2025/26 Merlin Röhl

[Simon Buttle]

I would have thought someone with a background in sport science would have moved past the injury prone myth

Any player getting constant muscle injuries is not being managed properly

Everyone thought Craig Bellamy was injury prone, then Steve Fudge, the s&c coach at Man City kept him healthy

Same coach then moved to athletics and took ‘injury prone’ athletes and made them run sub10 100m and win major medals

It can’t be a one size fits all approach, if Branthwaite is picking up multiple muscle injuries he needs his training and game day load adjusted, he needs his running mechanics fixing etc - there are solutions, you don’t just write these players off

Yes it can be that but some players just have poor genetics and it makes them susceptible to picking up more knocks than others do. It all depends on the nature of the actual injury. Branthwaite is a player who relies on his pace and he keeps having hamstring issues. The way the human body works means when he does come back there will be a part of him that mentally slows down and restricts him from running like he did before. I don't disagree with what you are saying, I have said many times that our medical/fitness people are awful at the club. I said the other day Id love to know the % of injuries that occur in training compared to matchdays, We are not good at this stuff as a club. However the best clubs don't keep players who keep getting injured all the time and they can afford to implement any program/treatment they want.

 

[Vaughan]

Yes it can be that but some players just have poor genetics and it makes them susceptible to picking up more knocks than others do. It all depends on the nature of the actual injury. Branthwaite is a player who relies on his pace and he keeps having hamstring issues. The way the human body works means when he does come back there will be a part of him that mentally slows down and restricts him from running like he did before. I don't disagree with what you are saying, I have said many times that our medical/fitness people are awful at the club. I said the other day Id love to know the % of injuries that occur in training compared to matchdays, We are not good at this stuff as a club. However the best clubs don't keep players who keep getting injured all the time and they can afford to implement any program/treatment they want.

i doubt anyone who makes it as a premier league footballer has poor genetics, unless you mean in respect to their peers, but even Branthwaite was able to play at centre half in the premier league as a teenager, and established himself as one of the best at 21. i would imagine he's got far from poor genetics

completely disagree on the point about slowing down after injuries. many 100m sprinters get hamstring injuries in their career and still run a lot faster later on

 

[Eggs]

i doubt anyone who makes it as a premier league footballer has poor genetics, unless you mean in respect to their peers, but even Branthwaite was able to play at centre half in the premier league as a teenager, and established himself as one of the best at 21. i would imagine he's got far from poor genetics

completely disagree on the point about slowing down after injuries. many 100m sprinters get hamstring injuries in their career and still run a lot faster later on

….i think with hamstrings, it’s often subconsciously playing football with the handbrake on. You do look to protect them.

 

[Vaughan]

….i think with hamstrings, it’s often subconsciously playing football with the handbrake on. You do look to protect them.

i think that's a proper out of date take. some may do, not everyone

i was plagued by hamstring injuries as a young athlete, moved coaches with a very progressive training regime for it's time and never had another one, i got faster and better too, and i stopped worrying about it. if i can im sure premier league footballers which a lot more resources and arguably a higher level of mental fortitude than me can

so have many others, not trying too make this too anecdotal

 

[W84 Dum Freeze]

Yes it can be that but some players just have poor genetics and it makes them susceptible to picking up more knocks than others do. It all depends on the nature of the actual injury. Branthwaite is a player who relies on his pace and he keeps having hamstring issues. The way the human body works means when he does come back there will be a part of him that mentally slows down and restricts him from running like he did before. I don't disagree with what you are saying, I have said many times that our medical/fitness people are awful at the club. I said the other day Id love to know the % of injuries that occur in training compared to matchdays, We are not good at this stuff as a club. However the best clubs don't keep players who keep getting injured all the time and they can afford to implement any program/treatment they want.

Players will mentally adapt to what is causing problems.

The explosive start of a sprint or a sudden stop are often the cause as is temperature change.

Branthwaite will retain his pace but is best advised to build up speed gradually, as well as taking a few extra strides to stop and this will help greatly.

Temperature and overstretching come with experience and good professionals do the due diligence in warming up and judgement of conditions.

 

[Vaughan]

Players will mentally adapt to what is causing problems.

The explosive start of a sprint or a sudden stop are often the cause as is temperature change.

Branthwaite will retain his pace but is best advised to build up speed gradually, as well as taking a few extra strides to stop and this will help greatly.

Temperature and overstretching come with experience and good professionals do the due diligence in warming up and judgement of conditions.

he's not going to take a measured start to chase after ekitike through on goal is he. he's going to sprint after him

 

[W84 Dum Freeze]

he's not going to take a measured start to chase after ekitike through on goal is he. he's going to sprint after him

You can always chop him down