IT'S not just at the World Cup where players have had to spend time getting used to a new football.

Up and down the country the Football League's 72 clubs have been getting to grips with the new Mitre Tensile ball, which takes over as the League's official matchball from the start of the 2010/11 season.

Adidas' Jabulani ball provided a major talking point throughout the World Cup, with goalkeepers from all corners of the globe complaining that its additional movement through the air made life more difficult for them.

The Tensile looks set to follow suit and is a revolution in football design and technology, comprised of just 10 panels and has over 30% less stitching.

Jamie Jones keeps his eyes on the new Mitre Tensile football

This optimises power and efficiency, improving airflow and reducing drag on the ball, which increases the average speed of a shot, making it a strikers dream. The ball is the first of its kind and will be used in all Football League and Scottish Premier League matches from the beginning of the 2010/11 season.

O's stopper Jamie Jones has been training with the ball for the ball for the last two weeks now, and he is grateful for the preparation time ahead of the new season.

He told Orient Player: "We had a shooting session yesterday and I've found that the ball's moving a hell of a lot, more than last season, and more than the Nike Premier League balls from when I was at Everton.

"They're trying to make it more difficult for us goalkeepers, but it's something that we have to deal with, read, and do the best we can.

"You just have to be confident with your hands and trust in your ability to keep hold of the ball if you can.

"These new Mitre balls are similar to the ones used in the World Cup in that they've only got 10 panels. So they're going to move left, right, up and down and we just have to concentrate on the ball."

All Football League clubs will use Tensile balls printed with their club colours and badge, and Nick Cook, Mitre's Marketing Manager, is looking forward to seeing the impact of the new ball.

He added: "Mitre are committed to ball performance, we are very proud of the Tensile and the innovation and technology used to create the ball underlies what Mitre has been associated with for nearly 200 years.

"The Tensile is a players ball, uses the very latest technology and we've no doubt it will add to the excitement and spectacle of the new season - and hopefully more goals!"

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