Not is far as they do now. Central midfielders around five miles and extremes of six, but the main difference was the ball was out of play a lot more. Matches frequently saw ball rolling time below forty minutes. Lots of rest in stop start game lasting ninety minutes. There is something in that. Todays standards should not be compared to yesterdays. Todays footballers are super fit athletes playing a game with massive physical demands, yesterdays were not.
That is ok. But todays players are fitter, faster and have to run further. In regards to the last point its a lot further. I have youth team players who run further in a game as a standard (not as outlies) than a 70's Gow or a Shelton. Good U16 players in eighty minute games now do the distances of eighties pros. Kante has ran seven and a half miles in a game. With additional time players are going to go onto new exceptional levels. The physical demands are exceptional now and will increase.
Yes human beings slow down as they age. You have misunderstood the point. Todays players as a standard cover greater distances. The modern physical demands of football are significantly different to those twenty, and thirty etc years ago. I also think similarly regarding technical demands. Players are more technically adept.
I agree, I was pointing out that there comes a point where they will reach a limit. They can’t keep on improving running stats .
A way has been created. Lengthen the game. Modern football is seeing spikes in particular injuries. These appear to be stress related. Lengthening the game will increase physical loads.
tell that to some of the 70 -80- 90 year olds that are still very active .. intensity often destroys ..but regular activity survives ....
Back in the day pitches were part of the problem.. can’t imagine even the fittest of todays players would cope with 5 miles of those.. plus the ball was like a lead weight.. such a different game imo..
was going to post similar played on muddy pitch's with water absorbing boots and a ball to match also clothing was abrorbent to moisture after a wet half a 2 kg + shirt 1 kg shorts and 1 kg pair of socks not to mention shinguards at 1.5 lbs each!!!!
