This is Part Two of our deep dive into elite recovery with Dr. Robin Thorpe — the man who managed player regeneration and performance at Manchester United for a decade.
In this episode, we go even deeper behind the scenes of Premier League recovery and uncover what most fans never see:
How travel, fixture congestion and European away days affect player readiness
The data + monitoring systems that predict injury before it happens
How clubs decide whether to travel home or stay overnight after matches
The psychology of recovery — switching off, mental fatigue, emotional reset
What happens when managers, medical, and sports science teams don’t agree
Why some players love recovery… and others fight it
You’ll also hear never-before-told stories about working with world-class players — including Zlatan Ibrahimović, Robin van Persie, Alexis Sánchez, and Chicharito — and how different personalities respond to recovery demands.
If Part One explained what recovery is, this episode explains how it works under real pressure.
About Dr. Robin Thorpe:
Former Senior Performance Scientist & Head of Recovery at Manchester United (2009–2019)
Worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Ryan Giggs, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho & Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Contributed to 10 national & international titles at Man United
Consulted across the EPL, NBA, MLS, MLB, PGA Tour & Olympic Track and Field
Former Director of Performance at Red Bull (LA)
Robin now consults globally, helping elite players and organisations reduce injury risk and maximise availability.