Scales, Strava and Whatsapp - How the Hibs first-team squad are adapting to the football shutdown

Hibs players and staff have been getting creative to continue progressing during Scottish football’s postponement

Imagine what it would be like to be part of a Whatsapp group which includes Martin Boyle, Ryan Porteous and the rest of the Hibs first-team squad?

Well, that is now the case for a number of the club’s staff who have effectively been thrust into a virtual changing room.

On the other side, players who have become so accustomed to having every metre they run and every kilo they shift or put on tracked on a daily basis, are now having to do so themselves.

This is the current climate in which football clubs are operating in, where running apps, creative exercises and group chats have become so crucial in helping players and staff remain physically and mentally fit, prepared for when the football returns.

Hibs had been one of the most prepared clubs in the country when it came to the coronavirus pandemic. Even before the league shutdown on the eve of their clash with St Johnstone at Easter Road, measures were already being taken on health grounds.

Press conferences were held in the barn at Hibs Training Centre, areas were shut off to everyone apart from first-team players and parents of academy players were unable to come into the main building while their children trained.

But few could have predicted how quickly the situation changed with the Scottish FA and SPFL postponing football in the country indefinitely.

Hibs players have had to get creative during the Scottish football shutdown. Picture: SNS

Hibs reacted swiftly with a plan to work on a rolling seven-day basis, but as things became more severe, longer term measures had to be put in place, both in terms of communication as well as the health and wellbeing of players and their families with some travelling back to their home countries.

HTC Whatsapp group

“It’s been a real pleasure to work with the staff at the football club because everyone has stepped up,” the club’s sporting director Graeme Mathie told the Evening News. “Nobody has had to be led in any great fashion. It’s just been case of putting simple things in place like communication platforms.

“So now there is an HTC Whatsapp group with every member of staff and every player involved in it which gives us daily entertainment from certain people as you can imagine. Beyond that it’s a great platform for communicating.

The club's sporting director Graeme Mathie has played a key part in ensuring the club's staff and players are communicating effectively. Picture: SNS

“The Whatsapp group is the main one for keeping in touch with the first team players.

“There’s obviously been separate phone calls, particularly the guys travelling abroad, having conversations about what the future may look like, was it wise for them to go home, should they stay here, when did we think football was resuming again.

“It is a big uncertainty at the moment and it is hard to sometimes advise what to do and not to do, but the most important thing was to make sure they were with their families.

“I think that was the first thing on a human level, was to get them out and make sure they were back with their families and everyone is being looked after.

Manager Jack Ross has been making sure plans are adhered to. Picture: SNS

“My sense on it was if and when football resumes and we’re actually able to get back out training, you are hopeful the borders are open and the players can get back in time to join in.”

Getting creative

With there being no specific date for the resumption of football, plus the Government guidelines on social distancing, it has made it tricky for manager Jack Ross and his staff to formulate training programmes.

It has resulted in both the players and staff tapping into their frontal cortex to ensure programmes are followed and the first-team remain in good condition any which way they can.

Striker Christian Doidge shared a video on Instagram of him working outdoors on a rug with weights, while Stephane Omeonga took to running along Portobello beach.

The club’s performance nutritionist Paola Rodriguez Giustiniani has encouraged players to buy scales to track their weight.

“The hardest bit about planning the training programmes is that nobody knows what the return date is,” Mathie said.

“In the summer it is easy, you can plan an off-season training programme because you know your pre-season starts on a certain date and then you can start your pre-season programme and you’re loading appropriately knowing when your first pre-season game is going to be.

“That’s the bit of detail we are missing at the moment so it’s quite hard to know what’s 100 percent appropriate and what isn’t.

“I don’t think I am giving away a huge competitive advantage here but players being asked to download Strava [running app].

“So without them actually having the GPS vests at home and being able to use them and input their data in a way they would in a normal training week at HTC, the guys can monitor what they are doing, when they are doing their runs, how hard they are working.

“There are some things they can do like the animal flow stuff, that’s bodyweight exercises.

“Some of the players have already got their own exercise equipment they can use at home. Certain people have got access to things they can use, while others have to be creative and find other things.

“The guys are professional in what they do. They will use the time they have got effectively and they are being led by some really good staff and really good people.”

He added: “Paola’s been sending the guys links to Amazon to get scales brought in. Not sure how well that’s gone down but she’s asking them to take their weight on a weekly basis so she can monitor that as well.

“She’s had a bit of resistance so far but the guys are coming around to it now about sending in their weights! So she knows they are looking after themselves, eating appropriately.”

‘Great group’

Unable to get on the training ground and coach the players, Ross has also had to adapt, but still playing a pivotal role in ensuring programmes are followed, while Mathie noted the teamwork throughout the club to make sure progress is still being made.

He said: “Jack has been front and centre of that as well and liaising with the staff to see what’s being put out, making sure it is appropriate, it’s adhered to and the guys are buying into it which they are.

“When you go through a period of uncertainty like this and a real period of challenge, you can see who is willing to step up.

“I think what’s been clear by all the communication I’ve seen recently is that we’ve got a great group of guys here.

“Great group of staff that are really putting their shoulder to the wheel and helping and a great group of players who are professional and actually want to do the right things and keep themselves as fit as they can to come back in good shape.”