New guidance on the course will be introduced for the 2021/22 season, following studies commissioned by a subgroup of the Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC).
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The guide has been agreed between the FA, Premier League, EFL, PFA and LMA and will cover all of English football and all its playing members. It will apply to all clubs in the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Championship, National League System, Women’s Football Pyramid Tiers 3 and below, all grassroots football and across England’s national teams.
According to a Premier League statement, the recently agreed guidance focuses mainly on training, with a maximum of ten high-power headlines – which occur after a session of more than 35 meters or from regular matches – should be made during a training week. It also describes different ways that headings can be made with less force, which reduces the impact on the player’s head.
The guide has also made it clear that clubs should tailor headline sessions according to player profiles – depending on gender, age, playing position, the number of headers they expect to make per match and the nature of these headers.
The Premier League also confirmed that the main goal of the research and possible guidance is to protect the well – being of all players as well as possible and minimize their exposure to headlines, while trying not to influence the role it plays in the sport.
In recent years, there have been serious concerns about keeping the ball, and many link dementia to the measure.
Research will continue on how best to incorporate effective safety measures into the course during the 2021/22 season, with a formal review of the PFNCC’s guidance that will take place in June 2022.
Tomas Soucek and Ben White challenge to hit the ball / Pool / Getty Images
PFA’s CEO Maheta Molango insists that there is still more to come.
“PFA welcomes the cooperative approach to further understand the effects of going into football. The health and well-being of our members is paramount. We hope these first steps and improved protection will make a significant difference to players’ long-term health.”
“The introduction of this guide represents part of the development of a coordinated inter-game strategy and must be combined with other areas, such as improving the management of head injuries and increasing collective support for retired players,” he continued.
“Critical guidance is only a first step. As identified in the paper, more research is needed to improve how we protect current actors and future generations,” Molango confirmed. “We look forward to working with football stakeholders to continue researching and educating managers, coaches and players regarding the new guidance.”
