‘We respect the scientists’ – how new heading rules affect Scottish football – The Guardian

Clubs accept new guidelines either side of games, with Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou saying repetitive heading in training is ‘silly’
Early this month and within days of the Scottish Football Association introducing groundbreaking guidelines on the heading of balls at training, the Partick Thistle goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon nodded home a stoppage-time equaliser at Cove Rangers. Was the association’s bid to protect players, after links were established between head injuries and neurodegenerative disease, destined to be in vain?
Sneddon’s intervention was nothing more than coincidence. Thistle are hardly flinging in set pieces for their goalkeeper to attack during pre-match preparations. Under the SFA’s new rules for all adults – they delivered a children’s programme in 2020 – any training exercise that could involve repeated heading is limited to once a week. These drills are banned on the days immediately before or after games.
Ian McCall, the Thistle manager, explains what little difference the association’s move has had on his training regime. “I’m not saying people weren’t heading the ball at all before these rules came out but it was minimal,” says McCall. “Now it’s not at all.
“If you are doing crossing work, you wouldn’t have defenders heading balls away as attackers try to score because that just risks injury. Even when working on set plays the day before a game, rarely would players head the ball. We would play corners in but nobody needs to attack the ball, it is just about getting their movement right.”
McCall’s sentiment is broadly shared across the coaching domain of Scottish football. The SFA privately admits it is very difficult to keep track of what every club is doing around games but training plans will be randomly requested. The situation feels straightforward on the basis that clubs are accepting the restrictions.
“I’d be very surprised if it has too much of an impact at professional level,” says Celtic’s manager, Ange Postecoglou. “It’s not really an issue for us but the guidelines are important probably for the clubs below the professional level. Particularly with kids, or teams who train once or twice a week, I understand why this is being brought in. We are happy to follow the guidelines.
Similar for children’s and youth football were implemented in 2020
• Training exercises which could involve repeated heading should be carried out no more than once a week.
• Training exercises which could involve repeated heading should not take place on MD-1 [the day before matches] or MD+1 [the day after]. This includes activities such as crossing and finishing and set piece practice.
• Clubs should plan and monitor heading activity in training to reduce the overall heading burden.
• More than 70% of surveyed managers and coaches supported the introduction of heading guidelines. Of players surveyed, 64% believed heading should be limited in training.
“It hasn’t impacted on us at all because we just don’t do that repetitive heading in training any more. I haven’t done it for 20-odd years. I did it when I was playing but as a manager, I have never put a lot of stock into that kind of training. And knowing what we know about it now, you’d be silly to do it. The more information, the more education, the more guidelines that are put out there, I think it helps everyone in the football world. You have to remember, it’s not just the professional game they are addressing. It’s the game in general.”
The Hearts midfielder Peter Haring has not featured since mid-October after suffering concussion in an accidental clash of heads during a game at Aberdeen. Haring has recently described having “mild symptoms” when trying to undertake any training besides running. Jim Goodwin, now Aberdeen’s manager, recalls suffering “a few concussions in my time” and a fractured skull while playing for Scunthorpe. Like Postecoglou, Goodwin is pleased awareness of the dangers of head injuries has increased.
Sign up to Football Daily
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
“When I was a kid, it was normal to head 30 or 40 balls after training to try to get your timing and distance right,” Goodwin says. “We have to respect what these top doctors and scientists are saying about the damage this causes. I think everyone at every club from top to bottom will agree we must take on the advice given to us from these people in highly-qualified positions. It is not something that is going to affect the way we train a great deal.”
McCall, now 58, was a cultured player of his time who was rarely required to place head on ball. He concedes worry for centre-backs and centre-forwards for whom heading in training was second nature. “My era did so many things wrongly,” McCall says. “Before I started, think of the amount of jabs that were given out to allow people to play. It’s very, very different now. People are far more aware of everything.”
He disputes any notion heading could be removed from football entirely. “I think it’s a real skill,” he adds. “Not a skill I ever had but a real skill. I don’t think it will or can ever be taken out, we just need to find ways to make it as safe as possible.” In Scotland, that work has gathered pace.

source