Of sleep and dream teams
Hi, hope you are all well.
I have been fascinated to read recently that Manchester United have been employing a "professional sleep coach". This attempt to make sure their players get the proper rest is a further example of how the top clubs are leaving no stone unturned in their search for perfection.
Plenty of the scientific techniques that are used by the Premier League clubs to get the best out of their teams have slowly trickled down into lower league football but the sleep side of things is something that I have never known to be addressed in any depth before.
I have to say that my eyes lit up when I first saw the story, primarily because I saw it as an excuse for a lay-in. I could imagine my wife saying "it's your turn to get up with the kids" and me responding with "sorry love, my sleep coach says I need my rest", I think we can all guess what many wives would say to that!
On a serious note, for footballers (or anyone else for that matter) with young children it is very difficult to get the right amount of sleep. As I have got older and my family has grown bigger, my sleep patterns have had to change. Put simply, I go to bed a lot earlier than I used to. If I am not in bed by 10pm then that is classed as a late night.
There are other reasons why I and a lot of players in my position go to bed a lot earlier than many people might think. The main one is that many players playing in the lower two leagues have to set off early in order to commute to their respective clubs. I am only commuting an hour to Nottingham every day which is better than the hour and a half I had to travel to Peterborough and a lot better than the two-and-a-half hour commute from York to Peterborough that I experienced for six months. I know of many players who are currently commuting these distances.
You might think that the answer to this would be to move house rather than commute but this is simply not practical. This is mainly because in the lower leagues, contracts are invariably shorter with most only being for one year. This would mean in some cases moving house every year and with the housing market in the state that it is in just now, it would be well nigh impossible. You also have to try and have some stability in your family life, so moving your kids in and out of schools every year is not really fair on them.
Anyway, back to the sleep issue. Overnight stays in hotels become less and less frequent the further you slip down the league ladder simply because of the cost involved but over the years I have had many different room-mates and it's fair to say that some of them are the reason my sleep pattern has not always been as good as I would have wished!
Mark Tinkler, my room-mate for a spell when I was at Hartlepool, had a habit of making random noises while he was sleeping. Even worse, when I mentioned it to the other lads, he tried to convince them that I was the one who had been doing it. During my trial at Sheffield Wednesday, I had to share a room with a player who slept with one eye open (I'd better not mention his name but he knows who he is!). That was freaky, especially as I did not know him very well and was not sure if he was winking at me or sleeping. As far as I know he was sleeping or at least I hope he was.
When I first joined Peterborough, I had to share a room with Guy Branston. Now Guy is a lovely bloke and one of the great characters I have come across in my career but initially, I was a bit wary of him. He is a big, burly skinhead of a centre-half who - how can I put it nicely? - is very opinionated. He also let it be known to me just as we were putting the key in our bedroom door that he is a border-line insomniac. Little did I know that all the other boys at Peterborough were well aware of Guy's sleeping habits and had conspired for me, 'the new boy', to be paired with him. Thanks, lads!
As it happens, I came up against Guy Branston at the weekend. He is now captain of Kettering who we drew 1-1 with on Sunday in the FA Cup second round. For the programme I was asked to provide a "dream team" comprising of players I had played with during my career. I opted for a central defensive partnership of Michael Nelson and Gary Breen. With 10 minutes of the game remaining I was introduced as a substitute. Now bearing in mind it was a very tense time of the match, with both teams determined to reach the next round, Guy jogged past me and said "how can you choose Nelson ahead of me in your dream team?"
Hello, I'm Gavin Strachan. I describe myself as a "journeyman" player after 13 years in the game as a professional. I'm currently between clubs, having been released by Notts County. I'm also studying journalism and the aim of my blog is to provide an insight into the life of a footballer.
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Guy Branston should play rugby, he is massive
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Glad to see my licence fee getting put to good use with a 2am blog update!
Once again Gavin a brilliant blog, First one i look for on the blog pages.
I know your doing your journalism course, but do you ever think you might have a go at coaching or management at some point. Or has watching your dad do it put you off?
Next time u speak to your father tell him We cant wait for him to make it 4 in a row
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Hi gav,
Liked the blog love hearing about the behind scenes stuff....
So what did you reply to him on the pitch or after on sat as to why you didn't include him in your dream team?
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Gavin ,
First time I have commented on your blogs, all very good reads so far. Its also a good chance for fans such as myself to put a question to a professional footballer.
I just wondered if, during your career you have ever experienced what I would call bad team spirit or morale within a club?
