Heading ban may be best
GRAEME SOUNESS says headers could be banned – and he reckons it could make football more fun.
The family of World Cup winner Nobby Stiles were told his dementia was caused by heading a football and other former players are making similar claims.
Souness says that if research proves a link, football’s bosses will have to make changes.
He said: “How can anyone oppose it if it’s proven there’s a link? There has to be a change.
“How do you take heading out of football? That’s for other people to decide.
“They can throw money at it and it might make it more entertaining.
“When you’re a defender you don’t let the ball bounce.
“The moment you do that the striker has the advantage.”
Souness appears to believe there is a link between heading and dementia.
He added: “The damage is done in training. You’re asked to train the way you play on a Saturday.
“At Liverpool, the back four would stand on the edge of the box and we would fire balls at them to head away.
“We did that twice a week and then there were 40 games every season as well.”
A NUMBER of non-league clubs have accused the National League of trying to pressure them into playing games they can’t afford.
As the financial implications of the pandemic bite hard with no fans allowed into grounds some clubs decided to call off games and furlough players and staff.
Awarded elite status the National League, together with its feeder leagues of the National League North and South, they were allowed to continue their season unlike all leagues below those levels.
But earlier in the month they were all asked whether they wanted to null and void the current campaign after future payments to help fill the financial hole left by decimated revenue would be in the form of loans rather than grants.
On Thursday it was announced that the National League would continue but the North and South would be halted.
But that won’t prevent some clubs being charged for failing to fulfil their fixtures – which carries the threat of being expelled from the league.
National League Dover have furloughed their players and staff while several National League North and South clubs including Maidstone United, Tonbridge Angels, Dulwich
Hamlet, Chester FC, Darlington FC and Bradford PA have followed suit.
Bradford PA insisted: “We will not be bullied by threats into playing a game this weekend that is unsafe, inconsequential and will worsen our finances.”
Darlington manager Alun Armstrong says ending the season is better than calling time on his club.
Referring to the promise of a loan he stated: “Why would any club want to take out a six figure loan for the next 10 years for the sake of three months football? That is financial suicide in my eyes.”
Southport director and manager Liam Watson said: “You are charged with not turning up and then you are asked to explain. The explanation is there’s a global pandemic and we’ve got no money.
“I don’t believe any kind of charge would be upheld. You would like to think there would be enough common sense on the board (of the National League) to understand that.”
Dover chairman Jim Parmenter insisted he had no alternative to halt their season and said: “All financial reserves have been exhausted. For 15 years I have run this club without debt and I don’t intend to change that now.”
After originally threatening to throw the book at clubs the National League have softened the approach.
In a statement they said: “No fines or sanctions have been raised or recommended and this will be considered at the next stage.
“An independent panel will be appointed to hear each case.”