Celtic manager backs study into effects of heading ball
Rodgers tells of sadness after club hero is diagnosed with dementia
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken of his sadness at the news club legend Billy McNeill has dementia, and backed calls for further research into possible links between heading footballs and the condition.
McNeill’s wife, Liz, revealed on Sunday that her husband – the first British player to lift the European Cup when Celtic won it in Lisbon in 1967 – had been diagnosed with the condition seven years ago and is no longer able to speak. Rodgers, who grew up a Celtic fan in Northern Ireland, described McNeill, who turns 77 on Thursday, as “a real icon of Celtic” and offered his support to the family.
He said: “I think Billy is one of the true great legends of the club. He’s a real icon of Celtic. He led the greatest ever team here and was the leader of that team.
“He was an incredible player and went on to be a really successful manager here too. I grew up around the house and my relatives’ house hearing about Cesar [McNeill’s nickname]. That was all I heard growing up and it was all about Billy McNeill.
“I knew he wasn’t well when I came here and it was tough. It’s clearly sad when you think of the figure of the man he was, what this can do to you, and what age does to you as well. But he’s certainly in the thoughts of every Celtic supporter and every person who works here.
“He’ll never stop coming to the games I’m sure, when he can. His wife has done an incredible job with him and is there for him like wives are. They and the family will have all the support from us they’ll ever need.
“There are few figures who really inspire generations of people. You look at Jock Stein and what he did at Celtic and Billy is one of those who inspires many, too.”
The McNeill family has called for further research into the link between heading the heavy, leather footballs that were in circulation for many years and players suffering from brain-related conditions later in life. Rodgers believes it is the right course of action to follow.
He added: “I’d like to see that happen. 100 per cent. It’s an investigation where it would be very worth seeing what the findings are. You look at the film Concussion. That was a true-life story about the correlation between suicide rates among former NFL players and the amount of head contact they had as players.
“That was a real eye-opener for me and worth watching.
“So you can’t ignore what has happened in football too. We have seen the balls in the museums with the big laces on them and you can imagine having to head that. So it would be worth getting the findings of the research. And if the McNeill family is open to that, then I think that’s a good step.”
Gordon Smith, former head of the Scottish Football Association, has suggested that players may need to sign a waiver about heading a ball in the future so they cannot sue for damages later in life.
He said: “A disclaimer form (saying) that if you are playing football then heading is part of the game, you accept that and you get on with it.
“I think that might be the way ahead because we don’t want to see the game change – heading is a tremendous part of the game and I don’t want it taken out of football.”