| Injuries 18:58 - Dec 26 with 12272 views | numptydumpty |
WTF is happening
So many players seemingly picking up injuries between matches
What happened with Morrison ??
But seriously this season is a total catastrophe with injuries.
Almost guaranteed each game at least one and almost guaranteed , another goes strangely invisible, during a break between games.
There must be reasons but this for me is the worst ever season I can remember for injuries !!!!!!!
I am surprised if we dont pick up a couple more injured, every single week ... [Post edited 26 Dec 2024 18:59]
|  |
| |  |
| Injuries on 08:41 - Dec 30 with 2317 views | derbyhoop |
Andersen the latest to go down with a "muscle" injury. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
| |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 with 2181 views | kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |  | | |
| Injuries on 09:47 - Dec 30 with 2129 views | The_Beast1976 |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
This is a very good question indeed | | | |
| Injuries on 09:48 - Dec 30 with 2125 views | TheChef |
| Injuries on 11:08 - Dec 28 by Andybrat |
So reading the papers this morning those with better facilities than ours are suffering more, thinking Spurs with no back 4 to talk about and Man City, looks like Ake did his hamstring as well. So the unavoidable conclusion is too many games. I have no stats but don’t remember as many injuries to key players when I was a kid and only one sub ( Gary Micklewhite more often than not). So maybe players are being trained to the point where the body gives way easier? Not putting it well but we are talking athletes at a peak with no give. I’m sure our teams of the 80s and 70s were not as fit as the science revolution via Wenger hadn’t arrived yet. It doesn’t give any form of answer, basically need bigger squads with adequate cover which is easier in the moneybags world of the Prem. So as stated earlier we need homegrown lads who can stand in. Have to say we are unlucky as I genuinely feel our season is being built around the quality of our CB’s especially with Morrison stepping so seamlessly. Norwich won’t be pretty. |
Didn't players in the 70s and 80s spend more time in the pub? That would have helped reduce injuries  |  |
| |
| Injuries on 09:51 - Dec 30 with 2110 views | TheChef |
| Injuries on 11:33 - Dec 29 by slmrstid |
I say this with no practical knowledge whatsoever so someone who does have knowledge is free to tear me apart and correct me, but one thing I have read before is modern day players are so lean that the lack of body fat makes them pick up more injuries, that previously the extra few percent of fat would protect more.
I mean...looking at the likes of Stan/Gerry in their heyday - visibly of course they are not fat and look lean, but internally they are quite possibly carrying a few more percent of body fat than their modern day counterparts that just protects things a little bit.
As said, its something I've read, I know nothing in practicality, could be garbage! |
I think there might be something in that.
See also rugby where players have far less body fat now, hence a lot more impact injuries. | |
| |
| Injuries on 10:36 - Dec 30 with 1979 views | QPRConor2000 |
I think a lot of it comes down to the schedule.
When your playing every 3 days, it's inevitable someone is going to get injured due to the physical nature of this league.
I do think there does need to ve some serious questions about how injuries seem to keep happening atm.
I've lost count at this point. | | | |
| Injuries on 11:09 - Dec 30 with 1894 views | stevec |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
Yes, needs looking into.
Number of things mentioned above and I also wonder if having to stand up to make a legitimate tackle these days has also something to do with it.
Standing tackles are more risky in terms or jarring on impact, which result in more muscle injuries. It’s peculiar but you used to see players coming back from breaks quicker than muscle and hamstring injuries today.
Undoubtedly, the schedule has most to do with it. They must barely spend any significant time on the training ground and gym when they’re playing every 3-4 days. Madness. |  | | |
| Injuries on 11:16 - Dec 30 with 1850 views | BushRanger82 |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
Good question. |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Injuries on 11:17 - Dec 30 with 1855 views | Dorse |
| Injuries on 09:47 - Dec 30 by The_Beast1976 |
This is a very good question indeed |
When exactly did THE CURSE start?
 |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
| |
| Injuries on 11:54 - Dec 30 with 1731 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
As athletes become bigger, stronger and faster any little knock can have a big impact. The same thing is happening in rugby.
If you think about it, 40 years ago sports/athletic stars were not a million times different from your average person on the street. They could take a whack, yet be training Monday or back to work.
