Tony Daley and the science of fitness in the Wolves laboratory
“I used to ask my physio at Villa, Jim Walker, about the various injuries and causes. I think he got fed up by all the questions!
“So it was a natural step for me once I had finished my career, doing a Sports Science degree and Masters. It was something I always wanted to do.
“It’s been a long road but an enjoyable one. I love football, love everything about it. I had a fantastic career and I now want to take this to the top level.
“Medicine has moved on over the last ten years, unbelievably so.
“95 to 99 per cent of players come back from cruciate ligament injuries today no problem. In my day it was a career-threatening injury.”
Exercise Physiologist Dr. John Iga and Head of the Medical Department Steve Kemp have played central roles.
Daley said: “It is quite an achievement for the club. It is the first in the country. We know our tests are gilt-edged and that’s fantastic for the football club.”
Formerly Wolves would use the facilities of neighbouring universities.
“We are reliant on them for getting information. Now, like Milan, we can do it all in-house at a minute’s notice,” said Daley.
So the question begs as to how Wolves have managed to jump ahead of the big four?
“We see Sports Science as a very important part of preparing the players and getting them right,” explains Daley, now 42.
“We have got such a small squad compared to Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. They can field a second team of internationals.
“We have to keep our squad injury-free for a whole season. We have to prepare them properly, make sure they are correct. It is investing in what we’ve got.
“The club are very fortunate that they have the management and a chairman who are forward thinking, and if we can keep our first team squad fully-fit, it will pay dividends.
“But it’s important the players buy into what we are trying to do.
“You can have the best sports science, the best nutritionist, and everything else and if a player doesn’t want to take that advice on it is very difficult.
“It’s down to the players to take it on board. Thankfully the players here have bought into it- no doubt about it.”
So if the players are understanding, what of the supporters?
“They are not stupid, they are realistic,” says Daley. “Our fans realise that if we could afford to buy £5m, £10m or £20m players at the drop of a hat we would do it, but they know that’s not the case.
“We have to protect and invest in the assets we have.”
Despite the loss of the likes of Michael Kightly statistics have shown injuries have reduced: “That’s fantastic for the whole department,” says Daley. “It shows the players are taking everything on board but we are not going to rest on our laurels.
“The most important thing is winning games, and giving these players a start towards achieving that.
“We’ve made a lot of advancements. Now hopefully it will pay dividends.”
