Risk management is composed of three major elements viz., hazard identification, risk estimation and risk evaluation. The aim of hazard identification and risk estimation is to identify the outcomes from risk, the magnitude of the associated con&quences from risk, and the estimation of the probabilities of these outcomes. Previous work focused on hazard identification and risk estimation and identified the relatively high risks associated with playing professional football. By adhering to the risk management process, the aim of this thesis was to determine the significance of these high risks to football clubs and their players. A theoretical framework was designed to evaluate the influence of player injury on the financial and playing performance of professional football clubs. This framework was also used to assess, through use of cost benefit analysis, the practicalities of investing in suitable injury prevention strategies, to reduce the risks to football clubs and their players. Former professional footballers were surveyed to investigate the long-term medical and socioeconomic consequences associated with the high risks of playing professional football. The results identified the high financial costs associated with player injury on professional football clubs. Although the high risks of player injury have a relatively minor effect on teamperformance of the Premier League clubs, this effect still has a relatively major influence on the financial performance of the club. In contrast, the influence of player injury to teamperformance was relatively major for Division I and Division 2 clubs, but this had a relatively minor effect on financial performance. The application of cost benefit analysis to the investment of specialist personnel to reduce the risks of injury demonstrated that the proposals were practicable for Premier League and Division I clubs only. In addition, it was also demonstrated that the high risks associated with playing professional football have a significant influence on the long-term well-being of foriner players. One-third of former players had been medically diagnosed osteoarthritic in a lower limb joint. The majority of players also perceived that injury had a negative influence on their present and future welfare. The results demonstrate that the consequences associated with the relatively high acute injury risk also have a significant effect on the financial and playing performance of football clubs and the future welfare of their players.

Yes / Research evidence suggests that professional players across a variety of sports may be at greater risk of developing addictions and other mental illnesses than the general population, both during and post-career. In this paper, we report findings from a larger project on the experiences of career transition in UK professional footballers that provide some insight into this. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological approach, four ex-professional footballers who were attending the Sporting Chance Clinic for help with problems concerning alcohol and gambling were interviewed in depth about their experiences. Focussing on issues the players perceived to be relevant to their addictions, the data were analysed thematically, drawing on Van Manen’s phenomenological method, and individual case histories were also produced. The analysis suggested that club culture was key to understanding the players’ difficulties; a harsh, unsupportive psychological environment combined with expectations of manliness resulted in a culture of silence in the face of personal difficulties. Relationships within the culture of pro-football were fraught with anxiety and distrust, leaving the players feeling unable and unwilling to disclose their problems and feeling used and unvalued by their managers. The lack of supportive relationships in their clubs also resulted in loneliness and social withdrawal for the participants. We conclude with a number of recommendations for the governing bodies in professional football, clubs and individual players.

Organizations are seen as custodians of portfolio of projects and are increasingly delivering their businesses through multiple complex programs. To be successful in delivering their businesses, these organizations are required to build a project management capability within their structures. Projects today have become far more than solving of technical problems; they have become more of venues for mastering business and change. Project maturity is used as an indication of or a measurement of the organisation’s ability to use projects for different purposes. An organisational Project Management Maturity Assessment is an effective method for establishing a baseline and provides an impetus for organisational change. Project Management Maturity Models are regarded as effective tools for benchmarking and implementing improvements in organisational performance. In this Dissertation, a study in applying project management maturity model to review, assess, and analyze the degree of organizational project management maturity of one of the Professional Soccer clubs participating in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa is presented. The project management practices and capabilities of the PSL Soccer clubs are reflected. The purpose of this paper is to not only demonstrate the methodology and results of the assessment, but to also report on the outcome of the study and propose the necessary recommendations for improvement. The research was strictly focused on those Professional Soccer clubs which are participating in the South African PSL. For confidentiality purposes, the club in this dissertation is referred to as “The Club”. There has been no similar study that has been carried out in this field before. Therefore, this study aims to break new grounds in conducting a research of this kind in this specific sports field. The main research question posed in this study is: What is the level of organizational project management maturity of the South African PSL Soccer clubs? This research question is supported by five other sub-questions which are answered in a research chapter dealing with the synthesis and analysis of the research results. These research questions were motivated by the following reasons: Organizations are changing drastically in their fundamental ways of conducting business. This change is happening within a short period of time and at an accelerated pace. This change occurs both structurally, operationally, and culturally in response to factors such as globalization, new technology, competition, and the world economy that is various challenges in the marketplace. Organizations are also under pressure to improve on their performance in order to maintain high levels of competitiveness and continue to be successful in the global marketplace and therefore, consistent improvement on their projects or program delivery is required in order to attain competitive advantage and sustained growth. Therefore, considering the reasons presented above, the researcher found it necessary to evaluate the current levels of project management maturity in the PSL Soccer clubs. In order to achieve the study objectives two models were used as tools to assess the degree of The Club’s project management maturity and further highlighted a recommended path for improvement. Firstly, Organisational Project Management Maturity (OPM3) model, which is a standard developed under the stewardship of Project Management Institute (PMI), was used as the main model. Secondly, the Integrated Management Systems Incorporated’s (IMSI) project management assessment model was also used as a supporting model.

