United States loves football; they love to the contact and intensity. For many Americans soccer just seems to lack that aggressive play or that one big hit. Anyone who has played competitive soccer (not rec soccer) will tell you there is a lot more contact in soccer then meets the eye.
Semi finals of the 2008 Euro Cup finals, Germany vs. Turkey. With a few minutes to go in the half Turkey’s Ayhan Akman jumps backwards in order to head the ball that just sailed over him. Behind Akman stands Germanys Simon Rolfe who simultaneously jumps forward to clear the ball. In a split second their heads collide. They both fall on the ground screaming in pain. At first sight you may believe its just soccer players being dramatic but that was not the case this time.
Nether one is subbed out, instead they are helped to the side line where Ayhan Akman receives two staples in the back of his head to stop the bleeding while Simon Rolfes left eye brow is stitched up. Both were able to return and finish the game.
Some may ask why didn’t they just get subbed out then once everything was fixed get subbed back in? During national play once a player is subbed out he may not go back in. Also if you are off the field for more then 2 minutes you are forced to use a sub. This makes players fight threw the pain and forces medical teams to work fast to get the player back on the field.
Through just personal experience playing soccer I have endured two concussions, cracked toenails, broken toes, and a countless number of cuts and twisted ankles. Every soccer player will tell you there is more contact in soccer then meets the eye. Most just blow this off, as an excuse for soccer players to take dives but this is true. Some teams will do cheep things like step on your toes if your in the wall of elbow you in the ribs. Most of this is invisible to the fans and also the refs.
For anyone who has called soccer a “girl sport” I would love to see them match up against a 6ft 7in Peter Crouch or a 220 lbs Marcus Hahnemann. I will admit that there is more contact in football then there is in soccer, but cut soccer a break when there’s a foul called every 5 minutes there’s got to be at least some contact.
Semi finals of the 2008 Euro Cup finals, Germany vs. Turkey. With a few minutes to go in the half Turkey’s Ayhan Akman jumps backwards in order to head the ball that just sailed over him. Behind Akman stands Germanys Simon Rolfe who simultaneously jumps forward to clear the ball. In a split second their heads collide. They both fall on the ground screaming in pain. At first sight you may believe its just soccer players being dramatic but that was not the case this time.
Nether one is subbed out, instead they are helped to the side line where Ayhan Akman receives two staples in the back of his head to stop the bleeding while Simon Rolfes left eye brow is stitched up. Both were able to return and finish the game.
Some may ask why didn’t they just get subbed out then once everything was fixed get subbed back in? During national play once a player is subbed out he may not go back in. Also if you are off the field for more then 2 minutes you are forced to use a sub. This makes players fight threw the pain and forces medical teams to work fast to get the player back on the field.
Through just personal experience playing soccer I have endured two concussions, cracked toenails, broken toes, and a countless number of cuts and twisted ankles. Every soccer player will tell you there is more contact in soccer then meets the eye. Most just blow this off, as an excuse for soccer players to take dives but this is true. Some teams will do cheep things like step on your toes if your in the wall of elbow you in the ribs. Most of this is invisible to the fans and also the refs.
For anyone who has called soccer a “girl sport” I would love to see them match up against a 6ft 7in Peter Crouch or a 220 lbs Marcus Hahnemann. I will admit that there is more contact in football then there is in soccer, but cut soccer a break when there’s a foul called every 5 minutes there’s got to be at least some contact.
I agree with the first paragraph
ReplyDeleteBen, I do agree that in soccer theres alot of contact,but some if it is like...come on for real. i was watching a game before and a guy trips and he was making a huge deal out of it. You dont see hockey players complaining when they get cut by a skate. jking :-P. nice blog tho.
ReplyDeleteOk well when you play soccer the speed of play is so fast just a little nick on the ankle can acually really hurt. Trust me.
ReplyDeletetrue dat
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