Also, back then, a lot of athletes played on despite injury and now many have ongoing and debilitating injuries. I'm sure is was due to the macho culture.
Now athletes are like race horses and break just as easily. | | | |
| Injuries on 12:00 - Dec 30 with 1700 views | mart_Goblin |
Just sat and read through this thread and it’s very interesting with some very good points being made .
Would agree with lots on here .
I do find it hard to accept that MC is ‘over working ‘ them on the training ground when he seems so dictated to by the stats people behind him on a match day , hence the likes of JCS and Varane not starting yesterday . If his attitude on the training ground was careless as regards to player health then he wouldn’t care on a match day (see Beale).
However on the flip side to that , there were rumours that certain players who will rename nameless were moaning to anyone that would listen that they didn’t like training on a Sunday (which was what was happening after every defeat ). The training wasn’t physical and more about recovery and analysis but players were complaining of tiredness.
This was before the upturn in form .
My initial reaction was “stop losing games then” but maybe it was overkill in that period and it’s one of things that changed along with our form ? Who knows?
Won’t dig up the “Ben Williams is no longer at the club” stuff again. Rory Findlay came in in the summer and had a lot of his own ideas. The club insist Williams is in charge
‘publicly’. Who exactly is running what is unclear but from what I hear and it’s only hearsay, nothing factual , Williams is absent and if he is in contact it’s almost irrelevant.
Too many games, overworking of players, unbalanced squad, lack of depth in quality, not enough from the dev squad, the build of the modern player (No way Field is heavier than Frey…no way), footwear that acts more like a slipper than boot so offers no support to the ankle or the foot, pathetic and irrelevant shin pads, over watered pitches that make the surface greasy and slippery , boll*cks scheduling by over lords which only caters to their own pocket and power …lots really.
Many many reasons why we have the problems we are having and of courses we are not alone .
There is then of course the subject of shopping in a particular market where good players are affordable due to their injury history . We have to suck that one up.
There just isn’t a simple answer to any of it and not a quick fix but if we are not careful, players like Paul Smyth and Jimmy Dunne will be next on the injury list as there is no restbite for them . We just simply don’t have the cover or players and that’s not all the fault of the recruitment team either.
Which leads to the annual ding dong among fans about what team we put out in our yearly 1 game guesting in the FA cup third round .
If MC rests players and picks a side with Santos and Aroha in it then 1 half of the fan base will be up in arms about cup runs and worst club record in the FA cup etc etc . If he plays a full strength side then the other half will be up in arms that we need to rest players like Dunne and Smyth to make sure we maintain our Championship status which is still precarious despite the upturn in form .
It’s a tough one for sure as you can see both sides.
We’ll have to trust MC on that one .
And as previously mentioned…WHERE IS COLBACK!?!? |  | | |
| Injuries on 14:49 - Dec 30 with 1492 views | derbyhoop |
| Injuries on 12:00 - Dec 30 by mart_Goblin |
Just sat and read through this thread and it’s very interesting with some very good points being made .
Would agree with lots on here .
I do find it hard to accept that MC is ‘over working ‘ them on the training ground when he seems so dictated to by the stats people behind him on a match day , hence the likes of JCS and Varane not starting yesterday . If his attitude on the training ground was careless as regards to player health then he wouldn’t care on a match day (see Beale).
However on the flip side to that , there were rumours that certain players who will rename nameless were moaning to anyone that would listen that they didn’t like training on a Sunday (which was what was happening after every defeat ). The training wasn’t physical and more about recovery and analysis but players were complaining of tiredness.
This was before the upturn in form .
My initial reaction was “stop losing games then” but maybe it was overkill in that period and it’s one of things that changed along with our form ? Who knows?
Won’t dig up the “Ben Williams is no longer at the club” stuff again. Rory Findlay came in in the summer and had a lot of his own ideas. The club insist Williams is in charge
‘publicly’. Who exactly is running what is unclear but from what I hear and it’s only hearsay, nothing factual , Williams is absent and if he is in contact it’s almost irrelevant.
Too many games, overworking of players, unbalanced squad, lack of depth in quality, not enough from the dev squad, the build of the modern player (No way Field is heavier than Frey…no way), footwear that acts more like a slipper than boot so offers no support to the ankle or the foot, pathetic and irrelevant shin pads, over watered pitches that make the surface greasy and slippery , boll*cks scheduling by over lords which only caters to their own pocket and power …lots really.
