What do you think of the Adidas "Jabulani" ball?

1. 61

   Cattleprod Mediaposted 8 years ago

   I'm South African, and so I've been watching a lot of the World Cup, since it's hosted in this country, but I've been pretty disappointed by the lacklustre performances. I think the Adidas "Jabulani" ball has a lot to answer for?
   
   What are your opinions?

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   1. 73

      jondavposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Its a ball - same size and weight as all the others. The players (mostly) are highly paid professionals and they can't kick a ball on target?
      
      The players are for the most part over paid, over hyped prima donnas that just dont care about playing for their country - why would they when they get paid more in a week than most of us earn in several years?

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      1. 61

         Cattleprod Mediaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Indeed, that's the other side of the coin, and probably the correct assumption... but I'm still wondering about this accuracy problem? Cameroon last night had at least 9 shots at goal, but still managed to lose... I was pulling my hair out about the lack of ability to finish and I can't understand it. Is it the pressure? Or is it the ball? Or is it simply the lack of interest? I mean this is the biggest show on earth, surely national pride must come into it, despite their big paychecks?

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   2. 0

      ryankettposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I saw a spoof comment on an article about the Jabulani, which made me laugh pretty hard......
      
      
      
      
      FIFA already working on ‘even better’ ball for 2014 World Cup
      
      Following the unrivaled success of the Jabulani ball at this year’s World Cup, FIFA’s engineers are already at work on a new design for the next competition.
      Rumours coming out of FIFA’s development laboratory suggest the world football organization is so happy with the low scoring during the 2010 Cup that they plan to have players use an even less familiar design in four years time.
      “We’ve managed to get scoring down to less than a goal a game this year, which is quite a success story” said a FIFA technician who asked to remain anonymous. “The complaints about the Jubulani are just silly. Why would we bring all the best players in world together and let them use a ball they are used to? That would be madness.”
      The Associated Press was allowed to see a top-secret sketch smuggled out of the FIFA laboratory showing a 2014 ball that breaks with the long-standing football tradition of using a sphere and instead uses a square design.
      The square ball’s code name during development: the Cubalani. It’s not clear how players will adapt to kicking a cube.
      The source said players in 2014 will get about 10 minutes to familiarize themselves with the Cubalani before the matches begin. “We don’t want anyone to figure out how to kick it properly or they might be able to score,” he said.
      The source added that FIFA is renowned for its responsive to suggestions and will take into account one of the complaints about the Jabulani – that shooters are unable to keep it under the crossbar.
      “We think this high-flying issue will be put to rest at the next World Cup,” the source said. “In 2014, the Cubalani should remain lower because we will make this breakthrough cubic ball out of solid lead.”
      Even though the Cubalani has not been officially released, FIFA has already received an endorsement and seal of approval from the International Association of Insomniacs.

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2. 76

   Richieb799posted 8 years ago

   I think the UK ball is made by Mitre isn't it? It seems to have more leather shapes included in the stitching than this world cup one..we played with Mitre ones as kids and this allows you to get you foot behindit better

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3. 74

   mrpopoposted 8 years ago

   The ball curves far too much, it is a nightmare not only for the goalkeepers but for the players. A simple cross becomes ridiculously hard to control because it somehow turns backspin into topspin really easily and just keeps going. However, this has nothing to do with foot control, only with the aerodynamics of the ball which I think was exaggerated. The only danger this ball provides to the keepers is the shots from outside the box, especially if you try to curve it. But it hinders the game enough to actually make it harder to score good goals, so it's come down to luck rather than skill.
   
   @ ryankett, lol hilarious spoof, I started reading it from the middle so I actually thought they were serious for a moment

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4. 73

   jondavposted 8 years ago

   I have noticed that a lot of the players are wearing the same new boots - no-one is blaming them!

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5. 93

   Shinkickerposted 8 years ago

   At time of writing, I think there has only been one goal direct from a free kick. Say no more, the ball must be to blame

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6. 73

   jondavposted 8 years ago

   As an inanimate object that is solely controlled by external factors i cannot see how the ball can be blamed for a (pro) player failing to kick it on target.

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7. 0

   ryankettposted 8 years ago

   The ball is actually the standard weight and size, no different to any other ball used in international football. In fact the Jabulani was even used in many domestic cup finals etc last year, the MLS play-off game used the Jubalani - so did the Scottish Cup Final.
   
   There is in fact now a general consensus that the problem lies with the altitude.
   
   “The problem is when you play in the altitude then it’s really quick. It’s harder to control, quicker coming to you.”  - Diego Forlan

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   1. 74

      mrpopoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      That makes more sense, but I still don`t think it`s much of an excuse.

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8. 63

   I am DB Cooperposted 8 years ago

   They complain about the ball every World Cup. This one seems to be extra glossy and with very few seams, which could factor into its weird behavior in the air. What every happened to the soccer balls with the black and white pentagon shapes? That's the type of ball I used when I was a kid, and nobody seemed to complain about it.

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9. 70

   abidareacodeposted 8 years ago

   I think it was to be introduced earlier before the world cup so that players were able to familiarise with it. Now free kick goals which were the beauty of the game were reduced.

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