10 Aug 2018 10:12:06
Hi Ed001,

What's your view on the studies of head injuries and heading a football being related? Do you think even with good evidence Fifa would change anything? Personally I can't see them doing anything.

The only possible solution I can see is a change in the material of the football so that there's less impact on the head. Whether that's possible I have no idea!

Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - I can only see changes being made at youth level to be honest. Not sure what else can be done really other than football making sure people know that it causes damage and accept liability for past problems before the admittal.}

1.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:55:35
Perhaps make skull caps mandatory?

{Ed025's Note - how about suits of armour and sponge boots?, they are already mollycoddled to death RTID, its a bloody mans game and the players need to grow a set and step up to the plate mate..

2.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 13:27:48
A bit short sighted in my honest opinion Ed, one day when I have a son and he goes on to play for Liverpool id be concerned about head trauma from repetitive heading of the ball 🙂 besides its not like were talking about simulation here, the effects can be severe.

{Ed025's Note - but its not a cannon ball RTID its a bag of air, years ago when it was a leather casey with a lace in it yes you may have a point, but besides geoff astle can you name anyone in history who has had problems because of heading a football?, when you compare it to the likes of boxing or rugby its a light year away from being dangerous mate and its being highlighted imo so that claims for compensation can be made in the future..cynical i know but thats what i think..

3.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 14:24:11
You don't have to head the ball if you keep it on the deck. Problem solved, I've just saved football. Also nobody show these researchers boxing or MMA, they'd have an aneurysm.

4.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 15:04:50
Might be why so many footballers have such low IQs ed025, did you think of that? 😉.

5.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 15:22:25
Make everyone wear Fellani wigs to soften the blow!

6.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 14:18:35
Ed01, in your opinion, even if it becomes a big thing at youth level, don't you think it will still affect the game massively if players aren't learning to head the ball properly until they're 18 or 21? I'm only 37 but I still remember the days when I was like 6-13 where the balls seemed to absorb water and a header would hurt, I think taking it out of the youth game makes it more dangerous as by the time you get to an age where someone can seriously smack a ball, you're then at the point where you're learning to head it correctly, I say leave it as it is. Not at the cost of long or short term damage obviously but they're protected so much as it is, I personally don't see headers as a problem.

{Ed001's Note - I am not sure that the risk of brain disease should be dismissed so lightly purely at the risk of losing an ability that really isn't that important in the modern era anyway.}

7.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 16:18:25
That's fair enough ed, and reading over my last post I can see it looked as though I was brushing the fears under the carpet, I genuinely wasn't, health comes above everything, it was more so, I started playing at under 5's, I still play now, and pretty much everyone I play with has played the same length of time, some a bit shorter, others longer, I know it's naive to think it's not happened to any of us so should be fine etc but in skull caps haven't protected it from rugby, boxing is becoming more and more popular with the success that British boxers are having at present, and also, is it likely to be a worldwide ban through youth or British, European, etc, I haven't done a massive amount of research so I am a bit blind to it but how common is it to have brain injuries in this circumstance, again, I want to reemphasize that I'm not saying it's fine, I'm generally not in the know about the research that's been conducted and with it potentially having a huge affect on the game, health is more important so how frequent is it or is it more preventative before it becomes common? As always, appreciate your opinion.

{Ed001's Note - no one knows how frequent it is, but it is known to be a contributing factor towards depression and that is incredibly common in retired footballers. Much as I love a good headed goal, particularly a diving header, maybe the answer is to make the head the same as the hand, a part of the body that is outlawed? Would it really be that bad to do without headers?}

8.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 16:36:12
I think it would change the game entirely, to be honest. Players have been getting taller which wouldn't be as necessary, tactics would change greatly in the main. Not for the worse, I don't think though. Certain players and managers would effectively become redundant. It would certainly take some getting used to though.

Hypothetically speaking, what happens when somebody shoots and smacks the ball into a defenders head or face? Free kick to whom or not at all? Also, would we see more overhead kicks as you wouldn't be able to challenge for an aerial ball with your head?

General play wouldn't be affected as much, bouncing balls from goal kicks aside and high feet as players posture to try and control the ball in the air. It would be the pinch points where goals are scored or prevented that would be affected the most.

9.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 17:11:11
This is a joke?

You don't want your children heading a ball then out them into golf.

It's like the nfl and all the complaining that happens about effects years later. You literally pulled on a plastic helmet sometimes a leather one and smashed heads with one another.

You can't just change a sport. Ridiculous suggestion.

If you took heading out then at goal kicks the opp would just sit on every opposing player and what's the keeper going to do 😂.

