Player Deaths

[CosmicHotspur]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footballers_who_died_while_playing

There are so many more incidences of players dying on the pitch or later as a result of injuries sustained during games in the 2000s than at any other time in the history of football and I wonder why this should be so, when footballers should (?) be fitter and stronger than ever before.

As it's only 2008, no doubt this list will grow before the next decade. Being struck by lightning doesn't count as an injury and the drownings surely weren't during games (!) but even so, there are so many more these days.

Just check out this Wikipedia list.

The most bizarre death was that of Indonesian football star Mistar, in 1995. He was trampled to death by a herd of pigs! 50,000 people attended his funeral.

 

[captinbeefhart]

this thread is useless without pics!!!

 

[AW?]

A bloke i used to work with died on the pitch. He was a Keeper and was playing for his pub team.

Right at the end of the game his team were 1-0 up and needed at least a draw to prevent them getting relegated. In the last minute of the game the other team got a penalty awarded to them which he saved, a few seconds afterwards he just dropped dead in goal. Nobody knows exactly why to this day. Maybe it was too much adrenaline or something.

He kept them up though ofcourse. Poor fucker.

 

[SpurSince57]

Indonesian star Mistar was trampled to death by a herd of pigs that stormed the pitch in 1995. His team were warming up for a forthcoming game. His funeral was attended by 50,000 fans.

I know I shouldn't, but…

:rofl:

More fun injuries here.

http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2001/feb18.htm

 

[chinaman]

Maybe the is too much at stake these days and the modern game demand so much of players. The stress factor is definitely one cause; and I have a feeling that the high living as well as the dips in drugs have a lot to do with it as well.

 

[ChRiStOpHe]

Paul Sykes. Used to play for Dover. We (Dover) got to the Cup final that year, and it was basically a day to remember Syko.

:-(

 

[Chuba]

What is strange aswell and worth pointing out is the amount of
metatarsal injuries, is it the boots or are players going into tackles much harder than the days of Chopper Harris et al?

 

[CosmicHotspur]

I do wonder about the strength and body-building supplements that many teams take and if they have a long-term adverse effect on the body, especially the heart.

Recreational drugs are another matter entirely and I'm sure not all footballers are that stupid - it would have to be the really well-paid ones who are into that regularly.

Up until a relatively short time ago, many more footballers smoked (there are even pics of them doing so in the changing rooms!) and booze has always been around so I don't think that can be the cause of so many recent deaths.

 

[MrsKeane]

The immense strain they go under in modern day footy I think has a lot to answer for. Why use steroids (a lot of body building drugs akthough not explicit steroids have steroid functionality to them)

Something needs to be seen to about it, too much too young *sad*

 

[BoringOldFan]

And of course these days it happens in front of the television cameras. Ricardo Rocha was in the Benfica team when Miklos Feher died four years ago.

 

[CaptainCat]

Are you sure it's not just that deaths prior to the 2000s are not as well documented?

 

[CosmicHotspur]

Are you sure it's not just that deaths prior to the 2000s are not as well documented?

I think it's been researched and reported fairly well so it does seem to be that there are many more now than ever before. I would think deaths of this nature from the latter half of the 20th century would certainly have had a fair amount of publicity, especially with the advent and rise of television news.

Seems a few SCers know of amateur players who've died too and those wouldn't be reported on a national daily basis except as a small paragraph, more likely to be in the local press.