Many many reasons why we have the problems we are having and of courses we are not alone .
There is then of course the subject of shopping in a particular market where good players are affordable due to their injury history . We have to suck that one up.
There just isn’t a simple answer to any of it and not a quick fix but if we are not careful, players like Paul Smyth and Jimmy Dunne will be next on the injury list as there is no restbite for them . We just simply don’t have the cover or players and that’s not all the fault of the recruitment team either.
Which leads to the annual ding dong among fans about what team we put out in our yearly 1 game guesting in the FA cup third round .
If MC rests players and picks a side with Santos and Aroha in it then 1 half of the fan base will be up in arms about cup runs and worst club record in the FA cup etc etc . If he plays a full strength side then the other half will be up in arms that we need to rest players like Dunne and Smyth to make sure we maintain our Championship status which is still precarious despite the upturn in form .
It’s a tough one for sure as you can see both sides.
We’ll have to trust MC on that one .
And as previously mentioned…WHERE IS COLBACK!?!? |
Beat Watford And Luton and the arguments about our FA Cup 3rd round exit can do one. | |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
| |
| Injuries on 14:58 - Dec 30 with 1465 views | Esox_Lucius |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
If I had to die on any hill over this I would say that none of that team were even close to being as fit as our current squad. It's just how football has evolved. Maintaining a higher level of fitness compared to what was elite performance levels only a decade ago has got to take a toll on the body and needs to be managed, something that appears to be lacking atm at QPR. |  |
| The grass is always greener. |
| |
| Injuries on 18:02 - Dec 30 with 1288 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Injuries on 09:31 - Dec 30 by kernowhoop |
Our best team ever (1975/76) suffered occasional injury problems, but, with poorer pitches, a heavier ball, tougher tackling and only one substitute allowed, it was pretty consistent in its line-up.
Why, with the facilities available, the huge number of substitutes allowed, so many tackles penalised, the better pitches and the advances in medical science, do we (and other teams) have so many injury problems? |
The game has got physically tougher, so we're told, but, compared to a few decades ago, first teamers are rotated much more often between games and during games than the days of a single sub, players are much better looked after medically, serious foul play is a thing of the past, pitches are vastly superior, balls are lighter, the ball is statistically in play for fewer minutes, timewasting/shithousery is through the roof, and the schedule is no more demanding (now that cup replays have been curtailed, it's arguably even less so - though that's a moot point where we're concerned). Apart from that, you'll still get people trying to tell you modern football is far more arduous, which of course suits modern managers down to the ground.
[Post edited 30 Dec 2024 18:34]
|  |
| |
| Injuries on 18:41 - Dec 30 with 1248 views | kensalriser |
| Injuries on 18:02 - Dec 30 by stainrods_elbow |
The game has got physically tougher, so we're told, but, compared to a few decades ago, first teamers are rotated much more often between games and during games than the days of a single sub, players are much better looked after medically, serious foul play is a thing of the past, pitches are vastly superior, balls are lighter, the ball is statistically in play for fewer minutes, timewasting/shithousery is through the roof, and the schedule is no more demanding (now that cup replays have been curtailed, it's arguably even less so - though that's a moot point where we're concerned). Apart from that, you'll still get people trying to tell you modern football is far more arduous, which of course suits modern managers down to the ground.
[Post edited 30 Dec 2024 18:34]
|
Bit of a myth that balls are lighter: the last time the regulation weight changed was in 1937 and it was lighter before that. And balls that don't absorb water have been around for at least 50 years. |  |
| |
| Injuries on 19:00 - Dec 30 with 1209 views | Northernr |
I might actually try and get an interview with a Ben Williams type for the Patreon because it is fascinating (or I think so) and there is next to no understanding at all among us all.
One question I'd ask, and if you wanna take a swing at this then be my guest, is this...
