[johnny Cash]

Moving forwards the recommendation is that a maximum of 10 higher-force headers are carried out in any training week. These are typically headers following a long pass (more than 35m) or from crosses, corners and free-kicks.

It seems quite restrictive to me for certain positions. I wonder how many times an average centre half would head a ball in training at present per week.

[Atomic]

Ridiculous! The world has literally gone mad. People do get hurt doing things, people do die. Its about time people accepted this.

If you choose to be a footballer you know and accept the risks.

No one forces anyone to play football.

I don't like the idea of a nanny state.

It will soon be illegal for boxers to punch each other.

[hardtobeat]

And who and how is this going to be policed . Ooops sorry sir was that eleven , must have mis counted !

[boinging_along]

Ridiculous! The world has literally gone mad. People do get hurt doing things, people do die. Its about time people accepted this.

If you choose to be a footballer you know and accept the risks.

No one forces anyone to play football.

I don't like the idea of a nanny state.

It will soon be illegal for boxers to punch each other.

Ask Jeff Astle's family if they think it would be a good idea or not...

[johnny Cash]

The Astle situation should not be ignored, but it also shouldn’t be forgotten the game was different, those old balls were significantly different. 

How many players since 1990 have had long term issues from heading?

I’m with Atomic, I’m inclined to think this is a step too far.

[Atomic]

Ask Jeff Astle's family if they think it would be a good idea or not...

They are too involved and I blame them to some extent although it is a sin amongst Albion fans obviously. Ask Jeff if he wanted to play football or if he wanted to head the ball. He wasn't stupid, he loved playing football. They need to let it go but they cant. They are only harming themselves by denying closure especially Lorraine. Everyone is sympathetic, which I totally get but sometimes people need to hear the reality in order to move on, it doesnt always help when everyone gathers round in "support".

Just an aside, those balls are completely different to now. When I was young I couldn't kick the ball outside the penalty area, now they float and swerve everywhere. Nowhere near alike except the shape.

[Hull Baggie]

The Astle situation should not be ignored, but it also shouldn’t be forgotten the game was different, those old balls were significantly different. 

How many players since 1990 have had long term issues from heading?

I’m with Atomic, I’m inclined to think this is a step too far.

hard to say, how much research has been done on them around heading the ball and the risk of dementia or other long term issues?

[TheJacko2000]

The dry weight of a football has been governed by the laws of the game since 1937 and hasn't changed. Prior to that they were lighter...

An enduring myth.

Regards the actual topic, every little helps. Can't see this impacting matches in any way.

[Atomic]

The dry weight of a football has been governed by the laws of the game since 1937 and hasn't changed. Prior to that they were lighter...

An enduring myth.

Regards the actual topic, every little helps. Can't see this impacting matches in any way.

It's not the weight it's the outer layer. Now they are cushioned back in the 70's they weren't.

It started to change in the early 80's when the Mitre Delta came along.

Another aside, the rain doesn't increase the weight of modern balls like it used to decades ago.

[Hull Baggie]

They are too involved and I blame them to some extent although it is a sin amongst Albion fans obviously. Ask Jeff if he wanted to play football or if he wanted to head the ball. He wasn't stupid, he loved playing football. They need to let it go but they cant. They are only harming themselves by denying closure especially Lorraine. Everyone is sympathetic, which I totally get but sometimes people need to hear the reality in order to move on, it doesnt always help when everyone gathers round in "support".

Just an aside, those balls are completely different to now. When I was young I couldn't kick the ball outside the penalty area, now they float and swerve everywhere. Nowhere near alike except the shape.

Thing is though, he wasn't aware of the potential risks that might be due to heading a heavier wet ball, no one was.

[tuamigos]

It's not the weight it's the outer layer. Now they are cushioned back in the 70's they weren't.

It started to change in the early 80's when the Mitre Delta came along.

Another aside, the rain doesn't increase the weight of modern balls like it used to decades ago.

and you haven't got that bleedin' lace in it.
Many times I've walked home as a kid looking like Zorro with the lace mark in my forehead.

[tommcneill]

The balls have changed and are cushioned on the outer layer now. But lets be honest repeated bashes to the head will cause issues.

They cant/wont change matchday stuff but reducing it in training will go some way to limiting damage.

[johnny Cash]

The dry weight of a football has been governed by the laws of the game since 1937 and hasn't changed. Prior to that they were lighter...

An enduring myth.

Regards the actual topic, every little helps. Can't see this impacting matches in any way.

Doesn't the conversation usually revolve around how much weight they gained when wet though? 

I can't seem to find anything online about exactly how much heavier they could get but the suggestion is it was significant.

[Albionic]

The key word is recommendation,
Its now proven that continually heading a ball will cause damage, the Astle family (Dawn particularly) have done a fantastic job in highlighting this issue, there has to be change, but agree that its a minefield in a game were heading is implicit in performing.