Goalies’ Technological Fear

The first game sent out a red alert warning to all goalies that a one month nightmare is in sight when Germany’s Torsten Frings fired a cannon ball like shot from 40 meters to score a goal. The match ended 4-2 with a total of 6 goals; which broke the opening salvo record total that stood for more than 40 years.

The strikers are the biggest threat to goalies, combine it with a technologically superior ball plus a lightweight boot similar to what Rooney wears then you have a nightmare game after game.

Adidas altered the standard 26 or 32 panels of Football balls and instead created Teamgeist with 14 panels. Ken Bray, a sports scientist at the University of Bath in England says the ball behaves similar to a baseball.

The ball, designed by Adidas, has 14 panels instead of the 26 or 32 that traditionally create the hexagonal pattern and Ken Bray, a sports scientist at the University of Bath in England, believes that makes the ball behave more like a baseball. He adds on by saying:

“With a very low spin rate, which occasionally happens in football, the panel pattern can have a big influence on the trajectory of the ball and make it more unpredictable for a goalkeeper,”

“Watch the slow motion replays on television to spot the rare occasions where the ball produces little or no rotation and where goalkeepers will frantically attempt to keep up with the balls chaotic flight path.”

Goalies don’t like it as USA keeper Kasey Keller says:

“Something is obviously going on with the ball. The rule changes in the last 20 years haven’t been very goalkeeper-friendly. It might as well extend to the equipment as well. FIFA wants to see more goals,” Keller said.

“It’s a very light ball. The difference is only a fraction of a second but it’s a big difference. This ball has a wobble. It’s not an easy ball to catch. You are going to see times when a goalkeeper will over-dive because it will come back across.”

But of course if keepers are not in favor of it, strikers feel the opposite:

“With long shots, it floats and moves a lot which makes it difficult to read,” said Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho.

This ball has passed FIFA and I am sure they are aware of the changes made. Definitely they know that more goals will be scored in the tournament. More goals mean more viewer and more viewers mean more money.

I like the concept that cannon balls are money generating machines which is a result of fired up fantasy of viewers.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, Germany, Teamgeist, Gear[/tags]