By Russell Barder

Taylor says the physical demands placed on players is too much

Professional Footballers' Association boss Gordon Taylor has urged clubs to do more to safeguard players' health in the wake of Phil O'Donnell's death.

The Motherwell captain died of heart failure after collapsing during a game against Dundee United last week.

All players coming into the game at the age of 16 are currently screened for heart defects, but Taylor wants clubs to take more responsibility.

"It is important for clubs to carry out health checks themselves," he said.

Speaking to BBC Sport, the PFA chief executive added: "You can never tell with somebody if there is a particular heart defect.

"From that point of view, it is like with any high intensity sport - you are never quite sure (about the heart) until it is put to an extreme test."

606: DEBATE RIP O' Donnell and condolences to all at Motherwell and of course his family. villawin

O'Donnell, who was 35, is not the first footballer to have died of heart problems in recent years.

Spanish international defender Antonio Puerta, 22, died earlier this season after collapsing while playing for Sevilla, and 16-year-old Walsall youth player Anton Reid collapsed and died during a training session in October.

In 2003, Cameroon international and former West Ham midfielder Marc Vivien-Foe died after collapsing during his country's Confederations Cup match with Colombia in France.

Despite players being fitter than ever, Taylor believes that the physical demands placed on them is starting to take its toll.

"There's high demand physically," he said.

"You wouldn't have a racehorse being expected to run three times a week for 30 to 40 weeks per year.

"There's never been more research into good diets and physiology, so one would expect that would make things better. But the fact is that everybody is doing that.

"Players are fitter than they have ever been, but we're still losing 50 players a year to permanent injury in spite of improved medical techniques."

Phil O'Donnell is the latest player to die from heart problems

Taylor also backed the policy of screening players at 16, a scheme run by the Football Association and funded jointly by the FA and PFA, and hopes to apply it to all players who sign for an English club, regardless of age.

But he admitted the speed of the modern game and the intensity of professional football are a cause for concern, and he wants people to start enjoying the sport more.

"Every player should have that heart screening to look out for any problems," Taylor added.

"We had two young players at Accrington who found problems and they have now been successfully operated on and can continue their careers.

"But aside from that I think there is too much pressure on referees, too much pressure on managers for instant success, and too much pressure from supporters who demand instant success.