Could Heading the Ball be Banned

I have a friend who I now only keep in touch with through Christmas cards. She works at The Premier League, and in her summary of the year, she wrote about the big issues for her in her job at the moment. The biggest question in football at the moment is apparently, does heading the ball cause dementia in later life. Currently, the focus is on concussion caused by a clash of heads, and there is little doubt in my mind that there will eventually be compulsory substitutions for players involved in a clash of heads. However, I note that Nobby Styles’ family are claiming that his dementia was caused by repeatedly heading the ball. I smell money on the line here. There is money to be made at universities where studies into the subject will attract grants. There is money to be made in the legal profession when it is realised that football can afford to fund a compensation fund. There is money to be made by ex-footballers, well used to the millionaire lifestyle and who see a way of extending that lifestyle beyond retirement from football.


Do not get me wrong here. If football is causing dementia, then something should be done about it. But what? I have been watching the game of football for more than 55 years. There is no doubt that recently the game has changed. Much of the physical contact has gone out of the game. It is unrecognisable now from the game that I watched and enjoyed back in the 70's. George Best would be unstoppable now. He was only stopped then because he was physically assaulted. But what could football do if it was proved that heading the ball caused dementia, and the game of football was deemed liable. Would we still have a game if it became illegal for the ball to go above shoulder height, if it became illegal for a player to bend lower to clear a ball with his head, if heads and hands were included in the same rule? Would throw-ins become indirect free kicks? Would the cross bar on goals need to be lowered, and the game effectively became subjected to 5-a-side rules. Would there need to be tall footballers any longer, and does the game become a game for dwarfs.


Frankly, I doubt whether we would still have a game if heading was banned, and I think it is important that the consequences are thought through before the current line of reasoning goes much further.

 

It would be the death of football if they banned Heading. Can’t see it happening myself although in this crazy world anything is possible.

 

They will be all made to wear headguards in club colours of course with another sponsors name on the front and also available in a club shop near you.

 

It's no coincidence that 6-7 of the 1966 World Cup winners have passed through it.

I think it's possible that it will eventually be banned in training. I read somewhere that in training players on average will head 100s of times per week. But in actual games some might never head or at maximum a dozen (can't find article but you get my point).

I suppose its like practicing penalties and don't get one all season (until this one like).

Sort of makes sense.

 

I started a post on this subject last week, if this does come to pass, its looking very bleak for contact sport as we know it, rugby, boxing, martial arts etc will all surely be seriously affected..

 

Lineker never headed the ball in training. He was aware of the risks and refused to do it.

I don't think they'll ban it, but wouldn't be surprised to see the introduction of lightweight head guards of some description. And I don't have a problem with that at all. Think it may result in headers being more accurate.

 

Never realised that about Lineker...... begs the question how come he knew 20 years ago?

 

He said that although he didn't know for certain it just seemed obvious to him. When he went up for a header, particularly the ones booted from the keeper, it rattled his head and he just thought, "this can't be good for you."

 

Difference between todays footballs and the type around back in the day which at best were horrendous. At worst like heading a medicine ball.

 

Appears he's done a number of interviews about it recently
https://sportsgazette.co.uk/exclusi...olutely-no-need-to-head-the-ball-in-training/

It's years since I heard him speak about it so you'll get a better idea of his thoughts from this and there's quite a lot of other articles with him talking about it if you do a search

 

From what I've read,watched and listened to over the last few days and weeks it seems that research 'may show' that the old/New balls make no difference.......

I was suprised at that. In my mind if I had the choice of been hit with a brick or a sponge I know which I'd choose.

Just had a few ex-pros on now on Talksport who are lobbying PFA, FA etc.

 

Go and say that to their faces you heartless idiot. Or maybe explain that if headers were banned it would affect your weird, shut-in enjoyment scoring system and they and other families should just have to live with their loved ones losing their memories, dignity and later years of life because the true tragedy would be if Minority Report were affected.

 

I was a centre half and never particularly good at heading the ball. I'm 6 foot 1, and was always completely committed so would usually win the ball, but could never quite guarantee where it would go. The lad I played alongside however was majestic in the air. He just seemed to be able to time every header, his jump, his neck movement, and it always came off the middle of his forehead. And we practiced the same, me more so because I wanted to improve, but I always felt it was just an innate ability.

I've often wondered what 10 years of the ball hitting different bits of my head from goal kicks has had. Particularly out of the keepers hands. I still play 7 a side now and rarely have to head the ball, but the next day my head will always be tender to the touch if I do.

 

I think that new balls are a lot less like a sponge and a lot more like a brick than many people believe. They're not penny floaters, they have some substance to them.

 

Wow!

 

He was before my time really but I personally doubt George Best would have had any of success now given his lifestyle choices and the much, much higher level of fitness required today.

 

Just need to put a government health warning on the ball. Smoking is far worse for you but we still allow people to do it. Obviously people need to be given the necessary information to make the decision, but if you want to play you accept the risk, or play a code with no headers allowed.

 

Don't think he was saying that mate. Unusual for you to get so angry so hope you're OK.