As a Norwich fan I am struggling to believe that the post match interviews with the players really are believable, with every defeat surely confidence has to be dropping. But every time we get the same 'we know we are better than this and will pull through etc'.
Has any professional player you know actually admitted that he thought his club was in real trouble?
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Hey Gav, long time reader, first time commenter!
Great read again mate, again by far we've seen this week on the BBC (although Tim Vickery's wasn't too bad either in fairness!)
Just wondering, on an issue kind of related to sleeping patterns, how seriously curfews are treated in the lower leagues? I mean, do you have them? Are they always kept? (you don't have to answer that one personally mate, wouldn't want you fined or anything haha!) And are alcohol levels ever checked?
I ask because there are many rumours in Spain just now regarding Pepe Guardiola's "regime" for his Barca superstars...things like late night phone calls to ensure players are in bed and increased blood tests to check for alcohol levels. Although footballers do get bad press (especially with the Christmas party season coming up), but surely a wee drink with the lads can't be too harmful to team morale?
Cheers Gav, good luck in all that you do mate!
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Top stuff Gav, always a pleasure reading about life in the lower leagues. Makes footballers indeed seem human! To tell u the truth I hadn?t even noticed that you?ve actually recovered from your injury. Good to know ya back doing what ya love, keep up the good work!
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Manchester City employ eleven professional sleep coaches and they play every Saturday
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Having been at the Notts County v Wycombe game, I am certain the Magpies need to address their sleep patterns.
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Hi Gavin, thoroughly enjoying your blog. Its a pity you never got offered that contract here at Hillsborough but then we're the club who didn't sign Eric Cantona after a trial with us because Trevor Francis wasn't convinced he could play on grass!!!
Genuine question - I'm in my early twenties and currently persuing my coaching badges. Due to injury I'll never be able to play at a higher level than my works 5-a-side team - do you feel the chances of someone getting into coaching for a living who has never played a high standard of football is feasable?
Keep up the good work Gavin..
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Yep Gavin Strachan and Eric Cantona, 2 peas in a pod.
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Hi Gavin.
Once again a supurb article/blog. Deffinately one of the best on the site, maybe even the best, purely because its very interesting, not too opinionated and very easy to read. I guess the journalism course is going well.
So why was Guy branston not iny our dream team? Surely a big Jaap Stam type centre back would be someone most people would want in their team?
Anyway! Very good read man, keep it up
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Re 8:
Having been at the Eastwood Town vs Wycombe match, maybe it's the Wycombe players who need to work on their sleep pattern....
Great blog Gavin. Eastwood's gonna get you though if Kettering don't....
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Hey Gavin, seen as your coaching a kids' team, what did you make of our bizarre tactic of hoofing the ball in the general direction of two giant centre halves who won anything in the air on Sunday?
Oh, and why can't we win football matches anymore!
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Gavin, having recently played against kettering how did you rate them as a team considering they are BSP compared to yourselves & league 2?
Kettering beat my team cambridge 2-0 at our place this season and branston was immense, winning almost everything. he dominated and is a real leader.
is it perhaps a surprise he is not playing in the league still?
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Hi Gavin,
This is really very enjoyable journalism, and I know every fan on here apprieciates your writing and interaction with the page. I just wish this was the standard all BBC bloggers had to write to.
Keep up the good work.
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this blog is one of the best things on the bbc site at the moment.
being a rotherham fan i'm a real big fan of guy branston. he played for us when we were in the championship and at that time he had a bit of pace as well as his aerial ability and freakish strength. i'll never forget when norwich came to millmoor (a classy 4-4 encounter) and branston was sent off in the tunnel at half time. there was obviously some handbags going on as the players entered the tunnel but as branston waded in the tunnel was visibly shaking!
keep up the good work Gav - you're worth your weight in gold here!
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great blog again gavin...fascinating to get an insight into footballers life and very well written!
just on the topic of sleep coaches and clubs doing all in their power to get performances from players....have you come across much in the area of sports sciencists and their work testing etc in the lower leagues or is it still a higher league thing? i recently finished a degree in sport science and often wondered how it filtered down through the divisions.....
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Who needs a sleep coach. A couple of glasses of Port works for me!
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we used to have a guy at Cheltenham who travlled from Chesterfield to Cheltenham every day. That's 120 odd miles - he was 40 as well...... but a true legend. Neil Grayson.
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Gavin i found myself i Kettering the day they played Lincoln and on my return prior to the FA cup draw i sent the email and a report on Geohghan and alfie potter to Ian McParland saying how good they were. Whilst listening to the commentry he said we have had them watch and see where we can expose them. Why did we just pump balls up to a 6ft 5 defender then if he does his homework. Does he actually read letters from fans or do they get binned at secretary stage? Great blog Gavin. Keep up the good wprk
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#9, Sorry to answer a question meant for Gavin but did Jose Mourinho not come from a non footballing background or atleast a unsuccesful one acording to wiki.
