Peter Brukner is a specialist sports and exercise physician and the founding partner at the Olympic Park Sports Medicine Center in Melbourne. Peter is a world renowned sports medicine clinician and researcher. He has recently been Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Liverpool Football Club, from years 2010-2012. We asked him a few questions about his time at Liverpool and Sports Science in general.
1. How critical is Sports Science in sport?
While there is no doubt that the technical/tactical side of football is the most important element, maximizing the physical and mental performance can also make a significant contribution.
2. Did you enjoy your time at Liverpool?
I did enjoy my time at Liverpool. It is obviously a great club with a wonderful history and the most amazing supporters. I would like to think that in my time at Anfield I was able to introduce a number of people and policies that will make a significant contribution to the club’s success in the next few years. I have really enjoyed living in Liverpool and in fact I am still basing myself there.
3. Since you have left Anfield, what has kept you occupied?
Since leaving Liverpool, I have been working with the Australian cricket team and am currently in India with them while looking ahead to the Ashes series in the summer. I have also had some time to do some research, teaching, writing, speak at a number of conferences and do a bit of travel.
4. How different is looking after a cricket team, to looking after a football squad?
There are similarities in looking after any group of athletes and in managing their injuries. Cricket has changed dramatically over the past decade or two with the increase in workload particularly of the fast bowlers, so there has been an increase in the attention to physical conditioning and injury prevention.
5. Whilst at Liverpool, what sort methods were used to limit injuries? Eg. Diet/Physio
We placed a lot of emphasis on injury prevention. We had a team injury prevention program which involved a series of exercises and drills prior to each training session and every player had their own individual injury prevention program based on their past history of problems and on a comprehensive assessment we would perform at the start of each season to identify areas of weakness which may lead to injury. We then devised a program to correct those deficiencies.
6. Over recent years we have seen traditionally ‘injury-prone’ players sustain longer periods in the first team without omission. Is this down to anything the club introduced or is it a matter of fortune? (eg. Daniel Agger)
It has been great to see players like Stevie and Daniel Agger playing a lot more games this season. There is always an element of luck in remaining injury free but I think the turning point in Stevie’s case anyway was his severe groin injury last season. For the first time he had a lengthy lay off in which he was able to really work hard in the gym and on the training pitch on improving his core strength and specific muscle strength. From what I understand, due credit should also be given to the manager for astute management of the workload, especially at training.
7. Is there anything exciting on the horizon for sports science as a profession?
There are always exciting things on the horizon in sports science – it is a rapidly developing field. The important thing is the application to football – there is no point doing sophisticated assessment and monitoring if it is not relevant to how they perform in a game.
8. Have Liverpool got the right people involved in the sports science department?
The loss of Darren Burgess is obviously a huge blow to the football club. Darren is widely regarded as the best sports scientist/fitness and conditioning expert in world football and he had an enormous impact at Liverpool. There are certainly some very good people in the sports medicine and sports science areas at the club and the most important thing is that the manager respects them and is listening to them. You can have the best sports medicine and sports science team in the world but if the manager does not respect or listen to them then the club does not get the benefit of their wisdom.
9. How much of an effect can a reoccurring injury have on a player’s career?
Injuries have an enormous impact on a player’s career. That is why these days we place so much emphasis on the prevention and management of injuries. The classic example was last year in the Premier League comparing the two Manchester clubs. City had a very low injury rate while United’s was high. If the numbers had been even slightly more equal then United would have won the title. At Liverpool in recent years players such as Fabio Aurelio and Harry Kewell have had wonderful careers severely curtailed due to injury despite both of them working extremely hard on their injuries. Some players are just let down by their bodies.
10. If you were to give 3 tips to a young footballer in order for him to reach his full potential, what would they be in regard to keeping the body in pristine condition?
1. Spend time on an injury prevention program. Unfortunately by the time most players realize the importance of injury prevention, they have already had significant injuries.
2. Be conscientious about recovery both post-training, and particularly after games
3. Eat well. Most young players have poor diets, far too much sugar (Coke, fruit juices) and processed food.
