Headers

[Jack K]

An Enduring Football Myth: The Weight of the Ball – More Than Mind Games

According to this... Not much

Only upside on weight is the modern ball takes on less water.

 

[Zab]

Last nights England v Wales game Neco Williams took a sore one to the head after getting in the way of a shot. He was absolutely poleaxed and tried to play on but had to be substituted. Protecting your goal , that’s what players do. Take that away from the game and it won’t be the same.

Awareness and aftercare is the road we need to go down

Football really needs to introduce a proper concussion protocol. Any player with a head injury should have to be removed from the pitch for at least 10 minutes to get properly assessed, with a temporary substitute allowed.

That may be open to abuse from the more “streetwise” managers out there, but it would also stop players faking head injuries as they’d have to go off.

More importantly it reduces the risk of a concussed player remaining on the park.

 

[ILHTD]

Football really needs to introduce a proper concussion protocol. Any player with a head should have to be removed from the pitch for at least 10 minutes to get properly assessed, with a temporary substitute allowed.

That may be open to abuse from the more “streetwise” managers out there, but it would also stop players faking head injuries as they’d have to go off.

More importantly it reduces the risk of a concussed player remaining on the park.

Great post. We can't afford to miss any possible concussions or real head injuries so get them all off the pitch for 10 minutes as you say. Stop the cheating at a stroke (pardon the pun)

 

[moathibby]

Remember this is a game where guy's used to wear caps, baggie pants and big heavy boots.It's an evolving sport.We're going to have to take on VAR,like it or lump it,we wound find some way of taking on the game without headers.

 

[Rocky]

I would have thought that the biggest risk comes from the balls that have been shelled up into the atmosphere then the centre half has to go for it as it whacks off his napper at terminal velocity. I wonder if there might be an option to only allow headers where the ball has been played backwards (eg from a corner or bye-line cross). The downside is that that would also rule out headers from balls which have been whipped in from the 18 yard line but it might be a compromise.

 

[Jack K]

Football really needs to introduce a proper concussion protocol. Any player with a head injury should have to be removed from the pitch for at least 10 minutes to get properly assessed, with a temporary substitute allowed.

That may be open to abuse from the more “streetwise” managers out there, but it would also stop players faking head injuries as they’d have to go off.

More importantly it reduces the risk of a concussed player remaining on the park.

It's another use for VAR.
It's no substitute for a medical assessment but it would show the level of contact.
There have been some hellish head clashes in the Wotld Cup where players have played on before having to go off.
Looking at the replays with VAR could see a decision to enforce a 10 minute assessment time out.
The VAR footage could then be send to the medical team on the touchline so they can see the collision which would help inform their physical assessment.

 

[Jack K]

I would have thought that the biggest risk comes from the balls that have been shelled up into the atmosphere then the centre half has to go for it as it whacks off his napper at terminal velocity. I wonder if there might be an option to only allow headers where the ball has been played backwards (eg from a corner or bye-line cross). The downside is that that would also rule out headers from balls which have been whipped in from the 18 yard line but it might be a compromise.

That's interesting.
What about the goalkeeper not being allowed to shell the ball from hand or from a byekick
That would eliminate a high percentage of the out the sky stuff.

 

[Rocky]

That's interesting.
What about the goalkeeper not being allowed to shell the ball from hand or from a byekick
That would eliminate a high percentage of the out the sky stuff.

I think that would be my preference, I'm just not sure how you could write a clear enough rule on it (same issue with permitting the keeper to shell it but not allowing the first touch on a shelled ball to be a header). Plus I do think the long ball has its place as a counterattacking move.

 

[Zab]

It's another use for VAR.
It's no substitute for a medical assessment but it would show the level of contact.
There have been some hellish head clashes in the Wotld Cup where players have played on before having to go off.
Looking at the replays with VAR could see a decision to enforce a 10 minute assessment time out.
The VAR footage could then be send to the medical team on the touchline so they can see the collision which would help inform their physical assessment.

Absolutely not. They can’t get simple penalty decisions correct with VAR, never mind assessing something that could potentially put someone’s life in danger.

Just have a proper concussion protocol, off the pitch immediately with a temporary substitute. It’s really not hard

 

[Hammi]

I would have thought that the biggest risk comes from the balls that have been shelled up into the atmosphere then the centre half has to go for it as it whacks off his napper at terminal velocity. I wonder if there might be an option to only allow headers where the ball has been played backwards (eg from a corner or bye-line cross). The downside is that that would also rule out headers from balls which have been whipped in from the 18 yard line but it might be a compromise.

I dont think a ball falling would reach those speeds.
Not from any kickable height at least.

 

[Jack K]

Absolutely not. They can’t get simple penalty decisions correct with VAR, never mind assessing something that could potentially put someone’s life in danger.

Just have a proper concussion protocol, off the pitch immediately with a temporary substitute. It’s really not hard

That's why I said VAR is no substitute for a medical assessment but it can provide useful footage to the medical teams on the ground who are treating a player by allowing them to see the collision. It could form part of best practice aspect of a concussion protocol.

 

[Zab]

That's why I said VAR is no substitute for a medical assessment but it can provide useful footage to the medical teams on the ground who are treating a player by allowing them to see the collision. It could form part of best practice aspect of a concussion protocol.

I wouldn’t muddy the waters with VAR, it doesn’t work properly in a sporting context. It’s not just top level football that need a concussion protocol, should be all the way down to grassroots.