{Ed001's Note - or teams could pass the ball along the ground like we always used to when we dominated. The only joke here is you, as usual, with your moronic posts that spout ignorance on a regular basis. Children's skulls are still growing, like their whole body. There is a reason why, for instance, children are not allowed to compete in endurance events. However we have some gob***** know it all like you to tell us that they know better, so thankfully we can just ignore the fact they are only children and listen to your pathetic mutterings. You are one of those imbeciles like Neil Warnock, who live in the 50s and fail to realise the world has moved on, children are no longer sent up chimneys to work. It would hardly be a big deal to change the game at youth level to remove heading. And if your only argument is that it would stop goalkeepers from hoofing it, then it just shows how stupid your stance is.}

10.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 17:36:46
I was going to say that, wouldn’t no heading encourage better football, and means the likes Fellaini wouldn’t play just because he is a thug, but actually talented players would get better chances, not just based on physical presence.

{Ed001's Note - exactly. Most small-sided versions of football don't allow heading anyway.}

11.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 18:24:55
Just don't let them play then ed, I have children and have no concerns over heading a ball of air. Learn to head it right and your fine.

If I was in America then I wouldn't put my kids any where near nfl. Ever.

You know the risks when putting your children into any sport. You have more horror stories from sports like boxing than others, literally people dying in the ring and there's no changes happening, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE RISKS. Like everything there is a downside.


As for football,

You've got people like Bobby Charlton from the stone age of football still rocking strong. You can't be sure that any people who suffered later in life weren't just going to suffer anyway.

As for changing the games for kids, your talking about the premier league, which is just a childish idea.

What if 50 plus ex footballers start developing severe limps in their kicking foot, do we just abolish football? .

Boxing do we have them just spout nasty insults at each other until one gets upset?

Come on 😂😂.

{Ed001's Note - oh grow up. You offer nothing to the conversation when you are so stupid as to talk about it as a bag of air. It is nothing to do with that, if you were intelligent enough to understand basic science you would know it is even more dangerous now than it was in the past with the heavier balls. Way over your head to understand that the speed the ball moves at increases the force it hits the head. But it is ok because you can think of one player that you hope is still ok but have no actual idea whether that is true or not. You have no idea if he has suffered any kind of mental issues from heading the ball or not.}

12.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 19:14:31
Kloppsboss, you are embarrassing yourself. Saying that people know the risks of playing football is just a strawman's argument. Cos I knew what I signed up for does NOT bar the football (or any other sports) officials from making the game or sport safer for us to play Even the NFL is doing the best it can to make the game safer so what is football's excuse?

Also, The ball or bag of air has nothing to do with head injuries that can happen as a result of pursuing it. When two players go for a header, the ball is not the issue here, it is the risk of both player getting concussed if they both collide. Same for a GK, rushing out of his goal to pick up a low cross in a sea of legs, leading with his head. More policies need to be put in place to protect players from more head injuries and IMO, GK's should start wearing Petr Cech-type head-gears to protect them more cos we all know what happened when he went for a ball head first and almost never played again.

13.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 20:21:41
Using hand picked legends is such a poor way of evidencing your point. They make the same mistake in NFL when they used the ex-players on TV as examples. So that's a handful of players, where are the hundreds and things of others who we never see again?

I agree fully with limiting damage to the head at youth level in all sorts.

14.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 22:20:49
Klopps what are you talking about they have stopped head contact in the NFL now and if it happens it is penalised, so if it's a problem in other sports then the obvious thing would be to stop what is causing it.
One cannot understand why you are arguing about this but failing to back your argument up fella.

15.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 23:15:21
My old man always used go say it was stupid us kids using proper footballs. I was a good little player at 10. We were only allowed to use small footballs in our concrete playground. Ya know, about twice/ thrice the size of a cricket ball. Leather usually. Most of us played in the same kids team and in training we used full size balls and full size goals. Our gk couldn't reach the halfway line in goal kicks. I was penalty taker and I just used to put it in the roof of the net. The little 10 Yr old keepers couldn't reach it in a million years.

There is the argument that it makes kids muscular and prepares them for adult football but if you look at pro clubs, in training the kids use smaller balls, lighter. And smaller goals that the keeper has a chance at.

Head injuries are a serious thing. But most athletes know the dangers they face. Joshua getting in a ring with klitchko. Good god. Not for a million pounds would I. But they do, and for more than a million pounds. The balls have got lighter and lighter, footballers of the past would eat this lot for breakfast.

Can you imagine sourness claiming "the ball is too heavy, it hurts my head" or Brian Robson.

If we're worried about injuries in sport let's look at rugby we're headbutting is part of the game plan. Or boxing where the only aim is to hit your opponent in the head, kidneys or gut. Or formula one where people get in little cars and fly around a track at 200 mph

In the grand scheme of things football is a pretty light sport. Not as light as many think (I've been badly injured playing football) but it's a beautiful game.

16.) 12 Aug 2018
12 Aug 2018 08:43:45
Robbie - we are talking about kids. They can't reasonably be expected to, at 8 yrs old, to make a decision about the rest of their life.