Science of football success for LJMU alumnus
Beginning his football career as a midfield player in the 1980s, Osorio played for clubs such as Internacional in Brazil and Once Caldas in Manizales, before travelling to Liverpool in 1997 to study at LJMU, where he actively pursued his dream of becoming a coach and manager.
Taking advantage of Liverpool as a city of sporting recognition, Osorio rented a room in a house owned by the McManus family on Crown Road, overlooking Liverpool Football Club’s training ground, Melwood. Dedicated to gaining insight into one of England’s most successful teams, he would use a stepladder in the McManus’ garden to watch Liverpool train and peer out of the upstairs window when it was raining.
Besides his commitment to observing Liverpool FC’s training sessions, it was at LJMU where Osorio would develop the skills necessary to thrive in the footballing industry through the university’s partnerships with professional coaches, clubs and governing bodies. The Science and Football programme continues to develop successful graduates as it reaches its 20-year anniversary in 2018/19.
Principal Lecturer and Head of The Football Exchange at LJMU, Dr Martin Littlewood said, "Science and Football at LJMU is celebrating a milestone of the world leading programme in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Since its inception, Science and Football graduates have been working successfully on a global scale in the football industry."
Osorio was clearly no exception and after graduating from LJMU he put his skills to work in a series of roles at various clubs overseas. Before returning to the North West of England to work as conditioning coach at Manchester City Football Club in 2001. After gaining this experience, he started his managerial career at Millonarios FC before eventually gaining his current role as Mexico manager in the World Cup 2018.
Alongside victorious World Cup managers, Littlewood explained that: "Graduates of Science and Football at LJMU occupy a variety of roles, ranging from managing, coaching, performance analysts and performance psychologists, to support the preparation, development and performance of youth and senior professional football players.
To celebrate the anniversary of Science and Football at LJMU, Littlewood explained, "The Football Exchange hosted a series of events; including a Q&A with Leicester City FC and Denmark’s World Cup goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, a LightNight event to showcase the role of technology in the Premier League, as well as a recent contribution as the lead academic partner for the Isokinetic conference at the Nou Camp in 2018."
The Football Exchange is hosting even more exciting events over the next 12 months so keep a look out for any further information and events on their Twitter account.
