Article by Aurelian Botezatu – published on Friday, June 20, 2025, 16:46 / Updated on Friday, June 20, 2025:46
Aston Villa's officials bought news with built -in means of communication and testing them to the U21 team before introducing them to the seniors.
These are called “coachwhisper” and with their help, the coaches can communicate directly with the players, individually or constituted in groups. At the invitation of Aston Villa, the startup based in Jena that produces them presented, among others, his function “Analysis of the coach's behavior” in a workshop.
“Coachwhisperer” allows the recording of the manager's communication with his players and the subsequent analysis with the help of artificial intelligence. The coaches not only can give instructions to their players easily over a greater distances, but they can also examine their behavior, after training, and can optimize it based on the results.
The head of the company that has developed “Coachwhisperer” claims that in England the clubs are open to the use of technology
The German tabloid Bild spoke with the manager “Coachwhisper”, Knut Schulz. “The response of Aston Villa was very positive. Subsequent meetings are already planned, where our system could also be tested with professional players.
Aston Villa player equipped with the “Coachwhisper” vest
In England, professional clubs are generally more open to new technologies than in Germany. I also noticed this during our visits to other clubs, ”said Schulz.
Aston Villa is not the only team interested in the “Coachwhishper” vest and its various functions. Liverpool has recently organized a demonstration of technical innovation on its youth campus. In the Bundesliga – reveals Bild – there would be only one club that already owns such a system and uses it for training.
The use of “coachwhisper” is not allowed yet during the matches
But in the training programs of professional clubs, they are increasingly tested and used. Schalke's U23 team was the first to try the system, in 2022. The innovation of the German company is not yet allowed in the competitive matches.
The prohibition is clearly stipulated in the equipment guide of the International Football Association (IFAB), the body that establishes the rules in international football.
