Fair enough.
This will likely be my last comment on any topics related to header in football.
I do not want, for the sake of my entertainment, that football players growing old not remember their children or grandchildren because of constant impact to their brains. Unlike some other organs, the brain cannot be replaced (at least not now).
That is the reason I cannot stomach any sports with participants intended on knocking each others out unconcious, such as MMA or boxing, even with head gears to “protect” the boxers’ noggins.
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Thing is Hugo has headed the ball well, he’s also made really odd contacts at time. Force heading the ball 40-50 times in training a day isn’t going improve him. Knowing where and how to connect will improve him and he can do that without force.
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He has had three scoring opportunities with his head, at least. He made a mess of all three.
I’m gone past the arguments over the safety aspect of heading in matches or training etc…
But the current game involves heading and a professional player should be doing it better
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guessing you’re a bit further advanced in life than myself, but seeing as I have been playing for 45 years now I’ll throw my hat in the ring on this one.
during our lifetime, we have seen the changes in ball “technology” over decades, I still remember leather Mitre balls from the 80s that were stitched in panels like volleyballs, to the traditional pentagon/hexagon patterns to the modern swirling patterns of today. but the materials being used for both the bladder and the outer layer are much, much different.
A couple years ago, one of my U13 players was given an official CL ball by his grandfather (former professional football player). It was a size5 and inflated to standard FA matchday pressure of 11psi
None of my U13 players were able to kick this ball without hurting their foot. I had my turfs on, and gave it a solid hit across the field. It felt like I had just kicked a rock, actually stung my foot. We dropped it down to 10psi, still a rock. Wasn’t until we got it down to 8psi that it was decently playable and still firm.
NO WAY I am ever heading a ball that hard. I’d have a concussion.
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Heading isn’t banned in football. Yet.
So, its still an integral part of the game, and needs to be coached like every other skill.
Whilst it’s not being coached, players are incorrectly heading the ball. Surely that leads to more injury?
The are two ways out of this…
Ban it.
Or coach it properly
As a youth, I played with the old leather footballs that got very very heavy when wet and also had laces, when you headed a soggy one you knew it.
I am still playing and do agree on the current footballs, if you pump them up to the pressure level that is written on them they feel way too hard and like you when I pump them up before a game, it is way below what it says they should be.
Yes, those older leather balls used to get very heavy. Living in Vancouver we get a lot of rain and thus the leather cleats we grew up with had the same problem…I still have a set of Ronaldinho leather cleats that I have been babying for 15 years and only wear on grass fields when it’s dry. Nothing compares to them.
I think our match balls are at 7-8psi for 50’s masters league.
Our masters leagues only go up to over 45’s and I am 60, and stupidly playing in over 35’s and it is showing this year.
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