New Delhi: Manchester United have brought in the experience of a highly reputed track and field coach in the club as a consultant to give his insights on athleticism, which include the biomechanics of running. Harry Marra was at Carrington to offer his knowledge on the subject to the staff. A lot of insights were on the best way to cover grounds with speed and endurance in order to help Ruben Amorim’s system of high intensity.
Marra will be on a consultancy basis and has been placed by United executives aligned with head coach Amorim. Marra’s decent record in the highest level of sport is one of the primary reasons for his selection and is believed to be recommended by United’s interim performance director Sam Erith. Erith had earlier encountered Marra whilst working in the United States and the whole arrangement is set to last a few weeks.
🚨🆕Manchester United draft in Harry Marra, Olympic track and field coach, to assist staff with expertise on running. Marra has been at Carrington and in directors’ box at Old Trafford. Working as a consultant for a few weeks.🏃♂️
[@lauriewhitwell] #MUFC pic.twitter.com/bkyiNCExvC— United World (@UnitedWorldFans) January 29, 2025
Harry Marra’s record in the top level of sports
Marra had coached Ashton Eaton, who broke the decathlon world record on two occasions and concluded his career as only the third man ever to defend his Olympic medal in the event. Further, the 70-year-old consultant also coached Brianne Theisen, an Olympic medalist in heptathlon.
Marra was also spotted in the directors’ box at Old Trafford during United’s game against Ranger in the Europa League, seated in front of former Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
A lot of the players in the United squad have considered the possibility of using personal coaches to have better guidance for running due to the heavy physical demands in the Premier League along with Amorim’s tactical methods. Recently a training footage of Amorim asking his players to get back after losing the ball emerged during his first week at the club. He has also said that players who will succeed under him will be able to run fast.
Marra’s techniques follow scientific methods, simplifying movements into mechanisms. In 2016, the American was named World Athletics Coach of the Year following Eaton’s second Olympic gold and Thiesen’s bronze at the Rio Games. Marra believes that to be successful, you need to listen to athletes.
In 2018, he even coached Lalu Muhammad Zohri to become the first athlete from Indonesia in history to win any kind of medal at the World Junior Championships, when he took gold in 100m.
Marra’s theory is that it is always about fundamentals and it starts with the initial movement of the part of the skill and if that is correct then the rest can be worked upon. He tried to grasp the skill and the demand for the skill and then worked on starting and carrying the skill through the runway.
Eirth, was senior vice-president for players performance and science lead at Madison Square Garden Sports Corp where he had worked with basketball and ice hockey teams, the New York Rangers and New York Knicks for a couple of years before coming to the United. He has now brought his connection to the US to help the Red Devils.
Manchester United have brought in brought in track and field coach Harry Marra as consultant to improve players’ running and conditioning to deal with the demands of Ruben Amorim. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
