I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Bharat FC have further bolstered their technical staff, adding physiotherapist Ian Farmery to the technical team.

The 28-year-old Farmery, joins Bharat FC from Barnsley FC, a League One club based in Yorkshire, England. Farmery will join fitness and conditioning coach Lindsay Davis in developing an effective injury prevention and rehabilitation system at the club.

Farmery, a native of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, is an experienced physiotherapist with robust professional experience. The 28-year-old has a physiotherapy degree from the University of Salford and has spent more than three years working with the first team of Barnsley FC. Skilled in diagnosing and assessing injuries, Farmery is also proficient in developing precise rehabilitation programs allowing the athletes to successfully return to the sport within a definite time-frame. He has also been awarded post-graduate diplomas in soft tissue therapy, acupuncture and sports massage among others.

Incidentally, Farmery is a former footballer himself. Selected to join Barnsley FC’s youth setup at the age of 13, he was offered a football scholarship three years later. He progressed all the way up to the reserve team of the club before an injury put an end to his football ambitions.

Managing Director of Bharat FC, Amit Kalyani, said that the misison of recruiting a highly qualified and efficient technical staff had been completed with Farmery’s appointment. “Injuries are part and parcel of sport, but with Ian on-board, we have someone who has a lot of experience in handling and treating these injuries in the right manner. Ian has worked well with elite footballers and I am sure he will be a big asset to Bharat FC,” said Kalyani.

Bharat FC’s head coach, Stuart Watkiss, said that effective management of injuries and sound technical knowledge were the factors that were critical to Farmery’s selection.

“I have seen Ian’s work at Barnsley FC and it has been impressive. Working in the Championship teaches you a lot of things and we are confident that Ian can transfer all that learning to benefit our team.

“We want Bharat FC to be the fittest team in the I-League and Ian’s role will be crucial to us achieving that objective,” he said.

Farmery for his part said the chance to work in a part of the world that he had always wanted to explore was behind his signing on the dotted line. “I absolutely love working in football and derive immense satisfaction in treating players to help them get back on the pitch. I am extremely competitive and I will be working very hard to make my stint at Bharat FC successful,” said Farmery.

(Story Courtesy: Bharat FC Media)