Heading the Ball - A Dying Art

lesbleusparis

Active Member
Dereks Johnstone and Parlane. Jackson too. Three great headerers in the same team. They would score maybe 30 a season between them with headers. If we had someone now who could put their head through it we’d be dangerous at corners and free kicks. Who is best in the air you’ve seen? Some say Alan Gilzean of Dundee and Spurs. For me Derek Johnstone even as a 16 year old. Frightening.
 
Drogba in the air for me.

I’d agree but I think part of it is defenders have got a lot better as well.
 
Down the years Rangers have always
had great headers of the ball and a threat in the opposition box unfortunately SG’s squad are devoid.
Maybe Katic apart.
 
Jimmy Millar great header of a ball but best in my time without a doubt big DJ not just getting up for header it was his perfect placement as well.
 
In kids football never see them header the ball. My sons team under 11s this year nearly all can header the ball . During the game he allows them to duck once he’ll say you know what happens next time.
That means there coming off for a spell. Other team we play see kids ducking away from the ball our kids get right in to it. Even academies don’t teach them.
 
Derek Johnstone was the best I've ever seen. His timing was brilliant. a lot of his headed goals he never even had to jump for.

Suppose it helped a bit he had the likes of Wullie Johnston, Tommy McLean and Davie Cooper to cross the ball for him though. :)
 
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Dereks Johnstone and Parlane. Jackson too. Three great headerers in the same team. They would score maybe 30 a season between them with headers. If we had someone now who could put their head through it we’d be dangerous at corners and free kicks. Who is best in the air you’ve seen? Some say Alan Gilzean of Dundee and Spurs. For me Derek Johnstone even as a 16 year old. Frightening.


as is a player " Jockeying the player with the ball " effectively just holding him up without making a tackle as too many players dive in and give away a free kick etc ....
 
Small Players like Tim Cahill, despite their lack of height were fantastic at getting a leap and heading the ball, seemed to hang in the air.

The bigger lads like Carroll and Crouch had the height advantage but any goal Cahill headed home looked fantastic.
 
Defenders are better now. Example Scott McKenna, quite bad at actually playing football, excellent at standing in his box and heading the ball away.
Adding in the fact football has evolved from long balls and getting it wide to be crossed in.
 
Lucky enough as an old timer to have seen Willie Thornton. And with a winger like Wille Waddel supplying the crosses.
 
Dereks Johnstone and Parlane. Jackson too. Three great headerers in the same team. They would score maybe 30 a season between them with headers. If we had someone now who could put their head through it we’d be dangerous at corners and free kicks. Who is best in the air you’ve seen? Some say Alan Gilzean of Dundee and Spurs. For me Derek Johnstone even as a 16 year old. Frightening.
Ross mcrorrie is one of the best headers of the ball
 
Derek Johnstone by a country mile.

Strangely enough, and it is quite common for some reason (e.g Lafferty), as a reasonable amateur player back in the day and 6ft 2in in my stocking soles, I was hopeless in the air. Queue the shouts of, "You could get a daily record under that big yin" :))
 
Big Katic great header of the ball fancy him to get a few next season if he's first choice. Won everything in the air against Killie last time out anol.
 
Richard Gough was a great header of the ball, in both areas.
I am just old enough to remember DJ, and will happily acknowledge him as a supreme header of the ball, but Hateley was my favourite.( Butcher wasn’t bad either!)
 
If Goldson could direct his headers better he could quite easily score a good few goals from set pieces.
 
Richard Gough and Mark Hateley probably the best at heading I’ve seen for Rangers. King Richard’s against them at the Copland End is a beauty but the best header I’ve ever seen is probably Hateley against Inter Milan when he played for AC.

Not old enough but reliably informed that DJ was the best ever with Tommy McLean providing the supply.
 
Wouldn't say it's a dying art, football has changed so there isn't as much reliance on a big man up top.
There are plenty players excellent in the air at the moment.
 
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