Jason Stamper's Blog

According to the Metro, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, who was hooked up to a heart-rate monitor, saw a heart rate while performing averaging between 140 and 150 beats per minute, but it occasionally reached as high as 190 beats per minute. He burned between 400 and 600 calories an hour.

“Footballers can normally expect to play 40 to 50 games a year,” noted Dr Marcus Smith, of the University of Chichester, who helped carry out the research. “They find playing a Champions League game once every two weeks a drain but musicians are doing it every day when they are on tour.” I guess he is referring to drumming when he says “doing it every day”.

The big flaw in the analysis of these results, however, is that footballers don’t only exercise for 90 minutes once every two weeks: they train intensively four days a week, on top of their match performances.

I’m not being too ‘narky’ though: the research is being used to encourage more youngsters to take up drumming, or even join the Clem Burke Drumming Project, which is working with the government to develop programmes to help overweight youngsters. That sounds like a genuinely good cause. I’ve had a lot of – aherm – satisfaction, from playing guitar in a band, so I would be in favour of getting more youngsters into playing music whether it helped with their fitness or not.

But I couldn’t resist the temptation of putting a couple of pics up to see whether the claims ring true: are drummers really fitter than footballers?

THE DRUMMER

Phil Collins: No Jacket Required.

THE FOOTBALLER

Christiano Ronaldo: half-naked, for a change.

And for more on whether footballers have any right to be tired, check out this thread from the BBC.co.uk’s cbbc website: the honesty of the kids is refreshing.

CBBC] “As the footie season gets close to a thrilling climax some people - including Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina - have been talking about tired players. They've been playing for eight and a half months so far, so some would say they should be tired, but then the top players get paid loads of money, so should they just get on with the game?”

Reader Comments]

"No, they get paid good money for it and if they moan about it they should quit the job."

Grace, 11, Uckfield

"I feel really sorry for them, they always try there best. And if they don't win the fans are really cross. At least they tried their best. I am a Man U fan and we can not do better than them. I wound get tired."

Emma, 11, Ballymena

"No, my dad is a footballer and soldier and lays bricks and is never tired!"

Jason, 9, Ealing

"I do feel a little sorry for tired footballers! But I thought they were meant to be fit?!"

Jennifer, 12, Scotland

"I love soccer, and I know how bad it can get when you've been running on a field that big, I think we should be sympathetic for them when they get tired."

Carson, 12, America

"I don't feel bad for them because they took the job. They were the ones who wanted to get paid good money to play this sport, so why should I and other people feel bad for them?!"

Natalie, 12

"I think if footballers are tired they should run off the field and tag another person to go on for the footballer."

Brittany, 11, Burnie

"No way that's what they get paid for and if they think they do then they should quit. It's up to them."

Francesca, 12, Rush Green

"No I do not feel sorry for tired footballers. If they get tired after an hour and a half of football then they are just lazy. And they get paid loads of money so they can relax the rest of the time."

Eadaoin, 13, Armagh

"I do feel sorry for them, because they did lots of hard work to put this effort in."

Samantha, 12, Bracknel

"No, because the reason they are out on the pitch is to perform, and getting tired when they are no where near performing like the top players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and so many others, is not on the same level."

Hussein, 10, London

"I do not feel sorry for footballers because they are supposed to enjoy themselves."

Mothiur, Leicestershire

"They get paid loads of money. They don't save lives or prevent crime. They help cause violence, which could turn into crime. Why should they be tired? Our parents work all year, not 8 months."

Hannah, 13, Petersfield

"I think football is about having fun and it is not fair to make them play 90 minutes every week or perhaps more."

Adam, 11, London

"I think doctors and fireman etc should be paid more then them, why should they be tired?!"

Simon, 13, Birmingham

"Feel sorry for tired footballers???? No why... they get too much money to be so lazy... All they are asked to do is go to training all week and play 90 minutes of a game. I would love to be able to play football as a job especially with the amount of money they get a week."

