One of the Big Questions?

It just has to do with the fact that they train so hard. They’re training many hours per day, they’ve just came back from vacations, I think most of us would be surprised how out of shape they are when they get back (compared to the end of the prior season). Also, the WC and EC mess with that too, cause they have less time to heal themselves, or push themselves harder, since it’s for there country, and do damage there. Then go on vacations, come back and still have scars from those injuries. I’m telling you, being in professional sports isn’t easy.

Yes, mr Focus is right. Its pretty much the same thing with other players from clubs who has a shining youth academy. Also, its a pretty low tempo in Holland but there are some really speedy players; the defenders might have to commit some ugly fouls to stop them and that might also be a reason. Sure, they get injuries even later in the career, but most of that might be old stuff from the Dutch league period…

Posted from  Sweden

i think that one of the problems is that the number of games played in one season is a problem, esp. in GB, if you are a top player you play 4 or 5 competitions and on top of that also international games for your country…

when Laling played there were so much fewer games to worry about…

but we also have to accept that there are players who are more vulnerable to injuries, i afraid thats the case with vanderVaart, Sneijder and Robben

greetz

Posted from  Netherlands

Yeah, but my point is actually this: in other sports (baseball, american football, tennis, cycling) the whole array of supporting services, being it dietary stuf or mental coaching, is much more advanced. I was wondering how the yanks and ozzies see this difference in approach? And maybe that’s the reason why football players are more prone to injuries than, say, Tour de France cyclists…

Posted from  Australia

well, if you compare the american sports with football you also have to see the difference between them..

tennis: they only play at the very top for 4-7 years, women maybe even less

cycling: maybe its the doping??

BUT, its true that football is much less proffesional than you’d think if you look at its popularity… i know that in Italy (Juve and AC) have special medical centres for their players..

its true, maybe the tempo in wich the games have multituded(all the different legaues) does not go parallel with the needed proffesionality….(altough mental coaching is not so special these days, most dutch clubs have one)

btw: how about doping in football???

greetz

Posted from  Netherlands

Absolutely voetbal is way behind the times on training and nutrition. Look at what Klinsman did in the WC. Remember that he brought in that special trainer? And all of a sudden these nobodies were just looking great?

The advanced training and diet techniques are specifically designged to provide explosive speed and injury prevention. And it works - look at the athletes today in American football, basketball, tennis, etc.

Second, doping. Yep, it’s in voetbal. Remember Stam and Davids got busted? And please, Davids showed all the typical signs of a steroid user, aggresiveness, etc. Kept his hair, though…

Third, too many games. Absolutely. The one problem in picking the starters from top clubs is that between the domestic leagues, Champions (or UEFA) and national sides, is that these guys are just beat. That’s why I wasn’t entirely opposed to Van Baasten picking some not so worn down players.

And there is one example of a player who I think extended his career greatly by not playing too many matches: Bergkamp. Remember that the fear of flying stopped him from running around all over the place. And after that he stayed a very good striker, without too many injuries for years during his thirties. Think about how unusual it is for a top flight striker to keep playing for an excellent club through his thirties.

Fourth, it’s not just too many matches, it’s all that traveling. The bodies circadian rythem (24 hour cycle) gets thrown off a bit every time you change locations. And it’s wearing just going from place to place.

Which is one reason, that I wouldn’t be at all opposed to Van Baasten explicitly cycling his players - call up Robben, Van Persie, and Hutelaar for one match, and then Kuijt, Van Nistelroy for the next. Same in the middle field and defence.

Great post.

Posted from  United States

@SK; i also believe that theirs doping in football
BUT i cant believe so few players ever did get busted (Davids, deBoer, Maradonna and his cocain), a year ago i saw this documentary on the belgium tv, there were some former players from KV Mechelen who told of a second half during a european competition which no player really remembered playing cause they took some pills during half time (remember during the middle 50’s there were already drug-controls in cycling!!), the only positive results for doping have been Nandrolon (not counting cocaine, Maradonna, Mutu), were are the steroids?? Were’s the epo….

btw: i know its cause im dutch but still cant believe deBoer took drugs on perpose (not so sure about Davids,ha,ha)

greetz

Posted from  Netherlands

BTW - thanks for all the Nederlanders who are willing to converse with us English speakers on this site. My Dutch is pretty horrendous (Mijn Nederlandse blijft echte slecht) so I appreciate the effort you all make to communicate to us Dutch by blood, but not be tongue.

Danke

Anyway, what makes doping a bit more difficult in voetbal is that its a bit harder to dope for. You need a large spectrum of strengths in a match: endurance, sprinting ability, awareness, etc. If you just use steroids, you’ll sacrifice endurance. If you use Human Growth Hormone, the muscles could get too big. etc. And of course, that’s all what makes the game so great anyway.

Posted from  United States

Samuel sees it right. Doping is not really working for football. Cocaine and Hasj or weeds are maybe forbidden but will not have a positive effect on preformance. The stuff Davids, Stam, De Boer were tested positive on is also produced by the body in certain situations. I can’t imagine any of them - not even Davids, who is a highly intelligent person off the pitch - using this stuff on purpose.

Posted from  Australia

@SK: YW! (sorry for my english)

still not convinced,

there’s doping in sports like tennis, skiing,baseball etc., other sports were you need ability, indurance and you need to get back in shape quickly for your next game….

agree that Coke and Weed wont do you any good (at least not on a football pitch!)

BTW: how about the following moves:

Kromkamp and Kluivert - PSV

Charisteas and Buijs (Fc Groningen) - Feijenoord

a few Feijenoord supporters have been handing in their seasontickets!!!

Posted from  Netherlands

BTW - I’m not saying that you can’t dope in soccer, I’m just saying that it’s more difficult to tune the doping exactly - since the mix of strengths needed. In fact, I’m almost certain that Davids was guilty. That hyper-aggresiveness is a classic by-product.

The sports where it became a big problem heavily emphasize explosive power - baseball, american football, etc.

So, yes, I definitely do think that you could dope in voetbal.

Posted from  United States

Ok, tham I don’t agree with Samuel :-). But I do feel Sam knows a lot about this subject. Just kiddin’!!!

Davids’ agressiveness has always been a part of his game play. I don’t think I’d rule that in as proof. I know Davids a bit, and as aggro as he is on the pitch, he is a very deep, introverted, shy and spiritual person in real life. I truly do not believe him using substances… But that’s me…

Posted from  Australia