adidas Nitrocharge product manager interview

2012-05-22 - adidas have unveiled their brand new boot silo to sit next to the Predator, adiPure and adiZero ranges. With the launch of the new boots, built for ‘the engine’ of the team, product manager Michael Meinhold gives us a look behind the boots.

What was the inspiration behind the design of Nitrocharge?

Nitrocharge was designed with a specific player in mind, The Engine. This is a player that is involved with all aspects of the game, a player who operates at high intensity and is relentless on-pitch.

What sort of player does this boot best suit?

As mentioned, this is designed for The Engine. We see this player as something of an unsung hero. He is always running, getting stuck in and pulling strings for his team. This kind of role isn’t limited to one position; it is more of an ethos with which certain individuals play the game. Take Dani Alves and Javi Martinez, for example. Both play different positions but share qualities such as high intensity performances, tough tackling, large distances covered and both find themselves as regular parts of their respective teams build-up play when goals are scored.

One of the first things you notice on the boot is the ENERGYSLING across the toe, can you tell us more about this?

The ENERGYSLING is a technology that supports and secures the foot when the player makes sharp turning movements such as sidecuts. This essentially helps to prevent the loss of energy normally experienced when making these movements.

How does this boot compare to the other adidas silos already on the market such as the Predator, the f50 and the adiPure?

Each of these different boots are designed to support the needs of different player types. Predator is for the Technical Wizard, he is all about ball control. Our Speed Demon is F50, it’s about lightweight and speed and last, but not least 11Pro focuses on comfort and softness. Nitrocharge is designed for a different type of player, as I said, it’s for someone who features in every facet of play, getting involved in as much as possible.

What are the other new technical innovations to feature on Nitrocharge?

There are various different innovations that feature on the new boot. The ENERGYPULSE that features on the sole plate, for example. This is inspired by the geometry of a spring and helps the player by providing maximum energy in the toe off phase when accelerating. This is one of a number of features on the boot which also provides fantastic protection to the foot as well as a soft touch to the ball.

Is there a plan for Nitrocharge to become an established part of the adidas range of football boots?

Absolutely, the Nitrocharge is here to stay. The boot and the type of player it has been designed for are both major focuses for adidas and this is just the beginning of the Nitrocharge story.

What does the future look like in general for adidas football boots?

We have some fantastic innovations coming up across all of our boot ranges as well as with our products in general. We are passionate about remaining at the cutting edge of football and this clear from our different boots, our various items of kit and our miCoach offering, to name just a few.