I guess its like most things if your willing to work hard from the bottom up you might make it.
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Hi Gavin,
Just out of interest, what what was the rest of your dream team line up?
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Dear Gavin,
Notts County fan here. Extremely dissapointed with our performance yet again on Sunday. Why do we persist in playing the long ball when it was obvious that it wasn't going to work.
We have declined immensely this season. What do you think is to blame for this decline? Please do not use injuries as the catalyst for the problem as we looked out of place against a dreadful conference side.
Why also does our midfield not advance beyond the strikers like Kettering were doing?
Our centre midfield recently has been spineless and lacked inventory, whilst our defence constantly waste possession.
I am intrigued to hear your views - and whether you're happy about our performance against Saturday - as Charlie seemed to be.
Cheers
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Hi Gavin great blog.
A good choice to pick Mick Nelson he was awesome when you played with him, he seems to have gone downhill over the last 11/2 seasons unfortunately.
How many more Hartlepool players did you pick in your dream team?, I would guess at Humphreys, Porter & Dimi.
Look forwards to your next update.
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Best read on the site, mate.
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Branston is a legend. He was on loan at Dale last season and he did well even though he was brought off 20 mins into one game before he was sent off.
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Gavin
I am surprised to read that clubs allow players to travel, in your case, up to 5 hours a day to and from training. In this age of ultra-professionalism surely that sort of travelling time drains physical energy and ultimately impacts on performance. And does it not suggest a certain lack of commitment on the part of the player ?
While I'm on the subject, it also amazes me when I hear that clubs, even Premier League Clubs, allow managers to live hundreds of miles from the club itself, allowing them instead to stay in a hotel for part of the week. I would have thought that any Chairman paying a Manager thousands of pounds a week would want him living a short drive from the training ground, where he should be first in and last out.
As for Branston's pickle, good psychology: you obviously unsettled him. Don't discount management !
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Higher, faster, sleeker - the athletes of today?
Years back I was No 4 for Norristhorpe Meths (church not spirit) in the Huddersfield District League. Norristhorpe players don't do sleep!
I was a senior aircraftsman at RAF Watton (Norfolk) and hitchhiked every Friday night/Saturday morning - no, it's not that Albert Finney film - just to play, sometimes arriving with just enough time to tack on the boots, play, get kicked from Cleckheaton to Heckmondwike, have a bite of tea - and hitch back if I'd drawn the Sunday office slot. I'd have done that for nowt every week 'til my leg fell off and it didn't, so I did - while back at camp we were 16 to a room. I didn't sleep. I closed my eyes and hoped!!!!
Sleep deprivation, do me a favour, Gav!!!
The athletes of today - slyer, alabaster, weaker!!!!!!
WAKE up, lads!!!!!!!
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point 2 . I have done my FA level 2 badge and hopefully this summer will do my level 3 so it is something I would like to get into.
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Post 27 . Again , in an ideal world you would move to the area of the team where you play but if you are only offered a one year contract it is quite a big risk.
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post 24 . i included Mark Tinkler and Ritchie Humphries as well.
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post 3 . I told him that he was on the bench . That seemed to calm him down a bit!.
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post 9 . I genuinely think there are opportunities to coach out there . With all the academies and centres of excellence up and down the country starting at very early age groups, there are a lot of good coaches required.
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post 22 . Kirkland , Roland Nillson , Ritchie Humphries , Moustapha Hadji , Mark Tinkler , Gary McCallister , Darren Huckerby , John Hartson and Robbie Keane.
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post 17 . There is a lot of sport science work done at the lower league level . Like you said it has trickled down from the premier league .
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Hi Gavin
I agree with the many comments about your blog being one of the best reads on the site; indeed on the web!
I must admit I missed having an update on your lad's team this week though - didn't he have a game?! My U10s have lost 10 games on the bounce but they're still working hard and improving - tell him we lost a game 17-0 last year then came back from 6-2 down in the next one to win 7-6, so anything is possible! Keep up the good work.
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Hi Gavin, we spoke briefly after the game the other night. Re Branston not making your fantasy team how about the description of his 45 minutes career for Notts as being "the worst display ever seen from a professional footballer". This from another articulate, intelligent and currently under used member of the squad
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gavin ,
long driving commutes equal back problems that equal sleep issues-
solution a sleep coach or maybe a good dream for a longer contract?
