For all of you who like a little puzzle, here's a football conundrum. It would make a good question for the pub quiz. 'What is it that was introduced thirty years ago and, although it appears in the book "The Laws of Association Football", isn't one of the seventeen Laws of the game, and nowhere is at mentioned in the Laws. And although it creates one of the most feared and hated situations in the game, since 1970 it has given us some of the most memorable, nerve-racking, nail-biting, exciting, and at times depressing moments in football, especially in the World Cup and the European Nations Cup.
If you haven't guessed by now let me add the names of Chris Waddle, Stuart Pearce and (Gareth Southgate. I'm sure that's clinched it for you. Kicks from the Penalty Mark to settle drawn games.
We mustn't be confused between Kicks from the Penalty Mark and Penalty Kicks. Penalty Kicks are awarded for offences during the game. Kicks from the Penalty Mark have nothing to do with the game itself but are an approved method of finding a winner, when a game has been drawn and the competition rules require a winning team.
The reason I raise this is because there has been a subtle change in the requirements for Kicks from the Penalty Mark. This happens when one side have had a player sent off or are short through other reasons and have only 10 men (or less) at the end of the game. In the past, if there was no result after ten players of each team had taken a kick, then the team who were a player short, would start again whilst the full side's eleventh player had to take the next kick.
Now I don't know how many limes it has happened, but this has been
considered unfair to the complete team. The team which is short is able to bring
back one of their best penalty takers to take the eleventh kick. The other team, however, are left with their worst penalty taker. At least, if they left him until last they must think he's the worst. What happens now is that the club that has a full side, must reduce their team to match that of their opponents. This means that they can leave out their weakest penalty kicker, for which I'm sure he would be grateful, and both teams start again with their better kickers. The player left out is not allowed to remain in the centre circle but must move off the field of play.
Seems very logical but already some teams have suggested that in these circumstances they might nominate their goalkeeper not to take kicks. The trouble is that, if they do that, the goalkeeper would have to leave the field along with all the other non-participants and could not act as goalkeeper. One of the three remaining players would have to take his place between the goalposts. This is not spelt out in the changes but I have been informed by the RA. that this is so, and they have checked with FIFA so that everyone has the same understanding
Because of the high profile games that this often happens in, it may be thought that this only applies to top level clubs in final rounds of competitions. This is not so. I was appointed to an early round of one of the Berks & Bucks Minor Cup competitions and the rules state that, if the score is still level after extra time of any replay, then Kicks from the Penalty Mark must take place to decide the winning side.
So all clubs and referees at whatever level they perform, must be aware that if the competition rules say a game must be decided in this way they need to fully understand this simple but important alteration to the taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark.
Dick Sawdon Smith