Dr Nick Gearing
@nickgearing1.bsky.social
First Team Scout at Nottingham Forest FC. PhD on European Academies developing skilful players.
UEFA B, QTS. Previously Coach/Analyst.
UEFA B, QTS. Previously Coach/Analyst.
Thank you to Matt Bridge & Steve Barrett for their guidance and helping me take this from a seed of an idea to an 11 academy study, and of course all the participating clubs. As we tried to bridge the gap between football and science, the openness is really appreciated.
5/5
5/5
August 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Thank you to Matt Bridge & Steve Barrett for their guidance and helping me take this from a seed of an idea to an 11 academy study, and of course all the participating clubs. As we tried to bridge the gap between football and science, the openness is really appreciated.
5/5
5/5
🧠 Mixed training formats dominate, but balance between opposed and unopposed practices varies by age and club.
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
August 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
🧠 Mixed training formats dominate, but balance between opposed and unopposed practices varies by age and club.
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
🇧🇪 Belgian academies had highest tech actions, Norwegian and English academies ranked lowest across key metrics like touches and releases.
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
August 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
🇧🇪 Belgian academies had highest tech actions, Norwegian and English academies ranked lowest across key metrics like touches and releases.
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
✅ First cross-Euro study, over 33,000 training session data points using Playermaker across 11 academies in 5 countries
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
August 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
✅ First cross-Euro study, over 33,000 training session data points using Playermaker across 11 academies in 5 countries
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
Thank you to Matt Bridge & Steve Barrett for their guidance and helping me take this from a seed of an idea to an 11 academy study, and of course all the participating clubs. As we tried to bridge the gap between football and science, the openness is really appreciated.
5/5
5/5
August 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Thank you to Matt Bridge & Steve Barrett for their guidance and helping me take this from a seed of an idea to an 11 academy study, and of course all the participating clubs. As we tried to bridge the gap between football and science, the openness is really appreciated.
5/5
5/5
🧠 Mixed training formats dominate, but balance between opposed and unopposed practices varies by age and club.
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
August 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
🧠 Mixed training formats dominate, but balance between opposed and unopposed practices varies by age and club.
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
Parts of this study were presented at the World Congress of Science & Soccer 2025, but this an expanded paper
4/5
🇧🇪 Belgian academies had highest tech actions, Norwegian and English academies ranked lowest across key metrics like touches and releases.
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
August 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
🇧🇪 Belgian academies had highest tech actions, Norwegian and English academies ranked lowest across key metrics like touches and releases.
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
🏴Eng Category 2 and 3 academies recorded more technical actions per session than Category 1, likely due to condensed weekly schedules
3/5
✅ First cross-Euro study, over 33,000 training session data points using Playermaker across 11 academies in 5 countries
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
August 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
✅ First cross-Euro study, over 33,000 training session data points using Playermaker across 11 academies in 5 countries
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
⚽ Unopposed = higher technical outputs: players had significantly more touches and ball releases per minute in unopposed vs opposed sessions
2/5
- 4v4 format significantly increased total no. actions per player per minute compared to the 7v7
- Both D and N-D players increased their no. of actions during the 4v4 compared to 7v7 match format
- Huge % increase in number of actions for the N-D (143%) + D players (72%) in 4v4
- Both D and N-D players increased their no. of actions during the 4v4 compared to 7v7 match format
- Huge % increase in number of actions for the N-D (143%) + D players (72%) in 4v4
February 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
- 4v4 format significantly increased total no. actions per player per minute compared to the 7v7
- Both D and N-D players increased their no. of actions during the 4v4 compared to 7v7 match format
- Huge % increase in number of actions for the N-D (143%) + D players (72%) in 4v4
- Both D and N-D players increased their no. of actions during the 4v4 compared to 7v7 match format
- Huge % increase in number of actions for the N-D (143%) + D players (72%) in 4v4
There was also an excellent study by Hintermann et al (2021) comparing 4v4 and 7v7.
- Based on the number of technical and tactical actions in the 7v7 matches, players were classified as dominant (D) or non-dominant (N-D)
Some interesting findings from that study below…
- Based on the number of technical and tactical actions in the 7v7 matches, players were classified as dominant (D) or non-dominant (N-D)
Some interesting findings from that study below…
February 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
There was also an excellent study by Hintermann et al (2021) comparing 4v4 and 7v7.
