If they ban heading,football is finished,what a bunch of fairies the human race has turned into. The balls these days are like balloons. Get me back to the seventies!!!

I think the issue is the risks that come from aerial challenges. Take what happened to Jiminez for example. Doesn’t matter if the ball is made of paper, same thing would have happened.

That being said, banning headers would end football

Balls have changed and there is much more knowledge of it today.

To be honest I am not sure we can really be in a position to know if balls today are having as bigger impact for at least a few more years.

Think clubs should be required to do regular brain scans though, more knowledge is going to be vital to keep players safe

It wouldn't end it.

It would change it massively, but people would still watch it.

However at the end of the day you cant completely live without risk, only make sure you do everything you can to negate it.

Don't see headers ever been banned and I think there are far more other options you can look into if there is an ongoing concern

Ban Boxing, Rugby, Golf,(ball could clobber an innocent bystander!)Tennis,(ball could clobber an innocent bystander!)throwing a ball for the dog!..

Someone might slip over the muck!..

Ban all sports, because to many people get injured and some even have to retire!..

Mind, those that play sports do it of their own free will and most enjoy what they're doing, and like people have said, heading belongs to the game!..

It is a load of bollox though, 99.9% of footballers have no issues heading a ball ever.

If heading a ball is dangerous, then better stop with Formula 1 altogether

Or downhill skiing.

Or bobsledding

Or....

feck me

Is there really a difference between the precedent of the banning headers narrative and also saying to ban tackles because of the occasional leg breakers we see? Particularly if the narrative is based on extraordinary acute events like the one OP posted on the BBC.

If it is based on long-term fears of heading on chronic brain injury then that is a bit different but then also like literally anything, if there is a solid enoigh evidence based to prove that footballers playing now have a significant risk of developing degenerative cerebral disease later in life vs the general population this should simply be an informed risk for footballers and their parents to take into account like literally anything.

Sorry for repeat of literally anything 🥲

Don't think it should be banned, but it wouldn't end the game or anything.

I think just taking the brain much more seriously in general would be fine, as someone mentioned scans. It's a very complex muscle (is it a muscle?!) which is very important to our well being that we currently neglect.

Give the players helmets, problem solved as stupid as it will look.

comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 6 minutes ago
Give the players helmets, problem solved as stupid as it will look.
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And a stick and call it hockey

That makes no sense, not sure why I think hockey players have helmets

You're thinking of ice hockey.

Banning heading would be like putting an indicator on a F1 car

I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)

Only way you can really ban heading is for a free kick to be given if the ball goes above shoulder height like in 5-a-side. Any long high punt will just see two players grappling each other to try and get ball control. It would be very untidy and create many more free kicks.

comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)
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Well that's nonsense for a start.

comment by Kebablegs (U17699)
posted 1 minute ago
Only way you can really ban heading is for a free kick to be given if the ball goes above shoulder height like in 5-a-side. Any long high punt will just see two players grappling each other to try and get ball control. It would be very untidy and create many more free kicks.
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As a 6 foot 5 individual the head height rule in five a side never seems to apply to my head height.

comment by Lubo - We're Home! (U14008)
posted 7 hours, 38 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well that's nonsense for a start.
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There were more goals conceded at the weekend as a result of making mistakes whilst playing out from the back. High risk low reward. Can't see any other reason why teams do it, they always end up kicking it long anyway, they just waste about 10 seconds of gametime thinking about it

impossible to do, will ruin the game

comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 1 minute ago
comment by Lubo - We're Home! (U14008)
posted 7 hours, 38 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well that's nonsense for a start.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

There were more goals conceded at the weekend as a result of making mistakes whilst playing out from the back. High risk low reward. Can't see any other reason why teams do it, they always end up kicking it long anyway, they just waste about 10 seconds of gametime thinking about it
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That's a very flawed tactical analysis there. It's too early in the morning for me to explain the complexities of inviting the press and then hitting over the top, but regardless of that, saying that we, for example, always end up going long is nonsense. We don't. Sometimes we do. That's called varying your attacking patterns and making it hard to defend against.

The reason that teams have started playing out from the back in recent years is because it has consistently been the most effective way of playing the game.

comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
wtf? don't be daft lad

I think the issue isn't the heading as such but the heading from an early age, when the body is still developing and then building on damage done. A bit of protection as I suggested in my article could help.

comment by Shaun M - Rapinha de vi la loca (U9955)
posted 13 hours, 33 minutes ago
I have a feeling (conspiracy) that this playing out of from the back nonsense is teams being pressured by the FA amoung others to reduce heading from football (goalkicks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
🤣🤣🤣

I thought playing from the back was to give you more control going forward!..

Kicking long is a 50/50 thing for both teams and gives your oponent the same chance as you to invite/put the pressure on!..