Nor these…
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Well, Ron Atkinson was all of those rolled into one.
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And another one… just listening to a discussion on BBC. Apparently a pro central defender probably heads the ball 20000 times in a 20 year career. Are we surprised then that they suffer higher rates of dementia? How long before the sport has to properly address it and make changes.. I’m sure that one day heading a football will be banned..
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Remember when I first started heading the ball as a kid and I would get headaches from it.. If anything I think the 20,000 headers in 20 years is understated considering pros must have played a lot growing up.
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If there is correlation between heading a ball and insult to the brain, then it will be banned.
Then, boxing, UFC, all manner of martial arts will be banned. Maybe horse racing? Particularly national hunt. In Ireland hurling will have to go.
I wonder if other factors are being explored regarding brain injury in football? Lifestyle factors?
We are fast becoming a risk aversive society.
No running in the playground please.
This is quite a feat to achieve. 
Estionian side Paide Linnameeskond concede a goal after 14 seconds, without the opposition even touching the ball
Credit: WarriorkingNL
Also massive difference heading a ball that is used today compared to when Mcqueen was in his hey day.
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It’s already banned at youth level up to a certain age.
Is heading the ball part of the game though?
Instead of banning, why not coach kids how to head the ball?
@Sportbilly1966 makes a good point regarding the difference between the footballs headed by McQueen and Astle vs the ball today.
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Key Findings on Football and Dementia
- Repetitive Impact: It is not necessarily the weight of the ball, but the cumulative effect of heading over a career that is linked to brain injury.
- Modern Balls: Despite being lighter, modern synthetic balls travel much faster, potentially causing similar, or worse, trauma upon impact.
Modern balls lol, you head an old wet leather ball and then tell me which is worse!
Coaching kids how to head the ball doesn’t stop their brain rattling around the skull. It’s definitely not something they should be repeatedly practicing, so no issues with banning heading in youth football.
It isn’t going to be banned at pro level, not in the near future. It would be too stark a change.
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agreed.
coaching kids how to head the ball is a big no no at sub junior level…skulls and brains still developing, si whilst i get @Quicksand s point, its the opposite of what has to happen …we didnt start until they were 14 and over…
they cant head the ball for shit, but i wasnt going to be the one to put that above a developing brain.
i think we’ll see a massive decline in heading ability in first world economy players, and eventually a phasing out of the game of heading the ball, somehow.
i dont think it will be as detrimental to the game as what we initially think…it wont be a rule changed overnight, itll be a generational thing.
i do love a headed goal and hate changing the sport, but if its central to player health
its also not relevant comparing it to boxing, or any of the fighting sports…
conflict and submission by violence is the idea of those sports…
the idea of football is to score more goals than your oponent, and can be done whilst caring for player welfare
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Young un’s see heading on the TV and during matches aren’t they better being taught how to head a ball properly than just by watching and trying?
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no.
its something about the developing brain.
i understand your point, but a correct heading technique is still trauma to the head. its not like you teach them how to head and the problem goes away.
ultimately its not safe. so teaching them a correct technique might be better than not teaching them anything, but only just
debate in the game is suggesting heading be banned at junior level.
very hot topic and i think alot of people just want to ignore it so the problem is someone elses.
having said all of that…its an evolving situation and my understanding of what was relevant 3/4 years ago may have changed… i doubt it though.
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Fwiw we have an entire thread devoted to the debate
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do we?
can you link, i genuinely never seen it, love to read it ( i bet it turns out ive posted in it as well!!!)
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I’ve coached kids football for years here in the States, and they can’t head it until 13. Bits before that, but compared to what I grew up in the UK with, there are rules here on this stuff.
I see a future game where heading is minimized or even outlawed. Arsenal will be knackered with their corner strategy.