Unveiling the Physiological, Neural, and Neuromuscular Foundations of Deceleration
Introduction: The Underrated Skill That Wins Games In the world of high-performance sport, we often praise speed, power, and explosiveness. But what if the true game-changer isn’t how fast an athlete moves, but how well they stop? Deceleration, defined as the ability to reduce speed efficiently and safely, is a crucial yet often overlooked element […]
How we Develop Potential in a Multi-Club Environment
Introduction The development of potential within a multi club enviroment requires a structured, long-term vision that goes beyond the limits of a single team. Within such environments, potential is maximized when clubs work together under a common philosophy. This ensures that players are not just moving between teams but progressing along a carefully designed pathway. […]
Development of Technique in Football
Introduction Technique in football refers to a player’s ability to perform specific movements with the ball effectively and efficiently during the game. Good passing, dribbling, shooting, ball control, heading, and tackling are crucial for every player to perform efficiently in the game. Good technique allows players to execute actions under pressure, in limited space, and at […]
6 Lessons from the Women’s EURO
This week is full of high-level football education: three days with UEFA Pro lecturers, followed by this seminar for coaches from the Women’s Football Clubs of the Zagreb area, and soon after, UEFA Fitness A in Slovenia. A lot of football talks these days :D. But in the midst of all that high-performance talk, we […]
Reflections on CMJ Variability After Matches: What Science and Practice Show
In high-performance football, monitoring player responses to matches is essential for managing load, guiding recovery, and minimizing injury risk. A recent study by Mohr, Bishop & Dal Pupo (2025) published in Sport Sciences for Healthadds strong evidence that countermovement jump (CMJ) metrics are sensitive markers of post-match neuromuscular fatigue. The study tracked 30 professional soccer […]
Using VALD Technology in Football Teams – Part 4 – NordBord
In the past three blogs, we explored the role of VALD technology in football, from jumping metrics to return-to-sport testing. Now, it’s time to shift the spotlight to one of the most talked-about muscle groups in the game: the hamstrings. We’ve all read the literature. The connection between high-speed running, sprinting actions, and hamstring injuries […]
Examining the Relationship Between Sprint and Endurance Performances, Distances Covered During the Season, Positional Roles, and Success in Women’s Football Players
Source: Journal of Athletic Performance and Sports Medicine, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024), pp. 34–43 Why This Matters for Modern Women’s Football Women’s football has entered a phase of rapid development — not only in visibility and professionalism, but also in the scientific understanding of performance. As matches become faster, more tactical, and physically demanding, […]
Profiling Senior Soccer Players Using a Quadrant Model: Integrating Concentric Impulse and Eccentric Braking Impulse from CMJ Testing
In this article, we introduce a quadrant model that leverages two key force-time metrics from countermovement jump (CMJ) testing — concentric impulse (CI) and eccentric braking impulse (EBI) — to create a functional profile of senior soccer players. Force profiling allows us to move beyond general metrics and look at how athletes express force. As […]
Performance Assessment of U15 Elite Youth Female Football Players – Case Study with VALD Technology – Part 3
Welcome back! In the last two parts of this series (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-vald-technology-footballpart2-preseason-jump-marko-matušinskij-opdqf/?trackingId=RGOw4GYRTdahSzj2sPIbkg%3D%3D), I talked about the countermovement jump (CMJ) and other key variables that i like to check in. Now, in Part Three, I’ll share findings from a case study conducted with Women’s Football Club Dinamo. The study focuses on elite youth female players and uses VALD […]
Using VALD Technology in Football – Part 2 – Preseason and Countermovement Jump
The first part highlighted how VALD technology, such as force plates and the Nordboard, helps us assess, plan, and monitor players effectively during the offseason. By combining early testing, embedded assessments, and personalized training plans, we ensure players are ready for the demands of preseason. In Part 2, we’ll focus on specific variables these tools […]
