BS: Footballers' hair

Subject: BS: Footballers' hair
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 10:38 AM

A thing I notice when watching football is how well-groomed and well-presented most of the players are. Apart from the occasional resolute scruff, the overall impression is of considerable care with appearance.

In particular, the hair is almost universally well cut; perfectly shaped around the nape and ears, and no hair to be seen on the neck at all. How is such tonsorial perfection, especially this last effect, achieved? Is there a squad of hairdressers in every team dressing room? Is a trim part of the players' pre-match routine? Or how do they do it?

Bearing in mind that several matches will be played each week, and pretty well every one will be televised, if not shown live then filmed for one of the round-up programmes like Match Of The Day, The Football League Show, The Cup Today, &c, a vast amount of care & effort must go into this overall excellence of grooming. Genuinely curious as to how and when and where it is all done! Anyone know?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 10:47 AM

I once met a chap in prison who had cut the hair of some of the Liverpool football team. (This was years ago though) He said they were incredibly vain and fussy, because they were on view on the TV and the supporters noticed every detail. I think the man was telling the truth because some of the other inmates knew him and verified his 'claim to fame'. He also cut the hair of many of the other prisoners 'inside'. Also, don't footballers nowadays do modelling of kit etc for brochures? If so, they'd need to look ultra-fashionable and smart.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 10:57 AM

Stand-ins?

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: gnu
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 12:37 PM

Indeed. It's all about marketing. As for where and by whom, I haven't the foggiest.

As for general deportment, a recent example of contrast was noted by a CBC sports commentator 'known' for his meticulous attention to self presentation. He showed clips of the arrivals of the USA and CAN hockey teams for an Olympic game between them. He noted how scruffy and poorly dressed Team USA was and then how smartly dressed, suit and tie minimum, and well groomed Team Canada showed up.

Perhaps someday, the Canucks will attain the level of sophistication in deportment and grooming of, well, Google this... don cherry suit pics

If you click 'more images', put sunglasses on beforehand.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 01:16 PM

Canadian and American footballers wear helmets so I don't know how well-groomed they are. Perhaps Gnu knows.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 05:30 PM

booby charlton had an excellent hairstyle, so this high standard of hair care is not new.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: gnu
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 05:38 PM

Q... as you say, they wear helmets.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 05:53 PM

I'm afraid that I can't say the same about the tattoos.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 06:21 PM

Indeed, Dave. The tattoos are distinctly at odds with the hair.

Bobby Charlton was perhaps something of an exception at the time, Dick; but in fact I said nothing to suggest it was entirely a new phenomenon, tho I do feel that its present near-universality is without much precedent.

I was much interested in your recollections above about your convict contact, Eliza. Did he give any indication as to whether he was employed by the football club, or just had premises conveniently nearby; or what?

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Mar 14 - 09:22 PM

I don't think it's all about marketing. When I was in school, I took care to look my best when facing a difficult test. Other students did the same. We felt more confident when we felt we looked good. Your footballers may feel the same.

I don't appreciate the modern young person's approach to hair. For example, I just studied a lot of pix of actresses at the Academy awards show. Their dresses were fancy, but their hair looked bad - seemed dirty or sloppy. Most of them looked like they had pulled their hair back to get it out of way while they turned the compost. This unkempt look is very common.

The American footballers referred to might have been adopting that look.

A few months ago I sent my ISP an e-mail saying that if they were going to post a picture on my screen and force me to look at it again and again, then the least they could do is ensure that the models don't have dirty hair.

So, MtheGM, I congratulate on how your footballers look.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 03:12 AM

Michael (hello there!), my prisoner had been a 'kiter' (using stolen credit cards to obtain money) as part of a 4-man team (a 'jockey', or getaway driver, and 2 'grafters', who enter large office blocks and steal wallets from jackets and handbags. You still see police cars standing off outside Liverpool looking for 4-man 'firms' coming back from forays. Fascinating, but I digress. The prisoner in question had bought a posh house in a place called Formby, where lots of the Liverpool team lived. He'd paid for it with his ill-gotten gains. Being a congenial chap, he frequented bars and clubs where the players met, and pushed his high-class hairdressing salon. Quite a few of them used to go there for a modern, classy haircut. They wanted something much more than a short back and sides. The other prisoners told me he was good, and in jail haircuts are important; most men came out on the Visit beautifully coiffed! I tell this for what it's worth; I have no way of proving it. But when this chap was moved to an open prison, he was allowed to go once a week to Ipswich College to help train hairdressers. I know this is true, as I used occasionally to meet him in the lunch hour at the College, to have a cuppa with him , and the other 'pucka' tutors were there too. The open prison was Hollesley Bay, near Woodbridge in Suffolk. I visited several chaps in there, as they were coming to the end of their sentences and needed encouragement.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,Musket
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 03:45 AM

Shrek even had a hair transplant but still looks like a potato kept in the garage too long. Still, on his new Man Utd contract, he doesn't need a trip to the barbers in order to pull a granny.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: gnu
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 06:13 AM

"... pull a granny." ?

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: MikeL2
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 07:12 AM

Hi

Michael. Interesting thought .

Of course this isn't new by any means but you are right about it being more universal amongst all the pro footballers.

Georgie Best set a trend in hair fashion that was copied by some. The Beatles "cut" was also noticeable among the players. Then there was Kevin Keegan etc.and his affro.

But today there does seem to be a vast majority of players in all leagues having similar groomed styles.

They are just dedicated followers of fashion...!!

Indeed my 10 year old footballing grandson and his team all have them too !!!

Even some of the England Rugby Union team have them.

Ah well... it's called progress I guess.

Gnu...Wayne Rooney was accused of frequenting " night ladies" one of whom was said to be a grandmother.

Regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 12:11 PM

Hahaha! There's hope for me yet!

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: Musket
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 01:57 PM

You never know Eliza, he's worth a bob or two.

You'd have to live with the shame of your beau being employed by a team who got stuffed by Liverpool though.......

When Terry Curran played for us many years ago, a lad outside was selling spoof curly hair wigs and the Kop looked like his family had come out to see him.

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 02:02 PM

Do you remember that comedy show with Scousers in shellsuits and curly wigs taking their wheelbarrows down to the Benefits Office to collect their handouts? Calm down! Calm down!

Subject: RE: BS: Footballers' hair
From: gnu
Date: 18 Mar 14 - 03:35 PM

MikeL2 : So... not just a saying I am mot familiar with but so obscure it applies to Rooney? I am down with that. As for Grannies, many a good tune been played on an old fiddle. So they say. Hmmmm... what is old folk anyway?