- Based on the number of technical and tactical actions in the 7v7 matches, players were classified as dominant (D) or non-dominant (N-D)
Some interesting findings from that study below…
- Based on the number of technical and tactical actions in the 7v7 matches, players were classified as dominant (D) or non-dominant (N-D)
Some interesting findings from that study below…
Huge benefits have been found in playing 3v3 games
February 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Huge benefits have been found in playing 3v3 games
This links to a lot of how teams have been training in the top European Academies, as highlighted in my PhD work
February 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
This links to a lot of how teams have been training in the top European Academies, as highlighted in my PhD work
Thank you Michelle 🙌🏻
January 8, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Thank you Michelle 🙌🏻
My PhD has so far been all about bridging this gap between football and research, if that’s something that you want to do too then let’s chat and see if we can improve both of these worlds.
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
My PhD has so far been all about bridging this gap between football and research, if that’s something that you want to do too then let’s chat and see if we can improve both of these worlds.
So here’s my proposal… let’s focus on what works, rather than wasting energy to prove what doesn’t work. Let’s use our time to publish papers/create sessions of the best techniques rather than trying to discredit someone that works in the game/in a university and vice-versa.
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
So here’s my proposal… let’s focus on what works, rather than wasting energy to prove what doesn’t work. Let’s use our time to publish papers/create sessions of the best techniques rather than trying to discredit someone that works in the game/in a university and vice-versa.
The only way to do this is to monitor every child in the world from touching a ball when 2 years old, through to U18. Intervention studies never know if a child is dribbling the ball home from practice in a play/IP context, or passing with friends. It’s all learning and you simply cannot measure it…
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
The only way to do this is to monitor every child in the world from touching a ball when 2 years old, through to U18. Intervention studies never know if a child is dribbling the ball home from practice in a play/IP context, or passing with friends. It’s all learning and you simply cannot measure it…
I want to point out one more thing when it comes to the testing and academic reporting- nobody has ever and can ever prove that small sided game or isolated practice on their own will be the answer. How could you possibly test it, and how do we know that our experiments are truly controlled?
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
I want to point out one more thing when it comes to the testing and academic reporting- nobody has ever and can ever prove that small sided game or isolated practice on their own will be the answer. How could you possibly test it, and how do we know that our experiments are truly controlled?
Some coaches in top academies said they would never used IP, but said how they have a midfielder practice long range passes to a winger… It seems that isolated practice has become a ‘dirty phrase’ that some coaches do not want to be associated with due to the perception received on academic twitter.
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
Some coaches in top academies said they would never used IP, but said how they have a midfielder practice long range passes to a winger… It seems that isolated practice has become a ‘dirty phrase’ that some coaches do not want to be associated with due to the perception received on academic twitter.
SSGs; these are split into 2 categories
- 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 (and variations of e.g. 3v2)
- 4v4+
Here is a great SSG I’ve picked up along the way which is now used in Germany as part of their new SSG curriculum👇🏻
- 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 (and variations of e.g. 3v2)
- 4v4+
Here is a great SSG I’ve picked up along the way which is now used in Germany as part of their new SSG curriculum👇🏻
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
SSGs; these are split into 2 categories
- 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 (and variations of e.g. 3v2)
- 4v4+
Here is a great SSG I’ve picked up along the way which is now used in Germany as part of their new SSG curriculum👇🏻
- 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 (and variations of e.g. 3v2)
- 4v4+
Here is a great SSG I’ve picked up along the way which is now used in Germany as part of their new SSG curriculum👇🏻
There’s many ways to deliver this. The idea is that (for example) strikers can practice shooting in the same varied way that they do in a game situation, it will never be the same twice but the practice is in the adaption with a high number of repetitions which can’t be achieved by just playing SSGs
November 14, 2024 at 10:33 PM
There’s many ways to deliver this. The idea is that (for example) strikers can practice shooting in the same varied way that they do in a game situation, it will never be the same twice but the practice is in the adaption with a high number of repetitions which can’t be achieved by just playing SSGs