Jabulani the world cup ball

[Snoeker]

sorry for new thread but this discussion was getting lost in WC thread...

 

I have no sympathy for those "struggling" with the ball. Sure, it acts up at altitude. But this ball was launched in December 2009. You're telling me the likes of Casillas who earn (depending on which google result you believe) 5 million euros can't pop out (or send their agent) to buy a match ball that costs less than 200 euro and practise with it for a couple of hours a week?

 

They are so called professionals. If any one of us that have real jobs had an inkling that in 6 months time there would be a once in four year spectacle that required the use of an improved technology for us to perform optimally, we would at least have dabbled in said technology.

 

Its a fecking football. they are footballers. duh.

 

“The ball is dreadful. It’s horrible, but it’s horrible for everyone.” – David James (England, goalkeeper)

 

“The ball is a problem. You can’t anticipate which direction it is going to go in. It is difficult for defenders to deal with and you can’t take your eye off the ball until the very last second.” – Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Japan, defender)

 

“The new ball is not decent, not just for goalkeepers but for everyone. Its trajectory is unpredictable.” – Gigi Buffon (Italy, goalkeeper)

 

“It’s very weird. All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It’s like it doesn’t want to be kicked. It’s incredible, it’s like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it’s supernatural, it’s very bad.” – Luis Fabiano (Brazil, forward)

 

“It’s like a beach ball.” – Claudio Bravo (Chile, goalkeeper)

 

“It’s terrible… like a ball you’d buy in a supermarket.” – Julio Cesar (Brazil, goalkeeper)

 

“Maybe they should stop trying to keep developing the ball and just change the look of it. The ball goes all over the place.” – Seigo Narazaki (Japan, goalkeeper)

 

“It’s a little sad that in a competition as big as the World Cup to have such a poor ball. It’s not just the goalkeepers complaining, but the outfield players as well.” – Iker Casillas (Spain, goalkeeper)

 

“It’s a catastrophe. I played with many different balls, some of which wiggled or changed directions, but this one is the worst of them all.” – Vladimir Stojkovic (Serbia, goalkeeper)

 

“It’s a disaster… It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it!” – Giampaolo Pazzini (Italy, forward)

[The Hitman]

I can't see why they don't just use the same footballs.

Who wants to keep "developing" new ones?

Ridiculous.

[smithdown]

If it weren't for that ball every game would have been 7-6

 

Can't think of when I've seen players completely baffled by the flight of the ball yet. They just seem to be not playing all that great so far. Maybe it's because of their boots?

[Gilps]

I can't see why they don't just use the same footballs.

Who wants to keep "developing" new ones?

Ridiculous.

 

People who make and so need to continue marketing balls. Not complicated.

 

You might as well expect Adidas and Nike to never update designs for football boots, or trainers, or anything else.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

I've seen no evidence that the ball - this WC or any other - has dramatically affected anything

[johngibo YPC]

 

I have no sympathy for those "struggling" with the ball. Sure, it acts up at altitude. But this ball was launched in December 2009. You're telling me the likes of Casillas who earn (depending on which google result you believe) 5 million euros can't pop out (or send their agent) to buy a match ball that costs less than 200 euro and practise with it for a couple of hours a week?

 

 

If its as unpredictable as they are saying then practice won't necessarily help.

Keepers often moan about balls but the fact that everyone is moaning about them suggests something is up

 

I've seen no evidence that the ball - this WC or any other - has dramatically affected anything

 

All the attacking free kicks have been really s****, but its hard to point to the ball

It just seems the first time that everyone is moaning about the ball. Even centre halves

[DanielS]

If its as unpredictable as they are saying then practice won't necessarily help.

Keepers often moan about balls but the fact that everyone is moaning about them suggests something is up

 

 

 

All the attacking free kicks have been really s****, but its hard to point to the ball

It just seems the first time that everyone is moaning about the ball. Even centre halves

 

First time playing at serious altitude for a lot of these players. You'd be shocked at the difference it makes to a moving ball.

