Football is heading for trouble over brain injuries caused by the ball | Daniel Taylor

By -

Kevin Doyle’s retirement on medical grounds because heading was causing persistent headaches shows that problems did not go away when heavy leather balls were phased out

In happier times, there was a story Eric Harrison used to tell his players at Manchester United, as the coach who helped bring through the Class of ’92, about a piece of advice he once received from the centre-half he regarded as the hardest man he had ever seen on a football pitch.

George Curtis will always be best remembered as John Sillett’s managerial partner on the day Coventry City won the 1987 FA Cup. Yet for Harrison’s generation in the 1950s and 1960s he was the kind of centre‑half who could trouble even the most granite-jawed opponent. Harrison played with him on their national service and was always fascinated how a man of 5ft 11in won so many headers against players who were well over 6ft. “No problem,” Curtis explained, “early in the game, when the first ball comes up the middle, I don’t head the ball. I head the back of the centre-forward’s head against the ball – and he doesn’t usually come back for more.”

Continue reading...

from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/sep/30/football-heading-brain-injuries-ball-kevin-doyle

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Newcastle’s transformation and reconnection testament to Howe’s coaching | Andy Brassell

By -
Club’s supporters’ minds will start to wander to potential trips next season after long-awaited return to Champions League The roar at kick-off, the roar that had been there in most of the previous 18 home games of this season, was maybe given a few extra decibels here. Added to renewed hope, present all season, was a touch of yes, this really is happening. Then came the moment, with fireworks being wedged into the tops of milk bottles, at the beginning of stoppage time, when Nick Pope was finally forced into some sort of movement to deny Timothy Castagne, to make sure it did happen. It came after one of the Newcastle keeper’s slowest days of the season, after what had often resembled a half-pitch, beat-the-packed-defence training exercise against a Leicester team largely too meek to threaten Geordie dreams. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/may/22/newcastle-champions-league-eddie-howe
Read more

Richarlison’s first Tottenham goals punish Marseille for Mbemba’s red card

By -
There was the obligatory pre-match footage of Lucas Moura’s winner at Ajax and then the declaration on the big screen at Tottenham’s magnificent stadium, one that is built to stage these kind of Champions League nights. “We’re back.” For so long, it appeared that the grand return after a two-season absence would fall flat, even when Marseille were reduced to ten men in the 47th minute following Chancel Mbemba’s last-man foul on Son Heung-min. It was a dreadful misjudgment by the former Newcastle centre-half. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/07/tottenham-marseille-champions-league-group-d-match-report
Read more

Newcastle v Southampton: match preview

By -
A big day beckons for Adam Armstrong. Born and bred in Newcastle and part of his hometown club’s academy from the age of nine, the Southampton striker was devastated to be told he was not good enough to make the grade at St James’ Park. That was three years ago when Armstrong was sold to Blackburn in a transfer that would prove the making of him and preface this summer’s £15m switch to Southampton. Now he can show his former employer – and Steve Bruce’s side are not only winless so far this season but have scored just two goals in 270 minutes – precisely what they are missing. Louise Taylor Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/aug/27/newcastle-southampton-match-preview-premier-league
Read more