Rathcormac’s Shayne heading to Euro 2020
Ireland may not have qualified for Euro 2020, but at least one Corkman will be on the sidelines next summer.
Shayne Murphy, a football scientist whose clients include the Scottish national team, will be travelling with the Scots for the tournament. The Rathcormac native was there when Scotland come through a nail-biting penalty shoot-out against Serbia to qualify for their first major tournament since 1998 and he will now play a key role in their Euro 2020 Group D clashes against Croatia, Czech Republic and England in June next year.
The football scientist will be responsible for ensuring the Scottish players are physically prepared for the demands of training and games throughout the tournament.
Shayne has worked in elite football for over 11 years with clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool before returning to Ireland at the start of the year.
He wanted to bring the level of expertise and insight to the Irish market through his company, SDM Performance.
Shayne commented: “For athletes, assessment usually stems from a movement efficiency standpoint and branches out from there. Trying to identify what each athlete’s function is like at the foot, hip and spine and in all three planes of motion in addition to what that means for their sport is a lengthy process but an extremely rewarding one for the athlete. They often have a functioning system (body) that has many energy leaks and so they lose force or power because they haven’t trained themselves to be efficient.
“For businesses, it is about promoting a better culture and understanding how to improve performance. An ideal client is someone who is motivated and determined to improve. I have no doubt in my mind that I can help people beyond their current level, but it takes a committed person to invest in him or herself. For clients, it’s about having no regrets, it’s about having maximised their potential and knowing they gave it their best – win, lose or draw.”
Shayne left his role as a sports scientist and strength and conditioning coach with Manchester City in December 2019. SDM Performance has bases in Ashbourne and Navan, Co. Meath.