Is Pulis heading out?

[gurujuan]

I was wondering, with more evidence suggesting that there is a link between regularly heading of a football, and dementia, will that be the final nail in the coffin for purveyors of hoof ball? The PFA are already proposing to limit heading practice in training, and ban it completely from certain age groups. In truth, it is only in the UK where this outdated way of playing still exists, and then pretty much consigned to the lower leagues. 
I don’t foresee a situation where heading will be completely outlawed, but can see a time where players won’t be encouraged to play that way, and purveyors of that style of football, like Pulis, will become redundant

[adelphi1867]

4 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

I was wondering, with more evidence suggesting that there is a link between regularly heading of a football, and dementia, will that be the final nail in the coffin for purveyors of hoof ball? The PFA are already proposing to limit heading practice in training, and ban it completely from certain age groups. In truth, it is only in the UK where this outdated way of playing still exists, and then pretty much consigned to the lower leagues. 
I don’t foresee a situation where heading will be completely outlawed, but can see a time where players won’t be encouraged to play that way, and purveyors of that style of football, like Pulis, will become redundant

Well seeing as any form of bodily contact is just about outlawed in the game I can see a time when the game will be more boring than it is now.

I wait until the time come when Goal keepers are not allowed to use their hands.

[Guest mkowl]

A chap I know is involved in futsal and that perhaps should be the way forward upto age 14 say. 

 

I must admit when my lad plays and heads it, not something I enjoy seeing

[owls-swfc]

There is obviously a link to dementia and heading a football (similar to what you might expect in boxing)... However, the players in the 50s and sixties were playing with totally different (bigger and heavier) balls, that got heavier throughout a match if saturated with rainwater..... Today's balls a smaller and lighter and don't absorb water... You would expect a lower risk of long term damage although still a risk of course. 

[The Night-Owl]

Sounds to me like Pulis despite his negative reputation, is willing to adapt and play to players strengths, in a similar way to the likes of Bruce and Warnock. 

 

"You get pigeon-holed at times,” says Pulis. “When I was at Stoke we had Crouchie (Peter Crouch), Kenwyne Jones, (Mamady) Sidebe, (Matthew) Etherington and (Jermaine) Pennant – we played to those strengths, got the ball forward, got it wide and got lots of crosses in the box and played very, very direct football which suited that team. 

 

At West Brom, I had Bobby Brown and two little forwards who couldn’t play that way so we played through the pitch quickly with smaller passes. I had (Chris) Brunt, (James) Morrison and (Craig) Gardner (who also joined the Owls coaching staff this week) who were good footballers but we still played the way I like playing and that is through the pitch when you get the opportunity.

 

That’s what I’ll try and do here. I will look to find a way that suits the team and try and play to that. I expect the players to be committed and work as hard as they possibly can. We will set our stall out to put a system in place that suits the lads who are at this football club at this present moment...."

[gurujuan]

The science seems to suggest that there is something in it, but I suppose the evidence has been compiled from a different era. The balls used now are a lot different

[gurujuan]

I know that Bobby Charlton was cited as one example, but to be honest, unlike his brother Jack, I don’t recall him heading it that often

[asteener1867]

I remember, unfortunately..The old "casey" balls...If you headed it on the lace, you looked like f.ookin' Frankensteins monster  for a week,

if it was too soft it simply wrapped around yer face and gave you 2 cauliflower ears.

For someone like Astle or Hurst, repeatedly heading one of those both in training and competetive matches???

Even those "dimpled" heavy things at schools in the 70's were too hard!

[owlsdreamer]

14 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

I was wondering, with more evidence suggesting that there is a link between regularly heading of a football, and dementia, will that be the final nail in the coffin for purveyors of hoof ball? The PFA are already proposing to limit heading practice in training, and ban it completely from certain age groups. In truth, it is only in the UK where this outdated way of playing still exists, and then pretty much consigned to the lower leagues. 
I don’t foresee a situation where heading will be completely outlawed, but can see a time where players won’t be encouraged to play that way, and purveyors of that style of football, like Pulis, will become redundant

That statement and the inference that heading a football is part of the so called hoofball tactic and absolute rubbish

Get a grip.

