Goku, on 04 December 2024 - 02:09 PM, said:
I think this romanticised idea that it's because players back in the day were proper 'ard and today's players are fannies is for the birds. Most players if asked will play regardless, but it's best for both the player and club that they don't aggravate any niggles. Games nowadays are, I gather, quicker paced (I've seen videos from back in the day and there wasn't a lot of movement compared to today, even at top division level). Physios and Sport Scientists are more aware of the importance of keeping players injury free, squads are bigger so why wouldn't you take advantage of rotation in an attempt to keep players fresh?. Obviously it's a super romantic idea that a player battles on through the pain barrier, for the fans, for his teammates, for the badge!!! but in reality they'd just be f**king themselves up later down the line. Smaller squads also meant you pretty much had to play regardless if your kneecap was hanging off. It's not like players today have weaker muscles or something, realistically they get asked questions by the physio, they presumably answer honestly and then it's up to the physio and manager as to whether said player plays or not.
Poor pay meant many players simply couldn't afford to miss games. Meaning many players, as you quite rightly point out, continued through often serious injuries paying the price in later life (seem to remember a tale of one bloke, might've been Rod Fern, having a broken ankle strapped up with wet bandage, carrying on, then not being able to walk on it twenty years later).
And yeah, the pace of the game is far faster now. Have you seen, say, the full sixty six final? How little closing down there was? No talk of high or low blocks in those days - although it was perfectly acceptable to take out someone at waist height to 'let 'em know you were there'.
Footballers are athletes, now. On a different planet in terms of fitness but more prone to injury too...
This post has been edited by The Earl of Chesterfield: 04 December 2024 - 06:47 PM