Eddie Izzard is a fat comedian. Okay. He decided he was going to run 27 marathons in 27 days through South Africa, and did it. He was able to train his body, adjust his diet, do the research, do what was necessary, and get through it. Eddie Izzard is in worse shape than me. Kevin Sinfield is able to train his body to run marathons weekly. And yet footballers doing 3 game weeks and 50 game seasons are, as said higher up the thread, breaking down routinely. Our season is being massively handicapped by injuries. Whenever a cup tie goes to extra time, everybody starts cramping up, because professional footballers can't play 120 minutes instead of 90. But if a fat comedian can train his body to do 27 marathons in 27 days, why can't professional footballers be trained to... play a bit more professional football? |  | | |
| Injuries on 19:03 - Dec 30 with 1201 views | GaryHaddock |
| Injuries on 12:00 - Dec 30 by mart_Goblin |
Just sat and read through this thread and it’s very interesting with some very good points being made .
Would agree with lots on here .
I do find it hard to accept that MC is ‘over working ‘ them on the training ground when he seems so dictated to by the stats people behind him on a match day , hence the likes of JCS and Varane not starting yesterday . If his attitude on the training ground was careless as regards to player health then he wouldn’t care on a match day (see Beale).
However on the flip side to that , there were rumours that certain players who will rename nameless were moaning to anyone that would listen that they didn’t like training on a Sunday (which was what was happening after every defeat ). The training wasn’t physical and more about recovery and analysis but players were complaining of tiredness.
This was before the upturn in form .
My initial reaction was “stop losing games then” but maybe it was overkill in that period and it’s one of things that changed along with our form ? Who knows?
Won’t dig up the “Ben Williams is no longer at the club” stuff again. Rory Findlay came in in the summer and had a lot of his own ideas. The club insist Williams is in charge
‘publicly’. Who exactly is running what is unclear but from what I hear and it’s only hearsay, nothing factual , Williams is absent and if he is in contact it’s almost irrelevant.
Too many games, overworking of players, unbalanced squad, lack of depth in quality, not enough from the dev squad, the build of the modern player (No way Field is heavier than Frey…no way), footwear that acts more like a slipper than boot so offers no support to the ankle or the foot, pathetic and irrelevant shin pads, over watered pitches that make the surface greasy and slippery , boll*cks scheduling by over lords which only caters to their own pocket and power …lots really.
Many many reasons why we have the problems we are having and of courses we are not alone .
There is then of course the subject of shopping in a particular market where good players are affordable due to their injury history . We have to suck that one up.
There just isn’t a simple answer to any of it and not a quick fix but if we are not careful, players like Paul Smyth and Jimmy Dunne will be next on the injury list as there is no restbite for them . We just simply don’t have the cover or players and that’s not all the fault of the recruitment team either.
Which leads to the annual ding dong among fans about what team we put out in our yearly 1 game guesting in the FA cup third round .
If MC rests players and picks a side with Santos and Aroha in it then 1 half of the fan base will be up in arms about cup runs and worst club record in the FA cup etc etc . If he plays a full strength side then the other half will be up in arms that we need to rest players like Dunne and Smyth to make sure we maintain our Championship status which is still precarious despite the upturn in form .
It’s a tough one for sure as you can see both sides.
We’ll have to trust MC on that one .
And as previously mentioned…WHERE IS COLBACK!?!? |
Really insightful cheers. |  | | |
| Injuries on 19:15 - Dec 30 with 1168 views | Geoff78 |
One of the other differences now compared to the glory days, which is different to training for a marathon or even a series of marathons, is pressing and the need to sprint multiple times a game. I know we have players unfamiliar with the concept of sprinting, but they will be moving quickly to cover space (hopefully), block shots of tackle.
Before the days of pressing players had longer periods when they could take a breather. Did Geoff Hurst, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker etc ever press? Rarely. | | | |
| Injuries on 19:19 - Dec 30 with 1150 views | GaryHaddock |
| Injuries on 19:00 - Dec 30 by Northernr |
I might actually try and get an interview with a Ben Williams type for the Patreon because it is fascinating (or I think so) and there is next to no understanding at all among us all.
One question I'd ask, and if you wanna take a swing at this then be my guest, is this...
Eddie Izzard is a fat comedian. Okay. He decided he was going to run 27 marathons in 27 days through South Africa, and did it. He was able to train his body, adjust his diet, do the research, do what was necessary, and get through it. Eddie Izzard is in worse shape than me. Kevin Sinfield is able to train his body to run marathons weekly. And yet footballers doing 3 game weeks and 50 game seasons are, as said higher up the thread, breaking down routinely. Our season is being massively handicapped by injuries. Whenever a cup tie goes to extra time, everybody starts cramping up, because professional footballers can't play 120 minutes instead of 90. But if a fat comedian can train his body to do 27 marathons in 27 days, why can't professional footballers be trained to... play a bit more professional football? |
So here's my theory...
