Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing reveals fears over ‘heading the ball’
Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing is concerned about ‘heading the ball’ amid growing concerns about player safety… as the Danish star admits he is ‘wary’ on the pitch after seeing that ‘players must retire’ after an injury
- The Bournemouth midfielder expressed concerns about head injuries in football
- He admitted that he “never practiced heading the ball” despite being a pro
- And went on to claim he ‘don’t go in’ for 50-50 headers with defenders
Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing has expressed fears about heading the ball in matches amid growing concerns over player safety.
The Denmark international is one of the few players to speak openly about the issue of his rise to prominence in the modern game.
There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the current concussion replacement rules in the game as football lawmakers try to give players more protections.
And it’s understandable why they do, as more and more ex-pros are suffering the consequences of their actions on the field.
That’s apparently something that’s still on Billing’s mind, as he revealed how he’s now “on guard” on the field after seeing a number of players retire from injury.
Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing has expressed fears about heading the ball in matches
The Denmark international admitted he has a tendency to withdraw from air challenges with defenders
In an interview with The times, Billing said, ‘Playing with my feet was the way I was brought up. When they see a tall player in England, they think he must be good with his head.
“But it’s one of those things you either have or you don’t. To handle your head well you have to have a certain aggression in you to attack a ball when you have five bodies in front of you.”
“First of all, if I’m in a game and I see a 50-50 and I see a big centre-back and I know they’re not going to withdraw, I don’t go in. Unless the ball bounces, and I know if I don’t win this, they’re through on target.
“But I’m wary of using my head because I know you see players have to stop [because of head injuries].’
‘Deep inside [I know] if there’s a ball I don’t get or won’t win, I don’t risk hitting my head. That’s just the way I am. Some people, they don’t care, they just go for everything and I care.”
Last month, the Premier League stepped up pressure on regulators to introduce temporary concussion replacements – with 18 of the 20 clubs calling for a trial to start next season.
Sportsmail understands that a strongly worded letter was sent to IFAB ahead of Saturday’s AGM with signatures from doctors in West Ham and Aston Villa.
The introduction of temporary subs is one of two outstanding points in the seven-point charter that Sportsmail launched at the end of 2020 with its campaign for football to tackle dementia.
The 26-year-old spent four years with Bournemouth making more than 150 appearances