All systems go for Swan software
The Age
Tuesday March 2, 2010
EUROPEAN "super clubs" Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Ajax Amsterdam and Arsenal have joined Manchester United in expressing interest in purchasing Sydney's revolutionary software database system.As revealed yesterday in The Age, a Swans contingent met Manchester United medical and conditioning experts at the Premier League club's Carrington headquarters a month ago, and will this week conduct an online demonstration of the technology. The system monitors the medical, fitness and training information of individual players, and in turn provides suitable programs and treatments to maintain their health.While the Swans yesterday would not speak specifically about their dealings regarding a system that has reportedly led to a dramatic reduction in soft-tissue injuries among players, The Age understands that five or six English Premier League clubs have already shown interest in the workload management program, as have about another half-dozen football clubs from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy.It is also believed that clubs from rugby union and rugby league have held, or are attempting to hold, discussions with the Swans about the system."We have been to all the big clubs in Europe, and fundamentally it's to build a relationship between the people at their clubs in those areas and our people and to exchange information," Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland said. "It's not as though we have gone over to sell our software system to them."While it used to play only a bit-part role in football, sports science has become a major part of the maintenance and management of players, as clubs in all codes try to minimise injury and maximise performance.If Manchester United likes what it sees this week and is keen to proceed with the deal, it may look to buy the system or perhaps form some type of information-sharing partnership with the Swans and help contribute to the system's maintenance and upkeep."I would prefer not to go into any specifics, but I can confirm we do take our medical and conditioning people overseas each year and have been doing so for five years now," Ireland said."It's an important learning tool for them. On our overseas trips, we go to meet with similar-like people in similar areas to discuss all things. What has happened is it's [the system] come up in discussion when we are explaining what we do and they are explaining what they do."
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