When you are a footballer and clubs start pulling stuff like not playing you when you are stalling on a contract offer, inserting one sided one year extension clauses into contracts, and forcing you out when you are not flavour of the month (Paddy Kenny, Rob Green, Clint Hill etc) it builds a culture of fear and looking after yourself and the distraction of thinking about what you might have to do when your current deal ends.
When they receive the sort of muscle aches and tweaks that the 46 game Championship gives them, they must be wondering if it's worth pushing themselves through the pain for a club that may bully you out when you are crocked properly or replaced with Julio Cesar.
Not picking on QPR by the way, most / all clubs do this.
We all think we'd be a Alan McDonald or Jamie Mackie but if we are honest with ourselves, we'd do the same when our liveliehoods are on the line.
For me, it's the club's responsibility as employers to end that Catch 22 situation of the club worrying about losing out on transfer fees and players worrying about where their next contract comes from.
Thats why things like the Forever Rs is important, for building the reputation as a club that will look after you when you're done, wether you are Stan Bowles or Gavin Mahon. Even if it is just a gesture it sends out the right signal.
Add to that, extensive research on player personalities (at the cost of performance data) before signing, and maybe a high % of transfer fees going to the players when they leave and I think we have a good carrot not stick system going. [Post edited 30 Dec 2024 19:23]
| | | |
| Injuries on 19:36 - Dec 30 with 1101 views | ARudd |
| Injuries on 19:00 - Dec 30 by Northernr |
I might actually try and get an interview with a Ben Williams type for the Patreon because it is fascinating (or I think so) and there is next to no understanding at all among us all.
One question I'd ask, and if you wanna take a swing at this then be my guest, is this...
Eddie Izzard is a fat comedian. Okay. He decided he was going to run 27 marathons in 27 days through South Africa, and did it. He was able to train his body, adjust his diet, do the research, do what was necessary, and get through it. Eddie Izzard is in worse shape than me. Kevin Sinfield is able to train his body to run marathons weekly. And yet footballers doing 3 game weeks and 50 game seasons are, as said higher up the thread, breaking down routinely. Our season is being massively handicapped by injuries. Whenever a cup tie goes to extra time, everybody starts cramping up, because professional footballers can't play 120 minutes instead of 90. But if a fat comedian can train his body to do 27 marathons in 27 days, why can't professional footballers be trained to... play a bit more professional football? |
I take your point on this, but the one thing for me that is missing in the discussion is intensity.
You can train, per Mr Izzard, to run those marathons and succeed, but you are doing it in a controlled way and not racing/ competing.
The minute you start to operate at the intensity required by competitive sport the injury risks magnifies massively.
The reason hamstrings are torn (aside from the lack of proper training and recovery) are because the body is at its absolute physical limit, and then you push it further.
Put it to its limits repeatedly and injuries happen.
This isn’t just true in our club, all clubs suffer with this - just look at Saka, De Bruyne - and they are getting the very best treatment.
Plus, as Clive has said many times, we will have players more prone to physical breakdown than clubs with money - there’s a reason JCS is with us and not Leeds.
It also doesn’t mean the players (and staff) aren’t doing everything they can to be fit. It’s just they can’t for repeated periods of such intensity - especially 3 game weeks where we have little option for squad rotation…. | | | |
| Injuries on 20:01 - Dec 30 with 1026 views | nix |
| Injuries on 19:15 - Dec 30 by Geoff78 |
One of the other differences now compared to the glory days, which is different to training for a marathon or even a series of marathons, is pressing and the need to sprint multiple times a game. I know we have players unfamiliar with the concept of sprinting, but they will be moving quickly to cover space (hopefully), block shots of tackle.
Before the days of pressing players had longer periods when they could take a breather. Did Geoff Hurst, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker etc ever press? Rarely. |
I wrote a post saying exactly that before the internet ate it.
