Heading the ball

[Pubey]

I suppose its just odd that after 100 plus years this has only just come up. Of course the head hitting something is not good and parents should of course be able to make informed choices.

We only have the medical technology (imaging, neurological tests etc) to start to even begin to unravel the mystery of brain injuries, especially over a long period of time.

No one is saying there's definitive evidence, and no one is suggesting an outright ban, however the evidence for MTBI/Concussion in football is mounting just as it has in more physical sports like american football and wrestling, and also in other occupations like the armed forces.

Football needs to be aware and open minded about this because if they ignore it then if/when more definitive evidence comes along then it could be too late. I still think that banning dropped goal kicks for under 16s would be a good tactic, firstly due to the potential risks and secondly because it gets the ball in play more, and makes playing out from the back completely normal.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

http://www.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/09/10/concussions-youth-soccer-headers-fifa-head-injury

 

[Jam_Man]

Featured on Good Morning Britain this morning with Geoff Astles daughters earlier.

They had a teacher who made the point that there shouldnt be scaremongering before real research has happened and that Astle played in an era when balls were heavier especially when wet.

The daughters dismissed this and said there was no evidence at all to say balls were any heavier. Now I remember balls definitely being heavier even in the 70's, yet I was lighter so was it just relative.

Having a quick google and balls in the 66 world cup were certainly the same weight as they are now dry, but surely they were heavier wet?

 

[South Bank Hank]

Geoff Astles daughters

...was it just relative?

Seems that way.