Football should carry health warnings when sold

zorro_mfc said:
It’s an interesting one this and quite a contentious one.

Dementia risk greatest for defenders, says new research https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58060644
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Such an awful illness to see unfold in loved ones. I appreciate they are trying to improve things with tweaks here and there, but how do you reduce risk without changing the game for good? I really have no ideas, I just hope a way can be found that keeps players safer without changing the game forever, but right now health and safety must come first.
 
It will be banned in schools fairly soon. After that, it's only a matter of time before the mens' game follows. Might as well start planning for it now.
 
JackG said:
It will be banned in schools fairly soon. After that, it's only a matter of time before the mens' game follows. Might as well start planning for it now.
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Why though? Balls are much lighter and more 'flexible' now than the ones used in years gone by.
When I was coaching kids football however I never once took a session where I taught them how to head a ball as we wanted to instil a passing ethos into the team where the ball was passed on the ground. We even practiced corners this way too. Yes it left us at a disadvantage when defending corners, luckily the two centre backs we had were naturally gifted lads anyways who also received coaching from the football coaches down at the college who a few ex Boro players were involved with.
 
Randy said:
Why though? Balls are much lighter and more 'flexible' now than the ones used in years gone by.
When I was coaching kids football however I never once took a session where I taught them how to head a ball as we wanted to instil a passing ethos into the team where the ball was passed on the ground. We even practiced corners this way too. Yes it left us at a disadvantage when defending corners, luckily the two centre backs we had were naturally gifted lads anyways who also received coaching from the football coaches down at the college who a few ex Boro players were involved with.
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Spot on Randy, football has evolved now. I watch my young un play and it is million miles from the game I played whem I was kid. My lad is about to start under 13s and that is the first time on almost full size pitch, 11 a side and size 4 footballs. Heading is still part of the game but is so rare, the kids can nearly all control a ball from out of the sky rather than head, the passing and movement is often a joy to watch.
 
Randy said:
Why though? Balls are much lighter and more 'flexible' now than the ones used in years gone by.
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This is my view as well as the likes of the Astle family etc and our own Willie were tragic but as you say the balls aren’t the objects they were back then.
 
Pak_Doo_Ik said:
Spot on Randy, football has evolved now. I watch my young un play and it is million miles from the game I played whem I was kid. My lad is about to start under 13s and that is the first time on almost full size pitch, 11 a side and size 4 footballs. Heading is still part of the game but is so rare, the kids can nearly all control a ball from out of the sky rather than head, the passing and movement is often a joy to watch.
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Glad your enjoying watching it Pak. We started to focus more on the ground game just as the Spanish national side started dominating European football. The kids saw them playing on the TV and obviously wanted to play the same way so it was an easy transition.
Don't get me wrong sometimes you want your defensive line to clear it first time but it's also great to see a defender take a ball from out of the air with one or two touches and then pass it to the next man.
 
Does this mean given todays attitude that the long ball merchants within football might be charged under H&S for endangering the players?
 
Randy said:
Why though? Balls are much lighter and more 'flexible' now than the ones used in years gone by.
When I was coaching kids football however I never once took a session where I taught them how to head a ball as we wanted to instil a passing ethos into the team where the ball was passed on the ground. We even practiced corners this way too. Yes it left us at a disadvantage when defending corners, luckily the two centre backs we had were naturally gifted lads anyways who also received coaching from the football coaches down at the college who a few ex Boro players were involved with.
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Health and Safety. Some parents will object to their children be exposed to danger in PE lessons. Schools will err on the side of caution for fear of legal consequences and move to 5-a-side type rules. It will start with primary schools, then secondary schools and kids' leagues and eventually progress to the men's game.
 
being ignorant of the data behind this, I do wonder if the players exhibiting symptoms are indeed from a time when the balls were heavier "wet" leather type balls and that the exposure to TBI more modern players are seeing with newer type synthetic balls results in different levels of brain injury? Or does heading of any kind lead to TBI that only manifests itself later in life?

Is it akin to saying that in the 70's a lot of cyclists were injured falling from their Raleigh choppers or Grifters, so cyclists today should be reducing their time in the saddle?
 
Clearly the balls are different. Also the very nature of football these days must mean less heading?

You hardly ever see headed goals other than off setplays. No fecker crosses it anymore. The worst cases appear to be ex players in later life who played many years ago. I also shudder to think how many played on with head injuries during games. That doesn't happen now. No Mick Harfords smashing into a CB.

It clearly shouldn't be ignored and needs looking in too. That said some talk today about banning heading all together. I mean imagine football played below shoulder hight😕

All sports and all 'normal' jobs have risks. We just have to reduce or make them better. I mean if a footballer can't head then we may as well bin Boxing and MMA etc.
 
Yeah, you'd think boxing and Rugby are more of a risk. That said it certainly shouldn't be ignored. I suppose with boxing the risks are pretty obvious these days, those choosing to participate I'd hope are doing so with their eyes wide open.

There is also a difference between the amateur game and the pro game you'd think. Not only are pros going to do more heading given they'll play/train much more frequently, but on average they'll head it with more force. The power the likes of Andy Carroll can get behind a header is ridiculous.

Maybe technology will find a solution. Some sort of head guard or something?
 
S7DiscoDown said:
Clearly the balls are different. Also the very nature of football these days must mean less heading?

You hardly ever see headed goals other than off setplays. No fecker crosses it anymore. The worst cases appear to be ex players in later life who played many years ago. I also shudder to think how many played on with head injuries during games. That doesn't happen now. No Mick Harfords smashing into a CB.

It clearly shouldn't be ignored and needs looking in too. That said some talk today about banning heading all together. I mean imagine football played below shoulder hight😕

All sports and all 'normal' jobs have risks. We just have to reduce or make them better. I mean if a footballer can't head then we may as well bin Boxing and MMA etc.
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You don't see boxing in schools anymore. Heading a football will go the same way.
 
It is contentious but I think football could be a better game if heading is banned. You can still have long balls but they would have to be controlled on the chest. Play would naturally end up more on the deck.
 
I suspect that repeated heading the ball in training is probably more dangerous than sparring in boxing? Particularly defenders clearing the ball with their heads and aiming to maximise the distance that a clearance goes. Whereas in sparring the blow is avoided (as far as possible) certainly you are not moving your head towards an oncoming fist to maximise the energy imparted. Similarly in rugby head to head contact is unusual. American Football has similar issues because players used to tackle head down repeatedly (this is no longer allowed and indeed incurs a 15 yard penalty if it happens).

The incidence of dementia in ex players is worrying I'd be interested to see comparative statistics compared to other "contact" sports like Boxing and Rugby.
 
Randy said:
Why though? Balls are much lighter and more 'flexible' now than the ones used in years gone by.
When I was coaching kids football however I never once took a session where I taught them how to head a ball as we wanted to instil a passing ethos into the team where the ball was passed on the ground. We even practiced corners this way too. Yes it left us at a disadvantage when defending corners, luckily the two centre backs we had were naturally gifted lads anyways who also received coaching from the football coaches down at the college who a few ex Boro players were involved with.
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it's a good point but then you could argue players strike the ball a lot harder and quicker these days. I know that NFL players have to sign a lengthy warning list in their contract now which lists possible death
 
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