[hlnx1]

GPS units are now common even at lower levels, and they produce more numbers than most coaches can use. A few metrics carry most of the useful information.

• Total distance gives a rough picture of volume but says little about intensity
• High-speed running and sprint distance relate more closely to hamstring load
• Accelerations and decelerations capture the mechanical load of changes of direction
• Thresholds (for example what counts as “high speed”) differ between systems and teams, so compare numbers only within the same system

Read more: GPS technology and football performance data and positional demands in modern football.

If you use GPS, which one or two numbers do you actually look at each week?

[hlnx1]

A simple use of GPS: compare each player’s week to their own recent weeks rather than to teammates. A centre-back and a wide player will never have the same sprint numbers.

Large week-to-week jumps, especially in sprint distance after a quiet period, are worth noticing and smoothing out.

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