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By far the best blog on the BBC sport website. I look forward to reading every up date.
I hope you continue writing this blog after your journalism course is finished.
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#19; Neil Grayson is a legend! I'm a long-distance Stafford Rangers fan and went to a couple of games during the 2005-2006 season, one of which as Forest Green Rovers in Stroud. Grayson hadn't long turned 41 but was the class act on the park for all to see. He played the full ninety minutes at a hectic pace - he seemed quicker than every other player on the park and a great many professionals in other teams I've seen - and was part of everything good that happened for the 'Boro. He's clearly looked after himself and was so slick in the basics that he made everybody else on the park look pedestrian and amateur (in the skills sense!) by comparison.
An internet search states he's now at Glapwell. It also states he scored 54 goals in 170 appearances for Stafford - not a bad return for a guy who just turned 44!
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With Ronaldo winning the Ballon d'Or, are there any awards that the lower league players look to be nominated for or awarded?
First blog I've continued reading after the second installment. Many Thanks, Gav.
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Good morning Gavin, a colleague of mine sent me your blog which I also found very interesting. I am now a member so look forward to reading more.
The sleep coach referred to in that article which obviously caught your attention is me.
At the moment yes I do work predominately in the upper levels of professional sport but have been and will be doing my best to get involved with as you say the lower league clubs. It has to be said though that "Sleep" has never really been the coolest of performance tools or subjects, particulary in male dominated sports, but that has and is changing rapidly.
I am actually based in Nottingham (Aston Villa fan at heart) but will keep me eye on county from now on.
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Hi Gavin great blog.
Do you still speak to Mark Tinkler? if you do ask him if he remembers pooing himself in the first half of a game when he was at york city. I was a yts lad then and had the misfortune of being on laundry duty that day. He said he had no choice because it was only ten minutes into the first half, i think he could of waited.
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keep up the good work with the blog gavin, it's always a great read.
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great stuff.
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Another good read Gav. Top stuff on Branston. The man is a beast of a player and during his Owls day's spent more time squaring up to the opposition than concentrating on the game. May explain why he left soon after joining us....
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I seem to recall RAF pilots in the Gulf War talking about having a cocktail of drugs that not only made them sleep, but made them sleep for a certain length of time, so that they would wake-up at a specific time. Perhaps we need to start being a little concerned about how far this could and should go for footballers and other athletes.
Isn't this blog great for hearing about these characters you wouldn't otherwise know about? Neil Grayson does indeed sound like quite a player.
And perhaps Gav your answer as to why Guy Branston didn't make your "dream team" perhaps should have been because he didn't let you get into a dream state... ;P
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Hi Gavin,
any comment on post number 23??
Would like to hear an honest opinion...
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Your room mate sleeping with one eye open?
Did it ever occur to you that he was keeping watch because what other players had said to him about you? As wind-up of course...
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Hi Gavin
who's the worst player you've ever played with and against?
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Hi Gavin. Just wanted to say that your blog makes following the hapless Pies from exile in South Africa much more bearable! And I thought it was only the fans that suffered from sleepless nights....
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Hi Gavin
i am going to start my coaching course in january level 1, What skills in your opnion do you need to make a good coach,
When the likes of mourhino at chelsea started out as a translator at barcelona,
and also reading an article about a dinner lady in brighton has been offered a chance to coach at brighton,
I like post nine play football with mates but not what you call gifted, but i love the sport. much to my wifes distaste.
what are your thoughts on this Gavin.
lee
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Professional sleep coach
When I watch Soccer I dont need one
Most of the games are 90 minutes for 1 or 2 goals or maybe none at all..hardly exciting
Soccer is a great game but I just cannot get excited by it.....All Blacks keep me on the edge of the sofa but soccer snozzing on it! To be fair I watched 3-4 games when the under 17 world womens soccer champs were played recently in NZ 3 of the games were 0-0 which was a bit of a turnoff and worse still we lost the other with a last minute goal...I know its the worlds biggest game by far but is it the best???
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Great blog - love reading it.
A comment for theawaygamesowl (post # 9) - not sure whether you've ever thought of it, or whether it's a possibility for you, but there are other places in the world where getting into coaching is much less competitive.
I emmigrated to Canada, and started doing my levels there and in the States. I've never played at a decent level. I'm now the part-time Technical Director of a local club, have won a national championship and I get paid a nice little sum to do what I love (although I still need a proper job to pay the bills!). I've also got to meet great people like Gerard Houllier and Arnold Muhren. It's possible - the game over here is just exploding. Just a thought...
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