 

Would be interesting to hear from the Mexicans (Edit not the Uruguayans. Oops. )

Edited June 16, 2010 by DanielS

[Snoeker]

First time playing at serious altitude for a lot of these players. You'd be shocked at the difference it makes to a moving ball.

 

 

That's true, ask the Bulls

 

Altitude is also moot - Swiss and some other teams had a high altitude base... Its laziness, I reckon.

[Frosty Jack]

Germany France and Argentina have been using it 6 months. Each team should be doing that, not just the Adidas ones.

Said the same thing last WC when Germany were firing in all those dipping shots from distance. Turned out they'd been training with it for months.

 

Maybe its the teams and associations fault, but I agree that there shouldn't be new balls introduced at tournaments.

[Snoeker]

Maybe its the teams and associations fault, but I agree that there shouldn't be new balls introduced at tournaments.

 

Ahem - Dec 2009...

[yellow jumper]

no bad thing if it favours those who want to get it down and play short one touch passes. let's hope those who don't, cotton on.

[Frosty Jack]

Ahem - Dec 2009...

 

 

was it commercially available then or just to the adidas teams?

 

 

either way its still a new ball. and nobody likes it. there wouldn't be this amount of complaint otherwise. or every team in the tournament getting their excuses in early?

 

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2010 by Wyndham Lewis

[johngibo YPC]

was it commercially available then or just to the adidas teams?

 

 

If its different there is only so much a player can practice with it anyway until the season is over

I'd be livid if Pepe made a mistake for us cos he had been practicing with the world cup ball in training!

[stressederic]

The ball is bouncing pretty high which is a bit unusual. Aside from that it does look as though players are struggling to control shots from distance. It actually looks like the ball isn't moving at all, rather than swirling around all over the place.

[jimmylibel]

If its different there is only so much a player can practice with it anyway until the season is over

I'd be livid if Pepe made a mistake for us cos he had been practicing with the world cup ball in training!

 

Exactly. You can't go practicising with a different ball when you're in the middle of a season.

 

The amount of players who've been struggling to control long passes - particularly cross field balls - says it all to me.

 

The ball is detracting from the quality of the football and for that reason alone it deserves criticism.

[Frosty Jack]

If its different there is only so much a player can practice with it anyway until the season is over

I'd be livid if Pepe made a mistake for us cos he had been practicing with the world cup ball in training!

 

this is the key, Argentina, France and of course Germany have been using it in their domestic leagues since february.

[The Hitman]

People who make and so need to continue marketing balls. Not complicated.

 

You might as well expect Adidas and Nike to never update designs for football boots, or trainers, or anything else.

Classic case of a firm creating a market through promotion and advertising.

There's obviously no need for the product innovations,as in most "normal" markets,research and development generally leads to improved and superior products.

It would seem that this is the exception.

Developing for developing's sake.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Altitude makes a difference - 5% I read, I'll have to try to find the article. In a game of fine margins, 5% is a lot

[cymrococh]

5% difference?

 

5% of what?

 

You can't just say it's 5% different.

[johngibo YPC]

5% difference?

 

5% of what?

 

You can't just say it's 5% different.

 

5% less round

[Bailo]

5% less goalsy

[Cobs]

In a game of fine margins, 5% is a lot

 

Never played that

 

 

what's the impact in football?

 

 

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

5% difference?

 

5% of what?

 

You can't just say it's 5% different.

money of course - what else is there in footy?

 

The thin air can also change the flight and speed of the ball. Curiously, for brief athletic

performances -- say under 60 seconds -- performance is improved in the less dense air.

 

A study done by Adidas shows that a free kick from 20 yards at a match in Johannesburg will reach the goal 5 percent faster than at sea level. This translates into a free kick traveling at an average speed of 78 mph at high altitude to 74 mph at sea level.

[Cobs]

does the keeper also travel 5% quicker through the air as he dives to save that freekick?

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

yes, but he also jumps 5% higher & makes a 5% greater lack of judgement