Technology

Posted on January 3, 2019 by staff

Why did Mourinho scrap crucial tech kit at Manchester United?

Technology

Manchester United are the only Premier League team not using GPS technology vests after they were scrapped by former manager Jose Mourinho.

The kit is seen as crucial in assessing the fitness levels of players in training and also key to monitoring performance during matches.

However Mourinho’s assistant Rui Faria ditched the tech, introduced under Sir Alex Ferguson, after arriving at the club with Mourinho in May 2016.

Big-money signings Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku were among the players to be struck down with injury during Mourinho’s reign.

United still have a contract with Irish GPS firm STATSports and the tech was reintroduced in the summer at under-23 and academy level after Faria left the club, but the first team is yet to embrace it again.

That could change under temporary boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has won his first four games in change after Mourinho was sacked last month.

“I think it is a great tool for physical coaches and for me as a manager to set parameters on the physical work we do during the week,” he said.

“Obviously we have physical measurements after the games and after that we plan next week’s training again. Getting all the little details you think you can see but don’t really know.

“All the facts we need, and all the data we get, is really useful in the planning of weekly and monthly training sessions.”

Solskjaer is on loan from Norwegian club Molde for the rest of the season.