A central defender's nightmare

[dave.woodhall]

Richard Keeling on a serious issue.

https://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=61533.0

[john e]

I’m glad this subject is being taken more seriously now it’s pretty obvious really that’s constant pounding of the ball to the head is going to have long term consequences

I’m not sure what can be done about it though I’m not saying that as a cop out I genuinely don’t know

my lads 12 and plays football
you could stop heading for youngsters up to a certain age but if I’m honest young lads don’t head it that much anyways
but it would be a start I suppose

[Brend'Watkins]

The difference today compared to the 60s and 70s mainly is that the balls used are much lighter and don' soak up water like some of them did.  I remember being concussed from heading a water laden ball as a 16 year old.   

[frank black]

What with this and what’s happened with the Rugby players, I’m not sure what can be done without changing the fundamental rules  of the games. Yes you can protect the younger kids up to a “certain” age group. Other than this it’s change the rules of the game or accept the risks as an individual.

[Lastfootstamper]

The difference today compared to the 60s and 70s mainly is that the balls used are much lighter and don' soak up water like some of them did.  I remember being concussed from heading a water laden ball as a 16 year old.

It's not so straightforward to think that there's less danger now because the ball stays dry. The ball travels faster these days. Force = mass x acceleration. You double the weight of it, you double the force. You double the speed, you're quadrupling the force. The players most at risk could well be those playing at around the time ball technology began to improve, but the game still heavily involved the thing travelling through the air.

[WarszaVillan]

The documentary that Shearer did for the BBC a while back showed that the big danger is not people heading the ball in games but doing practice drills heading the ball multiple times

[Lastfootstamper]

I’m glad this subject is being taken more seriously now it’s pretty obvious really that’s constant pounding of the ball to the head is going to have long term consequences

I’m not sure what can be done about it though I’m not saying that as a cop out I genuinely don’t know

my lads 12 and plays football
you could stop heading for youngsters up to a certain age but if I’m honest young lads don’t head it that much anyways
but it would be a start I suppose

Do they not still play Jerries? (that's headers and volleys, if you called it something different down your end)

[paul_e]

What with this and what’s happened with the Rugby players, I’m not sure what can be done without changing the fundamental rules  of the games. Yes you can protect the younger kids up to a “certain” age group. Other than this it’s change the rules of the game or accept the risks as an individual.

Rugby Union have been trying to deal with there issues for years but the issue is training not matchday. There's an interview with one of the players involved saying they had a bad day in the scrum on the Saturday so on the Monday they practiced the 'hit' about 100 times in the row. That's why the hit was removed and hopefully that will have helped. All the changes to tackling laws are targeted at protecting the head as well. Football's problem isn't the same because, in my opinion, the risks aren't taken seriously. David Luiz playing on against Wolves is the latest example of the sort of mistakes being made.

[Legion]

I think that heading the ball is not allowed at youth level (11 and under) for training sessions but I might be wrong. Could have been a proposal.

[ChicagoLion]

i hope they come up with some form of protection to the head for football which allows heading the ball, if not the health and Safety movement will reduce the game to not above shoulder height which will ruin it.

Rugby is far more difficult to deal with because of the nature of contact , I think the scrum will be replaced pretty soon and rubber helmets and more stingent controll over Mauls, rucks have alleady dissapeared.

Without doubt you will have to sighn waiver letters everytime you get involved in contact sport.

[frank black]

I imagine that those who are adept at heading the ball and performing in the scrum are those that have practiced a lot .