Callum, 10, Amlwch

"A footballer's life is not easy, as they have to train for so long and play lots of matches. But so many other people work just as hard, if not harder, and get paid hardly anything in comparison, such as firefighters, ambulance workers, police men & women, coastguards and even normal GP doctors and teachers. I do feel a bit sorry for them but at the end of the day they could be doing something worthwhile with their life rather than something that doesn't really help anyone, and after all, they chose to take that career path!!"

Sarah, 12, Romsey

"People say that it is their fault but if they didn't play, you wouldn't have anything to watch!"

Zoe, 13, Rochdale

"Why should they be tired? They earn up to 100,000 a week + they can get subbed!"

Matthew, 9, Hainault

"I do not feel sorry for them. They get millions of pounds and work just as hard as everyone else. If they feel tired they should go and get a real job with a normal pay!!"

Charlotte, 11, Didcot

"Yes I do. It's sad to watch them kneel on the ground looking tired and hurt."

Annie, 10, Wrexham

"I don't feel sorry for them. Why should I? What have they ever done for me? I think football is a rubbish sport and they get far too much money for it. If they are so good then they shouldn't be tired."

Angharad, Wales

"Some footballers really are tired because they're always the ones who really get stuck in, unlike some other players."

James, 9, Lincolnshire

"Footballers do work hard but they get paid loads. If they can't cope, don't play football."

Connor, 11, Nottingham

"Footballers do work hard but they get paid loads. If they can't cope, don't play football."

Connor, 11, Nottingham

"Not really, when I play football, even if I'm tired, I just try my hardest and carry on."

Thomas, 9, Norwich

"I don't feel sorry for tired footballers because I play football and I have to put up with and I'm only 9!"

James, 9, Blackpool

"No! They get paid millions for kicking a ball around! Whereas people such as nurses, doctors dedicate their life to help others and do longer hours and some get paid the minimum wage? Ain't fair!!!"

Leearh, 12, Wrexham

"Listen, there are footballers who do not get paid millions but they get tired! They deserve more time off."

Dan, 13, Thornbury

"I don't feel sorry for them...I play football for a team. Getting tired is part of the thrill-it keeps you going!"

Megan, 13, Witney

"THEY GET PAID TOO MUCH! They are only playing footy for 90 minutes. I have played footy for 3 hours and not got tired."

Jack, 9, London

"I really do feel sorry for tired footballers 'cause sometimes they can get so stressed and under pressure that they could collapse on the pitch or before the match or maybe after the match."

Rhiannon, 10, Marlborough

"My mum is a midwife, and she's on her feet for 10 hours at a time, all through the night. Footballers get paid so much more to play a game for 90 minutes!"

Lucy, 12, Cambridge

"I feel sorry for them, because they have to work so hard to keep their manager and fans happy. It is a very hard and exhausting job!"

Lauren, 13

"They get paid so much money and they probably don't work as hard as rugby players. My parents work when they are tired or even ill. I don't see why they should get away with it, see how they like it!!"

Victoria, 12, Leighton

"Most people are tired after a day of work and being paid peanuts. Footballers are paid millions. If they can't cope, they should get less money."

Joe, 13, London

"Footballers have easy lives as when they're tired, they have a whole week off before they play a new match."

Erald, 10, London

"They chose their careers, and some footballers get more money a day than some people get a year. So I don't think anyone should feel sorry for them."

Georgia, 13, Surrey

"I do a bit but they get paid millions of pounds, while doctors, nurses, police and fire fighters are hardly getting paid compared to them. Football doesn't save people's lives but all the rescue people do."

Lilly, 11

"Everyone is really unhappy when footballers miss a goal but they have to play this all year round and they're probably really tired. It's not their fault they never get a break!"

Ruby, 12, Amersham

"Yes, because they have to train all day and play games all day."

Saxona, 10, Billingham

More on this thread here.

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