'Faster' football launched

The new ball is claimed to be rounder and faster

By the BBC's Darren Jordon

It might look the same, players might do the same things with it, but when the new season kicks off on August 18th, Premiership clubs will be using a new and faster football.

Designed by sports manufacturer Nike, the new "Geo Merlin" ball is described as technically superior than any other football.

Great if you are David Beckham, but a possible nightmare if you are a goal-keeper on the receiving end of his trademark free-kick.

Nike's new technology has re-shaped the hexagonal panels on the ball to allow more even distribution of pressure, creating a ball they say, that is mathematically "rounder" and less prone to deviation in flight.

There should be some explosive results this season

Richard Avis, Innovation Director for Nike Soccer Equipment

The closer the ball is to a perfect sphere when it is stitched together, the faster and more aerodynamic it becomes.

The re-vamped outer casing of the ball is hi-tech and gives the ball more acceleration off the head or foot.

It acts like a trampoline, returning impact energy when the ball is struck.

Richard Avis, Innovation Director for Nike Soccer Equipment says: "We are delighted that the most exciting league in the world will be using this new ball, and there should be some explosive results this season".

But not all premiership goal-keepers share Nike's enthusiasm for the new ball.

Liverpool's Sander Westerveld says: "It's a totally different ball - so we'll have to train to get used to it. But it's terrible, when it's wet it's very slippery, and I hate it!"

The new ball has already been tested in Europe

It's all a long way from the days of laced up leather balls with pig's bladders.

But that didn't stop the likes of the late Stanley Matthews from showing the sort of skills that many people say today's players lack.

We gave the new ball to some very eager kids on soccer camp to size it up. Most of them thought it was a bit hard, but said it seemed to fly much faster than their regular footballs.

The Geo Marlin has been used at the top level already - it was the ball for the Euro 2000 Champions League final.

It was field-tested by some of Europe's biggest clubs like Barcelona, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven and Paris St Germain.

With the new season only days away, players here will be hoping the new ball gives domestic teams the same level of success.