Organizations are seen as custodians of portfolio of projects and are increasingly delivering their businesses through multiple complex programs. To be successful in delivering their businesses, these organizations are required to build a project management capability within their structures. Projects today have become far more than solving of technical problems; they have become more of venues for mastering business and change. Project maturity is used as an indication of or a measurement of the organisation’s ability to use projects for different purposes. An organisational Project Management Maturity Assessment is an effective method for establishing a baseline and provides an impetus for organisational change. Project Management Maturity Models are regarded as effective tools for benchmarking and implementing improvements in organisational performance. In this Dissertation, a study in applying project management maturity model to review, assess, and analyze the degree of organizational project management maturity of one of the Professional Soccer clubs participating in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa is presented. The project management practices and capabilities of the PSL Soccer clubs are reflected. The purpose of this paper is to not only demonstrate the methodology and results of the assessment, but to also report on the outcome of the study and propose the necessary recommendations for improvement. The research was strictly focused on those Professional Soccer clubs which are participating in the South African PSL. For confidentiality purposes, the club in this dissertation is referred to as “The Club”. There has been no similar study that has been carried out in this field before. Therefore, this study aims to break new grounds in conducting a research of this kind in this specific sports field. The main research question posed in this study is: What is the level of organizational project management maturity of the South African PSL Soccer clubs? This research question is supported by five other sub-questions which are answered in a research chapter dealing with the synthesis and analysis of the research results. These research questions were motivated by the following reasons: Organizations are changing drastically in their fundamental ways of conducting business. This change is happening within a short period of time and at an accelerated pace. This change occurs both structurally, operationally, and culturally in response to factors such as globalization, new technology, competition, and the world economy that is various challenges in the marketplace. Organizations are also under pressure to improve on their performance in order to maintain high levels of competitiveness and continue to be successful in the global marketplace and therefore, consistent improvement on their projects or program delivery is required in order to attain competitive advantage and sustained growth. Therefore, considering the reasons presented above, the researcher found it necessary to evaluate the current levels of project management maturity in the PSL Soccer clubs. In order to achieve the study objectives two models were used as tools to assess the degree of The Club’s project management maturity and further highlighted a recommended path for improvement. Firstly, Organisational Project Management Maturity (OPM3) model, which is a standard developed under the stewardship of Project Management Institute (PMI), was used as the main model. Secondly, the Integrated Management Systems Incorporated’s (IMSI) project management assessment model was also used as a supporting model.

The aim of the current thesis was to critically examine the reflection and experience-based learning of professional football players and coaches at a football club. Specific attention was paid to the influence that the social environment had on players and coaches experiences and the extent to which they influenced each others experience-based learning and reflective practice. A case study approach using semi-structured interviews and ethnography including participant observation, informal interviews and audio/video recordings informed the current research. Schön's (1983) experience-based theory of learning and reflective practice was used to represent coaches and players reflective practice prior to the application of Foucault (1972, 1979, 1988, 1991a) as social theory. It was found that an institutionally reproduced discourse, which emphasized the importance of winning, governed both coaches and players experience-based learning at the club. Positive discourses of reflection were introduced by coaches and embodied by willing and docile players due to the added legitimacy that was associated with their knowledge. Players reflective practice represented a technology of power as it was dominated by their coaches presence and resulted in players interpretations being normalised to the extent that they became self-surveillant. Players compliance contributed to the construction and reproduction of an overarching disciplinary culture of surveillance that was initially introduced by the club s coaches and made possible through the constant assimilation of data and different forms of performance monitoring (i.e. GPS, video-based PA, physical testing).

This diploma thesis focuses on the processing of the analysis of the financial management of professional football clubs in the Czech Republic. Theoretical part deals with the financial reporting in the area of sport as a whole, further describes specifics of professional football clubs' financial management and serves as a starting point for the individual financial analysis of the clubs. Practical part contains the football clubs' analysis based on the previously explained theoretical knowledge. Ratio indicators and Altman Z -- score are used for the individual financial analysis. Furthermore, the whole economic branch is briefly summarized and identification of its characteristic features is provided. In conclusion, the results are discussed in detail and potential solution to the current situation is suggested.

The purpose of this research was to describe the content of information surrounding a significant sporting event presented by sportswriters through the printed medium. The event chosen for analysis was Superbowl XVI. Three metropolitan newspapers were selected as the sample representatives of the urban style of sports reporting. Two of these newspapers were chosen because of their geographical representation of a participating team. The third selection was taken because of its large circulation and relative unbiased reporting. From a pilot study conducted on Superbowl XV, content categories were found to fit in either one of two basic domains: cognitive or affective. The sample population for Superbowl XVI yielded 5,759 individual category entries based on 215 articles. The cognitive category comprised 94 percent of all items categorized, thus clearly demonstrating the dominant theme used by sportswriters for this event.

