Research Grant projects chosen

The jury for the UEFA Research Grant Programme – which supports the work of doctoral and post-doctoral researchers studying European football – has chosen research grant proposals for the 2015/16 season.

To celebrate its 60th birthday, UEFA has launched a special edition of the programme to support projects developed for, and in conjunction with its member associations. For this special edition, the jury carried out a comprehensive review of the 52 applications received, and has chosen six proposals in total:

Effizienzpotenziale im strategischen Stadionmanagement (efficiency potential in strategic stadium management), by Daniel Gruber, University of Bayreuth, Germany. Project supported by the German Football Association.

An unprecedented civilizing process? Social evaluation of "Supporters United" fan project in Poland, by Radoslaw Kossakowski, Gdansk University, Poland. Project supported by the Polish Football Federation.

Transfer of skills from futsal to football in youth players, by Luca Oppici, Victoria University, Australia. Project supported by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Beyond the game: If, when and how local football clubs practice corporate social responsibility, by Esbem Rahbek Gjerdrum Pedersen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Project supported by the Danish Football Association.

Mental health in football, by Katy Stewart, University of Glasgow, Scotland. Project supported by the Scottish Football Association.
The jury decided to award this grant in the memory of Dr Stewart Hillis, former member of the UEFA Medical Committee, who passed away last year.

Optimising player performance and readiness to train: Fatigue and recovery of neuromuscular function following football match-play, by Kevin Thomas, Northumbria University, Newcastle, England. Project supported by The English Football Association

From the 52 applications received, 25 different UEFA member associations supported projects. Now, the six researchers chosen will devote the coming nine months to research, and will report to European football's governing body next year, in cooperation with the supporting national associations.

By encouraging cooperation between the national associations and the academic community, UEFA hopes to help get research projects off the ground that the associations can then use in order to further develop their own activities and projects. "There is considerable variety in the topics; the multi-disciplinary element is one of the most interesting aspects of this programme," said jury chairman William Gaillard.

The jury has also heard the final presentations of the researchers who received grants for 2014/15:

Intentions to drop-out in adolescent female footballers from five European countries: The role of the coach-created motivational climate, by Paul Appleton, University of Birmingham, England

A comparative perspective on European football: Organisational capacity of European football clubs, by Christoph Breuer, German Sport University, Cologne

Risk versus benefits: The use of creatine by youth football players, by Pascale Kippelen, Brunel University, England

Player load monitoring: Protecting the elite player from overload using miniature high frequency triaxial accelerometers, by Mark Robinson, Liverpool John Moores University, England

The jury of the UEFA Research Grant Programme now comprises a chairman, five representatives of the European football family and five academics known internationally for their work linked to sport and European football.

The research grant programme has a number of invaluable attributes. In particular, the research in question helps to produce interesting new information on European football and also helps the European football family fulfill its mission, thereby making its decision-making more effective and informed.

UEFA Research Grant Programme jury
Chairman: William Gaillard (UEFA)

Representatives of the European football family
Nodar Akhalkatsi (former Georgian Football Federation president, UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector)
Per Ravn Omdal (former UEFA Executive Committee member, UEFA honorary member)
Giangiorgio Spiess (former UEFA Executive Committee member, UEFA honorary member)
Ivancica Sudac (head of international affairs and licensing, Croatian Football Federation) (new)

Representatives from the universities
Prof. Paul Downward (Loughborough University, England)
Prof. Jürgen Mittag (German Sport University, Cologne, Germany)
Prof. Gérald Simon (University of Burgundy, Dijon, France)
Prof. Susan Bridgewater (University of Liverpool, England) (new)

Medical representatives:
Dr Michel D'Hooghe (UEFA Medical Committee chairman)
Prof. Jan Ekstrand (UEFA Medical Committee first vice-chairman, Professor at Linköping, Sweden)