Added to which Mr Izzard doesn't have someone kicking him while his hamstrings are at full stretch. I still think Chris Willock's hamstrings failed partly because he was hit in the back of the thigh so much that season. |  | | |
| Injuries on 20:21 - Dec 30 with 996 views | StrawberryHillR |
A schedule of
Game - 6 days - Game - 6 days - Game - 6 days - Game
is easier to manage than
Game - 13 days - Game - 2 days - Game - 3 days - Game
International breaks are ruinous, and if your players are competing for their country as well they are going to be even more buggered. | | | |
| Injuries on 22:07 - Dec 30 with 853 views | KensalT |
| Injuries on 19:00 - Dec 30 by Northernr |
I might actually try and get an interview with a Ben Williams type for the Patreon because it is fascinating (or I think so) and there is next to no understanding at all among us all.
One question I'd ask, and if you wanna take a swing at this then be my guest, is this...
Eddie Izzard is a fat comedian. Okay. He decided he was going to run 27 marathons in 27 days through South Africa, and did it. He was able to train his body, adjust his diet, do the research, do what was necessary, and get through it. Eddie Izzard is in worse shape than me. Kevin Sinfield is able to train his body to run marathons weekly. And yet footballers doing 3 game weeks and 50 game seasons are, as said higher up the thread, breaking down routinely. Our season is being massively handicapped by injuries. Whenever a cup tie goes to extra time, everybody starts cramping up, because professional footballers can't play 120 minutes instead of 90. But if a fat comedian can train his body to do 27 marathons in 27 days, why can't professional footballers be trained to... play a bit more professional football? |
My starting point would be to ask what sort of average time was Eddie Izzard running? Probably nowhere near the sort of pace a professional athlete would have set!
You probably also need a particular sort of obsessive mindset to tackle a challenge like that.
As for the weight. It might seem counter intuitive but carrying extra pounds can help with endurance activities, and the lack of body fat can affect the stamina levels of professional athletes.
When Frank Bruno was in his prime he didn't have an ounce of fat on him, but if he didn't put his opponents away early he tended to run out of steam and rarely lasted the distance.
At the other extreme. When David Walliams swam the English Channel in 2006 it was widely reported that he achieved one of the top fifty times ever recorded:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/jul/06/healthandwellbeing.helenpid
From this we might conclude that David Walliams and Eddie Izzard were in better shape than Frank Bruno!? Hmm, maybe not.
Medicine and sports science is a growing business, for those who can afford it. I read an article recently about Barcelona being a global leader in sports medicine and was selling its knowledge to the health sector and other sports clubs around the world. Can't find that article now but there is an old ESPN piece on Barcelona and its investment in sports medicine:
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/37458160/barcelona-continue-lead-way-
There's also a 2019 Financial Times piece on the Barcelona Innovation Hub:
https://www.ft.com/content/908752aa-3a1b-11e9-b72b-2c7f526ca5d0
And the Barcelona Innovation Hub has its own website for pushing its research:
https://barcainnovationhub.fcbarcelona.com/investigation/
Which all looks very impressive and 21st century, but makes me wonder the extent to which modern sports professionals are being commoditised. [Post edited 30 Dec 2024 22:28]
| | | |
| Injuries on 00:10 - Dec 31 with 710 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Injuries on 18:41 - Dec 30 by kensalriser |
Bit of a myth that balls are lighter: the last time the regulation weight changed was in 1937 and it was lighter before that. And balls that don't absorb water have been around for at least 50 years. |
Thanks for that, I stand corrected. Which leaves seven of eight counter-arguments still standing by my reckoning. | |
| |
| Injuries on 07:01 - Dec 31 with 516 views | dmm |
| Injuries on 19:15 - Dec 30 by Geoff78 |
One of the other differences now compared to the glory days, which is different to training for a marathon or even a series of marathons, is pressing and the need to sprint multiple times a game. I know we have players unfamiliar with the concept of sprinting, but they will be moving quickly to cover space (hopefully), block shots of tackle.
Before the days of pressing players had longer periods when they could take a breather. Did Geoff Hurst, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker etc ever press? Rarely. |
You make a good point. Regarding 'pressing' back in the day though, you'll remember it was called 'closing down'. Players did do it then but not with the coordinated intensity Guardiola has made popular.
Interestingly, the idea of 'pressing' seems to start with Canadian ice hockey and a coach called Thomas Gorman who developed a system he called 'forechecking' which eventually proved successful in helping his team win the league. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
