The proving it bit is difficult, like with most illnesses I suspect. The studies so far show footballere 3.5 times more likely to get a degenerative brain disease. More being learned all the time now that people accepting there is likely a link between heading and brain injury. All this is about though is training, not the match we watch. If this makes everyone focus on how to be safer in training I am all for it. As someone else said earlier I can see a head guard of some sort for training. Maybe the premier league will divert some of its profit to inventing something.
Just been listening to a fella on the radio who is a scientist been studying brain injuries for 20 years. Made some good points but one struck me. He said this argument balls were heavier backin the day and that is a reason doesnt stand up. He says the modern balls travel faster so the speed at which they hit the head offsets the weight reduction and the overall impact may not be too different. He used lots of scientefic language, which I struggled with, and talked about some physics so I got lost. But the speed v weight argument seemed to make some sense at least. He also said their are head guards in development right now that could be a game changer.
Oh no arguments mate. But I also reckon forwards would get smashed in the head a few times a game too.
I suppose deep down we all knew - after all the insult 'He's a right head the ball' must have come from some intuitive linking of heading with brain injury. The thing that gets to me is that how do they tease out the effects of brain injury from footballs, from physical collision, from smoking, from alcohol and from that great british favourite, CJD? People used to die in their 50s and 60s from heart attacks, now they live into their 70s and more get diagnosed with dementia. I get it that footballers are more likely to get dementia, but can medics honestly say that the brain wasn't mildly injured by the football but that this mild injury wasn't then greatly exacerbated by having a skin full after training or the match?
As I understand it, this rule will only apply to training, SO FAR. During games players can carry on as before. But I am reminded of Mr Clough, who had strong views on heading, (as on virtualy everthing else). He said, ---- If god had intended us to play the ball in the air, he'd have given us wings, Seems that Brian had a point,
