UNITED SNUB FA OVER PLAYER DATA
MANCHESTER United are among a minority of Premier League clubs withholding sports science data on their England players from Gareth Southgate and his staff.
As Sportsmail revealed at the time, an agreement was struck last year between clubs and the FA to assist England’s preparation for the European Championship in France.
Yesterday, however, Southgate was asked if his decision to omit Wayne Rooney but select Marcus Rashford was based on data provided by United.
‘To clarify, we share our data,’ said Southgate. ‘We don’t always receive data. So that’s where we would like to head towards, because it helps more around working out a training schedule when players come into camp.
‘But we can’t enforce it. At the moment some clubs are more comfortable with it than others. I guess it’s just a case of building up trust.’
Asked specifically if United were among the uncomfortable few, Southgate replied: ‘Possibly so. But it’s very rare the data throws up something you haven’t clocked as a coach. But it can back up some of your thinking. The coach’s eye is the main thing — how a player is performing.’
GPS data, showing how much ground a player covers in matches and training, is one source of information but it is understood this is not a system favoured by United boss Jose Mourinho.
United are believed to use a company called Omegawave to monitor the health of players, using ‘cardiac and central nervous system based technology’.
The data clubs choose to share is sent to the FA’s head of physical performance and nutrition, Bryce Cavanagh. Southgate did refer to data potentially being leaked and the need to ‘ build up trust’ and United might have an issue with the number of specialists the FA recruit on a part-time basis.
Southgate’s No 2 is Steve Holland, who recently worked for Chelsea, Martyn Margetson splits his time as goalkeeping coach between Crystal Palace and England, and medical and other support staff have come from clubs. Until recently there were two from Manchester City, including their head of sports science.
Listening to Southgate yesterday, it was clear he did not need any data to tell him he did not want Rooney in his squad for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland on June 10 and the friendly in France three days later.
The manager did not even contact England’s record goalscorer about his decision. And Southgate said he did not contact Mourinho to discuss Rashford either, dismissing the suggestion that he bowed to pressure from the United manager not to push the 19-year- old striker towards the Under 21 European Championship this summer.
‘I didn’t speak to him about it,’ said Southgate. ‘I am not in a position where I can make decisions to keep people happy. I have to make decisions that are right for England’s seniors, long term. What I like most of all about Marcus is the humility and the mentality. He constantly wants to improve. He doesn’t seem to be fazed by whichever situation he’s put into. We saw that at the end of last season. We’ve seen that with United.
‘We see him step up and take the free-kick against Celta Vigo (to score in the Europa League semifinal). There’s a danger he ends up taking corners because he’s bloody good at them but maybe we won’t go down that route.’
Southgate confirmed that Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne had been withdrawn from the squad because of a back injury.