Heading towards disaster

[Dreambeliever]

Is it only a matter of time before heading is removed from game?

CTE in football: What happens next with heading after Gordon McQueen verdict?

BBC Sport explores the ramifications of the verdict that heading footballs "likely" contributed to Gordon McQueen's death.

www.bbc.com

 

[Irishanfield]

Balls were much heavier back then and even worse when they got wet

 

[The Nomad]

Is it only a matter of time before heading is removed from game?

CTE in football: What happens next with heading after Gordon McQueen verdict?

BBC Sport explores the ramifications of the verdict that heading footballs "likely" contributed to Gordon McQueen's death.

www.bbc.com

Its already removed from kids games. I dont think they need to go further. Balls, if inflated properly are lighter than those days.

Its more likely you will get CTE from repeated concussions.

 

[Modo]

Poor Oliver Bierhoff

 

[Richey]

Its already removed from kids games. I dont think they need to go further. Balls, if inflated properly are lighter than those days.

Its more likely you will get CTE from repeated concussions.

I wasn't aware of this, but doesn't that mean that it will essentially be phased out anyway?

 

[Squiggles]

Yeah, I can't see it being outlawed in the professional and adults game, except maybe expanding it higher up the age range in junior football.

Hopefully it can be addressed by equipment and tech. There may be some sort of band or football equivalent of a scrum hat those regularly heading the ball can wear? Probably is already but I can see usage increasing in that area as more research gets published. These things usually grow in numbers and scope when the research spotlight is getting shined on them and more gets published and the professional bodies need to continue to act accordingly.

How does it work in the kids game if someone does head it? Is it treated like hand ball or does game just continue?

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Balls were much heavier back then and even worse when they got wet

Was listening to some expert on Newstalk a few months ago and he said that's misleading. Lighter balls travel faster, and it's the quantity that will have the impact, there's more heading, especially in training. An option might be to keep it only to games, and from certain ages.

 

[LarryHagman]

When it comes to player welfare in sport, one thing I don't understand. Footy and rugby are rightfully taking steps to protect players but that cage fighting malarkey, you can continue to punch a bloke's head whilst he's unconscious on the floor. How can that be right? Surely they're staring down the barrel of a multitude of claims?
Maybe footy players should wear skull caps like rugby players? I mean, good luck directing a header, but it would work.

 

[Brizzle]

I think this will only become an issue once there is a modern era player who gets a disease that could be linked to this (say Alan Shearer, Keown, Adams etc - who were notorious headers of the ball), as the point of "modern balls are lighter" does go around alot. I agree with Gerry that I saw/heard someone saying that the balls today travel so much faster, and the players are trained to head them harder that it is arguably bigger impact.

 

[juniormember]

When it comes to player welfare in sport, one thing I don't understand. Footy and rugby are rightfully taking steps to protect players but that cage fighting malarkey, you can continue to punch a bloke's head whilst he's unconscious on the floor. How can that be right? Surely they're staring down the barrel of a multitude of claims?
Maybe footy players should wear skull caps like rugby players? I mean, good luck directing a header, but it would work.

Well, they stop punching when the ref steps in, which is usually very swift.
If anything mma fighters get far less concussions/repeated head damage than boxers. The big gloves and constant blows to the head are seen as far more damaging.
Generally speaking.

 

[binomial]

We should ban all combat sport while we're at it.

& any other extreme sport that risks damage to health post retirement.

Heck let's ban swimming, there's been cases where athletes have drowned due to exhaustion and heart palpitations.

 

[Halmeister]

Yeah, my son is 8 and they're not allowed to head the ball. Not sure at what age they can start to be honest.

We're going to see in a decade or so a load of players who can't head the ball, I reckon. It'll be like a load of Gakpos running about. At least Arsenal will be fucked.

I think it will end up getting banned but I hope not. Like most things, the changes will be to the detriment of the sport. But everything is fucked now so 🤷🏽‍♂️

 

[Momo]

Those light balls are very dangerous with today’s players. Have you seen how they go down with a slight flick to the face?

 

[tombrown]

As some drunken old tramp from Salford once said, you can kill someone by kicking a football at them

Personally I think we will see all players wearing helmets, and there will be different types - defenders will have big massive spherical helmets to maximise the chance of making contact when clearing the ball. Attackers will have streamlined helmets with a flat front to help them direct headers, and those who specialise in angled headers can have more pointed ones. You may even see players swapping helmets depending on the situation - Virgil would wear the big sphere when defending corners/long throws, but would swap it for the flat fronted streamlined one when going up for our corners.