New staff role: the team doctor

I'm far from being an expert on sports medicine, but as I browsed through the sites of some English clubs for an hour or so, I noticed that most of them employ a team doctor. The bigger clubs (PL and Championship) have a fully employed dr, who's with the team even on away games, while other teams cooperate with external doctors, specialised in sports medicine.

I searched a little more and found three interviews of the actuall team doctors at Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd and read some inetresting points:

It seems that a team's doc has the responsibility for monitoring the players contition, evaluating injuries and suggesting treatment. They work in close collaboration with the physio(s), the last being responsible for the rehab and prehab of the players.

They are responsible for doing a medical for the new signings and guarandee their condition (or the opposite). In some cases they also plan the teams nutrition or/and food supplements.

So, it seems that the team docs have a more important role in a player's condition than the physios and I think they sould be added in FM as back room staff. Better doc=better & faster treatment, fewer/shorter injuries etc, in addition to the existing physios, of course. It would add more realism than the current and oversimplified - employing many physios to just have a more accurate period of player being out - model.

Any suggestion/correction from people who know more about the subject, or just want to contribute, would be appreciated.

I like it. If you combine this with a more varied physio role I feel it is an area of the game that could be improved.

great idea:thup:

Would love to see this

Yep I agree, most clubs to have a Doctor now.

I agree that there needs to be this added. Maybe then we could get an indication of what exacly is affecting the 'green-cross' players.

There has been a few club doctors included in the game over the years but they have been classed as physios. I would be all for this idea as long as there role is at least slightly different to that of the physio.

Of all the ideas raised in this forum lately, this one makes the most sense.

Perhaps you would then be told what's wrong with a player 'in-game'. If a player picks up a knock, you never find out what it is/was until after the match. However, IRL, the team doctor can usually asses an injury in a few minutes or a physio should at least tell you what the problem is and whether he thinks it's a good idea to allow him to carry on playing or not.

This is in addition to the thread starter's idea. I think it's a really good one.

"Perhaps you would then be told what's wrong with a player 'in-game'. If a player picks up a knock, you never find out what it is/was until after the match."

Not really, I believe that since FM2008 we can click on the player's name, during a game, and see the type and nature of the injury.

I think this is a good idea, could be well implimented and combined with the fitness arc idea posted here within the last couple of weeks.

Thank you all for your ideas and feedback in general

I think this would be a great addition for FM2010. Great suggestion

Nice idea, although I guess many smaller clubs operate differently to having a dedicated Doctor - how would you reflect this in game? ie They may have contracts with local centrss to assess players on an ad hoc basis maybe. I'm sure it could be sometihng to ask researchers to find out though.

I do wonder what ever happened to the option where you could send a player off for surgery if they have recurring injuries.

It would also be nice if Physios/Doctors gave feedback on training where players are being pushed excessively or if they can be pushed harder!

I like the idea. The better the doctor the player would be out for 4 months not 4-6 months.

Well, I've noticed some clubs that do not have a 24/7 team doctor, usually employ a "head-physio", probably a more experienced or qualified physio. Of course in Lower Leagues, a single physio would be more than enough.