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

Ya b*stard, OP!

 

For a minute there, I thought he'd done a Bruce.

 

[gurujuan]

Just now, owlsdreamer said:

That statement and the inference that heading a football is part of the so called hoofball tactic and absolute rubbish

Get a grip.

Of course heading a ball is going to be a major part of playing a game, when the ball spends so much time in the air That’s a fact

[Tamworthowl]

The match balls used today are a world away from that of the day of Astle, Stiles and Charlton. It’s really a no-brainer (pun intended) to link dementia in players with the solid objects they used to head in the 60s/70s, and even later.

 

But that’s not to deny a link is likely with the current balls too. 

Football could adopt a 5-a-side rule of keeping the ball below head height. Or just ban heading. This won’t be an end to “Pulis heading”, it’ll be an end to players like Beckham and Brunt and the management style that used their crossing ability. It’s erroneous to imply that restricting heading will limit Tony Pulis any more than any other manager.

[S36 OWL]

Heading is part of the game, ban it and the game is finished. 

[fudge27]

4 minutes ago, Tamworthowl said:

The match balls used today are a world away from that of the day of Astle, Stiles and Charlton. It’s really a no-brainer (pun intended) to link dementia in players with the solid objects they used to head in the 60s/70s, and even later.

 

But that’s not to deny a link is likely with the current balls too. 

Football could adopt a 5-a-side rule of keeping the ball below head height. Or just ban heading. This won’t be an end to “Pulis heading”, it’ll be an end to players like Beckham and Brunt and the management style that used their crossing ability. It’s erroneous to imply that restricting heading will limit Tony Pulis any more than any other manager.

It's not though is it. Not that it's relevant as it will take years to go through depending on the outcome of a study

 

 

[gurujuan]

4 minutes ago, asteener1867 said:

I remember, unfortunately..The old "casey" balls...If you headed it on the lace, you looked like f.ookin' Frankensteins monster  for a week,

if it was too soft it simply wrapped around yer face and gave you 2 cauliflower ears.

For someone like Astle or Hurst, repeatedly heading one of those both in training and competetive matches???

Even those "dimpled" heavy things at schools in the 70's were too hard!

I was a centre back when I was playing, and used to spend at least a couple of sessions practicing heading. Can also remember at school, somehow getting concussed from heading a ball. As it turned out, it was the winning goal in a regional cup final. It was one of those balls you described, and I can remember I connected with it, but maybe not with the forehead, and that was it, I was concussed for about a week

[vulva]

The whole thing is a load of ballacks if you ask me. 

[daleblue]

8 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

The science seems to suggest that there is something in it, but I suppose the evidence has been compiled from a different era. The balls used now are a lot different

Come 2050 and the games will have gone underground with headers being allowed in the illegal game of (ballers to the world) where its played in disused underground car parks with crowds of 100 thousand plus, illegally streamed to fans across the world. 

[fpowl]

26 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

I was wondering, with more evidence suggesting that there is a link between regularly heading of a football, and dementia, will that be the final nail in the coffin for purveyors of hoof ball? The PFA are already proposing to limit heading practice in training, and ban it completely from certain age groups. In truth, it is only in the UK where this outdated way of playing still exists, and then pretty much consigned to the lower leagues. 
I don’t foresee a situation where heading will be completely outlawed, but can see a time where players won’t be encouraged to play that way, and purveyors of that style of football, like Pulis, will become redundant

Think if it is outlawed pulis would adapt he’s a football man I’m sure I. His career he’s adapted to a lot of the game and has broader much open views on the game that many try to pigeon hole him against 

[vulva]

1 minute ago, gurujuan said:

I was a centre back when I was playing, and used to spend at least a couple of sessions practicing heading. Can also remember at school, somehow getting concussed from heading a ball. As it turned out, it was the winning goal in a regional cup final. It was one of those balls you described, and I can remember I connected with it, but maybe not with the forehead, and that was it, I was concussed for about a week

It can’t have been that bad. You can remember doing it and the fact it was a regional cup final. 

[Sefton owl]

Really got me worried then