[Football] Football without heading the ball

[Hamilton]

Another sobering article that emphasises the point that today’s more lightweight balls make no difference.

The Middlesbrough footballer's widow trying to save future players

Judith Gates is campaigning for radical changes around heading in the beautiful game.

www.bbc.co.uk

I don’t think it does prove that at all.

He was clearly heading heavy leather balls.

I think we need to do all we can to educate people and reduce unnecessary heading, but it needs to be the choice of the individual.

If heading gets banned, then rugby, boxing and MMA should all be stopped as well.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I don’t think it does prove that at all.

He was clearly heading heavy leather balls.

I think we need to do all we can to educate people and reduce unnecessary heading, but it needs to be the choice of the individual.

If heading gets banned, then rugby, boxing and MMA should all be stopped as well.

And also popular pastimes such as going to the shops, work or on holiday. Hang it all we need some kind of Matrix type pods, then we'll all live lives without risk.

 

[Bish Bosh]

Well whenever you put any pressure on the current Arsenal side one of them will go down with a head injury, so it's (ahem) clearly still very dangerous.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I don’t think it does prove that at all.

He was clearly heading heavy leather balls.

I think we need to do all we can to educate people and reduce unnecessary heading, but it needs to be the choice of the individual.

If heading gets banned, then rugby, boxing and MMA should all be stopped as well.

Guessing you didn’t get as far as this bit:

“She is also keen to fight back against the argument that the older, heavier balls were more damaging than current lighter ones.
The velocity is so great that the impact on the head is as dangerous as it was in the 1960s
What we really want to get across to young players is they are in danger, this is a problem for them now. Every day there is a kid somewhere heading a football and that's what we need to be focusing on."

Easy to be flippant, but CTE in the brain is no joke, whether that’s football, rugby, MMA or US Football.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

And also popular pastimes such as going to the shops, work or on holiday. Hang it all we need some kind of Matrix type pods, then we'll all live lives without risk.

Silly post, J.

(Sorry)

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Silly post, J.

(Sorry)

Yeah, I was being flippant. I haven't read the article (silly boy) but I assume it contains the stats addressing the likelihood of incurring such an injury?
How are you J?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Yeah, I was being flippant. I haven't read the article (silly boy) but I assume it contains the stats addressing the likelihood of incurring such an injury?
How are you J?

His wife is very knowledgeable, sounds like they both led amazing lives, she has done a fair bit of her own research etc.

All good mate, apart from my dad has just passed, first took me to the Goldstone in 79, Spurs or Forest, although he himself had no interest in football. But enough of that, hope all good at your end.

 

[DavePage]

maybe they should ban head shots in boxing

 

[beorhthelm]

Guessing you didn’t get as far as this bit:

“She is also keen to fight back against the argument that the older, heavier balls were more damaging than current lighter ones.
The velocity is so great that the impact on the head is as dangerous as it was in the 1960s
What we really want to get across to young players is they are in danger, this is a problem for them now. Every day there is a kid somewhere heading a football and that's what we need to be focusing on."

Easy to be flippant, but CTE in the brain is no joke, whether that’s football, rugby, MMA or US Football.

is it? do players kick the ball significantly harder than in the 60's? possibly as its lighter, if you're close and direct hit may feel that. if the ball is launched up field rate of fall will be the same, unlikely a greater velocity. seems a unsubstantiated claim to head off the lighter ball arguement.

 

[US Seagull]

is it? do players kick the ball significantly harder than in the 60's? possibly as its lighter, if you're close and direct hit may feel that. if the ball is launched up field rate of fall will be the same, unlikely a greater velocity. seems a unsubstantiated claim to head off the lighter ball arguement.

They said "the velocity is so great" not the velocity is greater, which seems to be how you are reading it.

 

[Swegulls]

The play has also changed a fair bit, everyone is playing out from the back now, more or less. Might have reduced the risk a little. Just guessing though.

 

[beorhthelm]

They said "the velocity is so great" not the velocity is greater, which seems to be how you are reading it.

well yes, its inferred. if ball is lighter and velocity is the same, the impact will be less.

 

[Faldo]

Heading is banned in youth football (younger years) from next season.

New heading rules for U7-U11 youth football

New rule introduced to phase out heading in youth football over next three seasons

www.thefa.com

 

[US Seagull]

well yes, its inferred. if ball is lighter and velocity is the same, the impact will be less.

Or they could be arguing that the velocity is so great that the mass of the ball is insignificant in comparison.

 

[jackanada]

Or they could be arguing that the velocity is so great that the mass of the ball is insignificant in comparison.

Well yes the it's the energy of the impact.
The kinetic energy of the ball is 0.5mv² (m - mass v - velocity) so a ball going twice as fast is twice as bad as a ball that's twice the weight.
Don't get people going on about the balls though, if a ball gets kicked the maximum amount of energy it can impart to a head is the energy it was kicked with, but no one is claiming they could kick the ball harder in the past.

 

[US Seagull]

Well yes the it's the energy of the impact.
The kinetic energy of the ball is 0.5mv² (m - mass v - velocity) so a ball going twice as fast is twice as bad as a ball that's twice the weight.
Don't get people going on about the balls though, if a ball gets kicked the maximum amount of energy it can impart to a head is the energy it was kicked with, but no one is claiming they could kick the ball harder in the past.

This is a very good point. And worth remembering.

 

[Hamilton]

Guessing you didn’t get as far as this bit:

“She is also keen to fight back against the argument that the older, heavier balls were more damaging than current lighter ones.
The velocity is so great that the impact on the head is as dangerous as it was in the 1960s
What we really want to get across to young players is they are in danger, this is a problem for them now. Every day there is a kid somewhere heading a football and that's what we need to be focusing on."

Easy to be flippant, but CTE in the brain is no joke, whether that’s football, rugby, MMA or US Football.

I did get that far, but there is nothing in the article that proves or disproves that point, so it’s incorrect to state that heading modern balls will cause the injuries suffered by her husband.

As I said, what’s required is education. But outright bans will be hard to enforce. Unless you change the rules of the game that is. And good luck with that. That could result in two codes emerging.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Too much tinkering with the rules already. As has been said on here , all contact sports carry risk of injury why just football ? You would need to ban the lot . Think also of non competitive leisure activities, horse riding , swimming in the sea? The list could continue.

 

[tigertim68]

Too much tinkering with the rules already. As has been said on here , all contact sports carry risk of injury why just football ? You would need to ban the lot . Think also of non competitive leisure activities, horse riding , swimming in the sea? The list could continue.

I agree

 

[jamie (not that one)]

The standard of football outside of the top leagues would probably go up if heading wasn't allowed. Not immediately (it would actually be a mess initially), but a few years down the line for sure.