Harrogate physiotherapist Liam Chapman has accepted a call up to accompany the England team at the Seniors Football World Cup.
Harrogate physio accepts England World Cup call up A Harrogate physiotherapist has accepted a call up to accompany the England team at the Seniors Football World Cup. 40-year-old Liam Chapman will join the men’s senior team at the tournament in Bangkok, Thailand. The team will play a total of 5 games in just 6 days as they hope to retain the coveted crown of world champions. Liam has been immersed in the sport from an early age, having played professionally for Hull City Football Club. He said:
“You could say I have grown up in football. I played professionally until my early 20s and then played semi-professionally until I was 28. “Since then, I have worked as a physio supporting clubs in addition to my role as Physiotherapy Lead at The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate.”The tournament, which was initially conceived by the Senior Football Association of Thailand as a way to promote the country in the wake of the 2004 tsunami, has grown to become an annual event with 18 counties competing over the past eleven years. England has fielded teams since 2008, with just two former professional players in the squad. That number rose to 16 in 2017 with a combined experience of over 7,000 league games. England hopes to retain the trophy and add a seventh world title to their impressive tally in the competition. Commenting on his selection as team physiotherapist, Mr Chapman, who works at The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate, said:
“Before joining The Duchy Hospital, I worked at Middlesbrough F.C. as physio and supported the youth teams. “The England Seniors team manager approached me and asked if I wanted to join them in Bangkok. “I had worked with some of the players before. It was a wonderful feeling to be approached.”Mr Chapman’s role will see him supporting the players on and off the pitch to ensure that they are match fit for training and the tournament. When asked to explain his responsibilities, he said:
“My job really covers everything from emergency physio during training and then hands on support during matches. I’m there to keep the players on the pitch.” “It can be very reactive work, dealing with limiting performance issues and improving any symptoms players have, providing treatments such as post-match massages, manual exercises and tapping to ensure that they don’t incur any major injuries.”Mr Chapman’s work for the England Senior Men’s team differs from his work at the 27-bed hospital on Queen’s Road. He said:
“My work at the hospital differs slightly from what I’ll be doing in Thailand. Hospital physiotherapy is planned around the patient's surgery and unique treatment plan. “I am usually one on one with the patient, and we work to increase the patient’s mobility and building up their muscle strength to improve their recovery.”In addition to the tournament, the competing teams will support the “football for kids” programme, where players work with school children, helping them with coaching and sporting activities. Mr Chapman said:
“I am really looking forward to experiencing the culture and having the opportunity to share my love of the game with others. Sport is so important for people's health and wellbeing.He added:
“The standard of football is high, and we’ll be out there for 10 days in total. We have a strong squad, and I am confident we can win.” “My family are really excited about the tournament and I look forward to sharing updates with them while I am out there. In many ways the tournament is more than just football. “Research shows remaining active as we get older is great for our physical and mental health. Hopefully, the tournament inspires more people to look into joining a local team sport!”Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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