Darbo tyrimo problema - kaip vidinė komunikacija pasireiškia profesionalioje futbolo komandoje? Darbo hipotezė - profesionalioje futbolo komandoje vidinė komunikacija lemia tarpasmeninius narių santykius. Darbo tikslas - nustatyti vidinės komunikacijos raišką profesionalioje futbolo komandoje „Alytis“. Darbo uždaviniai: pateikti profesionalios futbolo komandos kaip šiuolaikinės sporto organizacijos sampratą, išanalizuoti vidinės komunikacijos sampratą, atkreipiant dėmesį į jos įtaką komandos rezultatams, nustatyti profesionalių futbolo komandų narių gebėjimus efektyviai komunikuoti ir pateikti profesionalių futbolo komandų narių tarpasmeninės komunikacijos įgūdžius. Tyrimo objektas – vidinės komunikacijos raiška. Darbe buvo panaudoti mokslinės literatūros analizės, anketinės apklausos ir statistinės analizės tyrimo metodai. Temos aktualumas. Šiandieniame profesionaliame sporte komandai siekiant aukštų sportinių rezultatų nebeužtenka vien tik turėti gerus žaidėjus ir patyrusį trenerį, jos nariai turi būti susieti efektyvios vidinės komunikacijos saitais. Man, kaip asmeniui, besidominčiam profesionaliu futbolu ir siekiančiam ateityje dirbti šioje srityje, šio darbo rezultatai yra naudingi tiek teoriniu, tiek praktiniu požiūriu. Šiuolaikiniame sporte profesionali futbolo komanda gali būti apibūdinama kaip sporto komandos rūšis ir kaip tam tikra šiuolaikinė sporto organizacija, turinti savo struktūrą, vadovus, žaidėjus ir bendrus interesus bei motyvaciją, siekiant... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The problem raised in this analyzed thesis is how the internal communication revealed in the professional football team. The hypothesis of this thesis – that the internal communication within the professional football team governs the team members’ interpersonal relations. The purpose of this work is to identify the manifestations of the internal communication in the professional football team “Alytis”. The tasks of this thesis: give the understanding of the football team as the contemporary sports organization, analyze the conception of the internal communication, concentrating attention on its influence to the team’s results, identify the ability of team members to communicate in an effective way and give their skills of the internal communication. The actuality of the topic. It is not enough only to have good team players and an experienced coach in today’s’ professional sports. It is necessary that the team members had a good relation with each other based on the effective internal communication. For me, as the person who is interested in the professional football and wants to stay and work in this field in future, the results of this thesis are useful in both ways – theoretical and practical. In professional sports the professional football team could be characterized as a type of sports team and as a certain contemporary sports organization, which has its own structure, supervisors, team players, common interests and motivation to work together... [to full text]

Playing professional football is a high risk occupation. Injury rates among professional footballers are higher than those commonly found in other industries. Several Scandinavian studies have begun to document the long-term physical health problems, such as osteoarthritis (OA), that can beset ex-professional footballers. However, the experiences of ex-professional footballers playing and living in the United Kingdom (UK) have not received similar academic attention. Furthermore, no studies have investigated the impact that OA has on the quality of life of former players anywhere in the world. This thesis aimed to rectify a widespread and serious health problem among a cohort that has largely been neglected to date. In Phase I, 284 ex-professional footballers responded to a postal survey which aimed to establish the prevalence of injury and OA. In Phase II, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with ex-professional footballers from Phase I who had developed OA. The aim was to gain an in-depth understanding of how the condition impacted on their lives and how they coped. In Phase II, 101 ex-professional footballers, who were not involved in Phases I and II, responded to a cross-sectional postal survey, which investigated the relationships between pain, pain coping and psychological distress within the context of a stress and coping model. Career injury and surgery were common among respondents in Phase I and nearly half (49%) had subsequently developed OA in at least one joint. Pain was the most common problem for all respondents irrespective of OA diagnosis. Lack of mobility and work disability were other problems reported by respondents. Interviewees in Phase II described how they were encouraged to 'play hurt' during their career and to accept, minimise or ignore the threat of pain, injury and OA. It was some of these attributes which enabled respondents to 'live hurt' in the presence of chronic pain and disability in later life. In Phase II it was shown that psychological distress was not a serious problem for many respondents. However, several coping strategies (denial, emotional venting and upward comparison) were positively associated with pain and psychological distress, particularly for those participants in greater pain. Although OA and chronic pain are prevalent among ex-professional footballers in the UK, its impact upon psychological distress was not as great as reported in some other studies of persons which chronic disease and pain. Increased psychological distress was linked to greater pain and the use of several coping strategies (e.g. denial, emotional venting and upward comparison). However, given the cross-sectional design, it remains to be clarified whether coping predicts psychological distress or whether an increase in psychological distress precipitates more coping. Suggestions are proposed for a psychosocial intervention which would have an impact on pain coping and psychological distress among ex-professional footballers.

This paper analyses the pay-performance relationship in the English Premier League in order to isolate the determinants of success by regressing individual player salaries, and salaries relative to team-mates on the individual performance measures of goals and assists. A weighted OLS and fixed effects model is utilized alongside various control variables to conclude that the positive pay-performance relationship found at the team-level is not reflected at the individual level. The paper also determines that relative income position and various team-effects do not significantly impact individual performance.