Episode 206: In this episode, Andy McDonald is joined by Dr. Robin Thorpe, one of the most influential performance scientists of the modern era. ㅤ Robin spent a decade at Manchester United (2009–2019) as a Senior Performance Scientist and Conditioning Coach, working across multiple managerial eras — from Sir Alex Ferguson through to Ole Gunnar Solskjær. As Head of Recovery & Regeneration, he supported the First Team through 10 national and international titles, developing systems to maximise player availability, manage fatigue, and reduce injury and illness risk. ㅤ Alongside his applied PhD with Liverpool John Moores University, Robin has worked with elite athletes across football, golf, boxing, track & field, and national teams — including the Mexican National Team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His career spans leadership roles in the EPL, NBA, MLB, MLS, PGA Tour, and most recently as Director of Performance at Red Bull, supporting global high-performance environments. ㅤ In this conversation, Robin shares how he translates first-principles thinking into real-world decision making, how teams can collaborate more effectively, and why strategic performance leadership is the future of high-performance sport. ㅤ Topics Discussed:

Interdisciplinary team dynamics
Converting first principles into practical application
Specialist vs. generalist roles in elite sport
Decision-making frameworks for practitioners
Monitoring & measuring rehab outcomes
Outcome-based, process-guided, & adaptation-focused rehab

Where to Find Dr. Thorpe:

Robin Thorpe - From Isolation to Integration: Unifying Rehab

Inform Performance

Robin Thorpe - From Isolation to Integration: Unifying Rehab