isolation, we can better understand physical demands and performance adaptations, giving us greater certainty in our decisions.
Allen: Success at the highest level comes from combining trusted data with experienced practitioners who understand each player’s context. The real performance gain comes from interpreting that information and turning it into better, more individualised decisions.
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