[Football] Football without heading the ball

[gazingdown]

Many times and it hasnt affected me my mind and brain is still very alert.

It's impossible to know how much it as affected you as how much more alert and clever would you have been if you had never headed a ball?

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

so no development of heading skills, no long ball passes or goal kicks. corners are probably out, free kicks in the final third of little threat.

dont necessarily say thats all bad, noting the consequences.

I really am talking about the very young ages though. I see no reason why, at 'training', the kids can't do very simple drills to practice the skills mentioned above (apart from heading).

Stand two kids 20 yards from each other, each in a square of cones. Make them pass the ball to each other with the aim to be the ball landing in the other opponents square. I see that far more beneficial than a kids hoofing it in a match and all running after it.

Another one. Set up two cones in a direct line in front of the kids. Make them practice curling the ball round the first cone . Basic corner and free kick technique.

Then, in a practice game, you actually work on keeping the ball on the floor. First touch. awareness, passing accuracy.

I really think very little would be lost from development, in fact I think you'd see an improvement. Knowing you can't just panic and hoof makes you play.

And, obviously, your not exposing a childs weak skull to needless heading of a football.

 

[wellquickwoody]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45110282

"I believe, eventually, at the professional level we need to restrict heading of the ball. It is dangerous."

I’ve been heading footballs all my life. I wouldn’t change a thing

OK, willing to go first here.........Effing Snowflakes!

 

[TheJasperCo]

In b4 'bloody nanny-state gone mad' etc. etc.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

I’m not that fussed about the kicking aspect of the game either to be honest.

I propose that players just gently roll the ball about using their hands and, at the end of the game, everyone is declared the winner.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Many times and it hasnt affected me my mind and brain is still very alert.

Obviously!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Exactly. Shearer had his brain tested on his documentary on the subject and, despite heading the ball repeatedly during training during his career and obviously a great deal durimg games, his brain showed no signs of damage.

Edit: of course I know my evidence is of one player - I just think there needs to be a lot more research done with modern footballers, although i guess in terms of dementia you can't really conduct research yet. Tricky one

A bit like global warming. I looked at temperature tables recently and the current increase looks frightening if you look at the last couple of hundred years, but it looks like a trivial blip if you go back thousands. That said, there is plenty of science that explains how greenhouse gases are made and what they do so only a mug would advocate burning piles of rubber tyres and polystyrene (like we did back in the 60s). There is enough evidence already that heading an old wet leather ball is risky. But as others have said, the modern lighter ball may be much less so. Regarding taking heading out of the game, it is out of some junior games already. Free kick if ball hoofed to head height (riochets ignored). My guess is the rules won't change yet and that the lighter balls will be found to be less dangerous, perhaps associated with a decline in hoof ball. Those ones from the past though were brutal when wet. I was almost knocked out by one in Easthill Park, Portslade, in the 60s.

 

[lizard]

While we're at it, how about boxing without head shots?

 

[GT49er]

In five-a-side football, isn't the ball required to be kept below a certain height anyway (well below head height)?

I agree the modern light-weight ball is likely to be less concussive than the old leather ones (or basket balls which were favoured at my school - they were not only heavy, but they stung too! - but perhaps a change to reduce the amount of heading in the game, thereby reducing the risks? Only allow heading in the penalty areas.
This would keep the exciting elements of heading the ball, corners, free kicks, etc., but without necessarily spoiling the game - it would for instance stop stalemate matches descending into a boring game of head tennis. That wouldn't be a bad thing either, IMHO.

 

[blue-shifted]

Children should be taught the skill of heading from a young age. It’s part of the game.

In youth football the ball they use is the issue. Though they should be using a ball proportionate to their size and strength.

Even if they use a size 3, (in most kids clubs it’s mostly 4 and 5) the ball isn’t much lighter than an adults ball. If you watch kids mucking around in a park, they’re mostly using adults balls, because that’s what they’ve been bought.

I’ve got my boy a futsal type thing, it doesn’t bounce around that much, but even if it does its size and weight are in proportion to his size and strength so he can head it without risk.

 

[Brovion]

Never mind heading, even playing professional football is dangerous and gives you an increased risk of a heart attack:
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...udy-nwankwo-kanu-fabrice-muamba-a8483051.html

Ban training, that's what I say. And running during games, obviously.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Never mind heading, even playing professional football is dangerous and gives you an increased risk of a heart attack:
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...udy-nwankwo-kanu-fabrice-muamba-a8483051.html

Ban training, that's what I say. And running during games, obviously.

I banned myself from running during football a long time ago, as Jack Straw will testify.

 

[lost in london]

The question of the extent of proof required before changes are made is an interesting one - applies to dangerous trades / industries, sports, environment etc.

I really recommend you listen to this:
http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/22-burden-of-proof

Malcolm Gladwell looks into burden of proof before changes are made, looking at the coal industry and NFL. It's only 40 minutes or so, available on your normal podcast apps (search for the 'Revisionist History' podcast). Really interesting podcast.

 

[Springal]

Raphaël Varane: “My seven-year-old son plays football, and I advise him not to header the ball”.

“Even if it does not cause immediate trauma, we know that in the long term, repeated shocks are likely to have harmful effects”.

“I don’t know if I will live to be 100, but I know that I have damaged my body… I can feel that”.

“Earlier this season, I headed the ball repeatedly during a match for Man United and felt abnormally tired in the following days, as well as having some eye fatigue”.

“As footballers playing at the highest level, we are used to pain, we are a bit like soldiers, tough guys, symbols of physical strength, but these symptoms are almost invisible”, told L’Équipé.

 

[Insel affe]

It’s inevitable that it will be banned in the future

 

[Questions]

Thedonkeycentrehalf will be on in a minute to say it’s not affected him. Just go with it.

 

[AlbionBro]

Thedonkeycentrehalf will be on in a minute to say it’s not affected him. Just go with it.

heeeee aaaalways says that.

 

[Questions]

heeeee aaaalways says that.

You’ve thoroughly ruined a fine joke there.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

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

 

[Pavilionaire]

Stop attacking the natural game. I suppose next they'll be telling us they want to ban diving and timewasting.