New Zealand Men's U-20s

Any chants coming for the Portugese game, I tried to think of some but they were lame - like Portugal B - very lame.

The science behind the system

Thursday 11 June, 2015

Audio: Massey University/NZ Football Sports Scientist Dr Andrew Foskett

For immediate release

The high-energy and high-tempo playing style which has pushed the Men’s U-20s into Thursday’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 match against Portugal isn’t happening by accident. It’s planned and it’s scientific.

The playing system employed by coach Darren Bazeley is part of a wider aligned approach adopted by all of the New Zealand men’s sides which gets detailed scientific support with the U-20s through Massey University Sports Scientist Dr Andrew Foskett.

Foskett, first involved with New Zealand Football at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before being part of the Men’s U-17 set up for FIFA U-17 World Cup campaigns since 2009, says his role underpins several key aspects of the team’s approach, stretching back before the team was announced for the tournament on home soil.

“A large part of my role was prior to the camp and prior to the selection, assisting the coaches to determine which players were physically prepared to meet the challenges of the systems of play Darren wanted to use,” Foskett said.

“A lot of the build-up to the camp we had a lot of testing, a lot of monitoring the players during the build up matches with GPS units and heart rate monitors and seeing which players were capable of the high pressing, high intensity type system of play Darren wants and Anthony Hudson wants with the All Whites.”

Foskett, a 42-year-old former footballer who was on the youth academy books at Reading in England where he later completed his PHD studies at Loughborough University before relocating to New Zealand, delivers a detailed programme designed to leave the players in the best possible position to perform on game day.

“Every day we have some daily measures that the boys go through to determine their sleep quality, how fatigued they are, how sore they are and how hydrated they are.

“It’s not there to punish the boys it’s there to help them. If in the days leading into a game they haven’t been sleeping well, we look at strategies we can address that. If they are not hydrated we can address that.”

“We link as a support staff, myself with the doctor and the physio - we’re doing everything we can to make sure the boys are as prepared as they can be so when they step on the field they can do the job they need to do.”

Once the final whistle blows Foskett - along with team doctor Brendan O’Neill and physio Allan Pearce, jump into action - starting the recovery process, even before the players have stepped off the field.

“We monitor the players during the game to see how much fluid they’ve lost so we can get them hydrated again after the game. We get them into ice baths; some like it, some don’t. They don’t particularly like being in the ice baths but after being in there they report that they feel much better.

“We also have some nutritional supplements there because we know it’s really important the boys get their carbohydrate stores replenished within that window of opportunity about 30-60 minutes post game.”

“A game like the recent Myanmar game where there is a lot of euphoria, there’s a lot of media interest and there is a lot of croud interest and the boys are caught up in all that. It’s important we as a support staff get recovery underway because there is another game coming up and another training the next day.

“We don’t want to take away from the boys that moment where they can celebrate, but we need to make sure they are recovered properly so they can go on and have another game where they can celebrate again.”

Foskett says that over the years the understanding of the science behind football has improved leading to better outcomes for the team with New Zealand Football’s link with Massey a key aspect of the support structure.

“Darren is very good as a coach in that he actually understands and utilises the science and he allows me to do my job to help him do his job, which is refreshing,” Foskett said.

“The science has been there for a number of years but the understanding of the science has got better and the technology has definitely improved. The good thing is we’ve now got this relationship between Massey and New Zealand Football.

“One of my students, Aidan Wivell, is working with the Olympic team and the All Whites. We’ve got a pathway for the players to move up through these age-groups but we’re starting to develop pathways for the science to follow through as well.

“What the boys are doing in the All Whites will be the same as what the U-23s and 20s are doing and we’re trying to work those processes down. When New Zealand Football can partner with a big organisation like Massey, and the resourcing that it can provide, it’s a win-win for both sides.”

I rate that NZF are sticking with calling it a "wider aligned approach" across all the national teams given that we are using the aligned buzzword to mock Hudson and his meddling at U17 level.

Fark, ticket sales must be slow

So, we are measuring how fit our players are? 

Revolutionary stuff. With that sort of science behind us it's no wonder we aren't even bothering with such extraneous fluff as having some sort of shape on the field, or playing guys in their preferred position

Yia well ....may be we are producing the new generation of "John Walker's" rather that footballers ...just saying...

We can beat Portugal with science, not technique and tactics! Bazeley is genius. He knows he doesn't need tactics if the players are fit enough to run for 90 minutes.

We are going to blind them with science!

So basically what every semi pro and pro team the world over is now doing. That'll scare them

A lot of us are peeved at the 2 for 1 tickets today, especially as we all paid full price. If your going to do this deal offer it earlier, all you are doing is punishing everyone who got their tickets early.

Beware Portugal. We use science, you don't.....

I wonder what Sheldon would say.

It is a part of today's football, glad they do it. I hear that the Germans testing a system that prevents cramps. Science is cool, science helps to win.

Have a feeling we will see another change in personnel  and system tonight. Perhaps a very defensive minded approach 1-4-5-1 or even 1-5-4-1/1-3-5-2

Fitness or not.....if we defend against Portugal like we did in the first half against Mynamar we will be 0-4 by half time......our midfield defense was non existant...especially the screening in front of the back four.

my pick for the match...Portugal 4-1

I know its just a fluffy press release, but the fact they are making a big deal out of it is a little embarrassing.

So we have :

a Left Back at Left Wing

a Right Half at Right Back

a Striker at Right Wing

a Left Wing at Attacking Midfield

an Attacking Midfielder at Striker

Not to mention the Defensive Midfielder at Centre Back.

What the hell is going on?



If Portugal do not ass rape us, I will be very surprised

Wynne to start in midfield and defence will be Blake, Tuiloma, Brotherton and Brown. Rufer who plays as CM/offensive mid will play as a striker, Billingsley, who is a striker, will play as a winger, and Patterson, a winger, will play as a CM/offensive mid. What the hell is Bazeley doing?

looks like as I predicted: Cory-Bill-Sam as three center backs, Deklan & Blake as wing backs!

I think the Pork n Cheese will put at least 3 past NZ tonight

Total Football, Total Football (repeat ad infintum)

picking Portugal 5 NZ 0

Any links?

hahasport.com

Any radio links? Are Radio Sport not even covering it?

Dyer has been awful so far, just like the other matches, why is he playing??

http://www.yopika.tv/20150611/v-haha_sport_1_name-1089530-55792b45b57d05.16520236.html

Phew. All things considered NZ has looking okay. 

Andrew Blake - has pace and a nice read of the game. 2 fine intercepts to change defense into attack.

Nz defenders look really bad at umm..defending

Unlucky - was it Dyer or Wihongi-Hudson that slipped going to close down?

We got a shot on target! !!! Thats a win in my books

That shot alone has won the hearts of the nation. 

When we try and keep the ball and play with the ball on the deck we look better than we just send it long into channels.