Sunderland boss demands look at players' footwear
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has called for a study into the footwear worn by footballers as well as the state of pitches.
The demand comes after several players, including his own Fraizer Campbell and Manchester United’s Luis Antonio Valencia, have suffered horrendous injuries while wearing ‘blades’ rather than traditional studded boots.
Sunderland have lost Campbell for at least six months after his blades caught in the grass and his knee twisted in a match against Manchester City at the Stadium of Light. Valencia is also looking at an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured
leg, dislocated ankle and ligament damage in a UEFA Champions League match this week.
In recent years, many players have opted to switch to blades with a consensus that the fashionable footwear offers better grip to boost the ability to achieve maximum sprinting speed. The boots have caused concern among managers, however, as they are extremely
lightweight and do not offer as much protection.
'Study and medical report needed'
Bruce told reporters that: "I think there should be a comprehensive study and medical report into the amount of injuries players wearing these blades are getting. I'd like to see stats comparing the number of players getting serious injuries wearing blades
with those getting seriously injured wearing studs."
The situation is a little complicated, however, as many players have contracts with boot manufacturers to wear only their brand of products. As a result, Bruce has proposed a meeting between football chiefs and the companies making boots to determine a way
forward that will be safer for players.
Bruce added that authorities needed to look into the impact that the pristine quality of modern-day pitches have on the likelihood of injuries. He said that: “The pitches are so good, so firm, these days that they are really hard compared to the way they
used to be and the grass is also much stronger which means the blades can stay stuck there. I think we've really got to look at this because there is a problem.”
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